USE OF DECEPTION

The defendant, a convicted felon, listed his house with a real estate agent to sell. The police posed as prospective buyers and had the agent show them the house in hopes of finding firearms. The police found several firearms in plain view. They obtained a search warrant and searched the house. The defendant was charged with possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony. The court ruled that the deception by police was permissible. The defendant did not have any expectation of privacy when he listed his home for sale and knew the home was going to be shown to prospective buyers.