Open the door or you're going to I'm going to break your door. Sure. >> Let go of the phone now. >> No, I'm on the phone with my lawyer. I'm on the phone with my lawyer. >> Let go of the phone. >> On May 25th, 2023, Illinois detectives executed simultaneous search warrants targeting the residence and bank accounts of a corporate financial administrator accused of stealing over 1.3 million dollars from her employer across 6 years through fraudulent payroll deposits, forged checks, and unauthorized transfers. >> Okay. >> Yeah, this is a disaster. At least they sound like they're large. >> Moving. >> The cow, PLEASE. SEARCH WARRANT. The cow, please. Search warrant. >> She's coming. Yep, she's coming. >> Open the door. >> The cow, PLEASE. OPEN THE DOOR. Open the door. I have a search warrant. Open the door. Yes. Open the door or you're going to I'm going to break your door. Sure. >> Okay, man. Anyone else home? >> No, it's just me and my dog. >> Are your dogs locked up? >> Under the fourth amendment, a valid residential search warrant requires probable cause, particularity of place and items to be seized, and judicial authorization as established in Illinois versus Gates 462 US 213 1983. All three conditions were met here. The knock and announce doctrine codified in 18 USC section 3109 and affirmed in Wilson versus Arkansas 1995 requires officers to announce identity and authority before entry. The detectives complied. Non-compliance would have risked suppression of all evidence seized. >> Can I please see the warrant, please? >> Yep, we'll give you a copy. >> What is this? Is your husband home or are your children home? >> No, my children are at school. >> You're sure? Go and step out. You can step out with my partner over here. I'm going to explain everything to you, okay? We have to search it and make sure there's no one else here. >> Okay. >> So, go out with them. >> I have to step out? >> Yes, yes. Please, please. >> Okay. Can I not get my purse or anything? >> you have to go out with them. Let go of the phone now. >> No, I'm on the phone with my lawyer. I'm on the phone with my lawyer. >> Let go of the phone. Let's step out, please. Thank you. I'll stay with you. >> It's just a car. >> I'm going to hang out with you, okay? >> Can you please explain to me what's going on? >> Yep, there's a search warrant for your house. Okay, I have a narc here who's just going to talk to you once we make sure that everything's safe in here, okay? All right, there's no one else home, there's no kids home, anything like that? >> No. >> Is your husband home or is he at work? Okay. >> Can I call my lawyer at least? Like >> Yep, you can do that, okay? But, we're going to work on it, okay? >> So, I have to wait until you guys give me my phone now. >> there's a search warrant signed by a judge, that says that we will be searching your house. >> Okay. My lawyer said I shouldn't open the door or do anything but tell you guys to contact them first. So, that's my attorney. >> If you didn't open the door, I would have broke it down anyway. So, you're doing what you're supposed to be doing. Okay. I've got a search warrant signed by a judge. It's not like I asked to come in. I've got an order coming by the judge. >> Okay. >> Okay. Clear? >> Clear. >> Are there any weapons in the home or anything like that? >> Yeah, my husband has a concealed carry. >> Are there laptops though? >> I'm I'm pretty sure, yeah. >> And he's not here? >> No. >> Okay. Pantry, clear. >> Can I at least call someone to get my kids still from school? Like, this is the legal process if I can't call them and at least say that. >> get off school? >> Uh my kid gets out of school at 12. >> Okay. You got a little bit of time for that, but I will make you let you make phone calls for that, okay? It's 9:30. >> But if he's out on a truck run, why can't I call him and just tell him get back here now? I I don't have anyone in DeKalb else to pick up my kid. >> Okay. We'll We'll make We'll let you make that call, okay? Just not at this moment. Okay, we got to make sure this house is safe, everyone's safe, and then we'll start having conversations, okay? Go ahead. >> Car police, search warrant. >> Clear. >> There's like a door over here on the right. >> Yeah, I'm checking this door right now. You got to go around. >> Take your time, guys. No rush. >> Yeah, I'm good. >> Yeah, there's deep deep corner to the right. Turning. >> Got it. >> Put it back here. We're going to clear that corner. >> Yep. >> Check that door. >> Am I under arrest or something? >> At the moment, >> I don't know. I'm not understanding why I can't call my husband just to tell him to head back this way then. >> Ma'am, I understand you don't have a phone on you right now, so you can't call your husband. >> I do have another phone I can use though, I can call. >> part of the search. >> My tablet's part of it, too? >> Mhm. >> What? You guys clear? >> Uh we're almost about uh 15 seconds, we'll be done. >> All right. Clear. >> We check that, right, buddy? >> All right. Yep. >> All right. Uh we're coming up. >> All right. >> It's all open up here. >> We got a lot of room. >> Yeah, so that's the straight spare to the left. Go to the bathroom now. >> Go to the bathroom with you. >> All right, who wants to go first? >> I got the left side. >> Hey Lickle, she says he's out on a run right now, so no one should be home. >> You guys are next person. >> I swear no one is here but me and my dogs. I'm >> I got to search though. I appreciate you. Thank >> I see. >> I know. >> Closet. >> Closet, good. >> Clear. Right here. >> Good. >> Clear. >> A lot of stuff. You guys good then? >> Good. Almost last room. >> You guys good with this one? >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. >> Quick. While you guys are here, check secondaries. >> Okay. Secondaries. Good. >> Good. You get under the bed? Good to clear the channel? >> Sorry? >> Are you good for me to clear the channel? >> Yes. >> It is secure. You can clear fire, please. >> Why do they want my text messages? >> The most legally significant moment occurs at the threshold. The subject states she is on an active call with her attorney, and the officer physically removes the phone. Under Edwards versus Arizona, 1981, once a suspect invokes the right to counsel, all questioning must cease immediately. Whether the phone seizure was lawful depends on the warrant's four corners. If electronic devices were specifically listed, the act was defensible. If not, or if terminating act of attorney call was unnecessary, it creates a Fifth Amendment vulnerability that defense counsel will exploit. The subject's attorney advised her not to open the door. That advice was legally incorrect. Under Payton versus New York, 1980, a valid warrant authorizes entry regardless of occupant consent. Compliance was required once the warrant was presented. After entry, officers conducted a protective sweep before evidence collection. Under Maryland versus Buie, 1990, officers may clear adjoining areas for individuals posing a danger. A protocol correctly followed here before transitioning to the evidence phase. >> The offenses in the listed in the warrant. >> You said the offense? Can you explain that? What does that mean? >> Yep. And you got a lot of questions. There's another detective that's going to have those answers for you, okay? >> Okay. >> I'll get him for you once he's done doing what he's doing inside. How long have you lived here? >> Uh 3 years now. >> Okay. How many dogs do you have? My dog just ran. >> Six. Two I'm babysitting and four are mine. >> Okay. All right. So, this is Detective You got a lot of questions. He's got the information for you, okay? So, um Patience. You would please just go and sit down on the swing. >> Why can't we stand up? I would like to stay closest to my house as best as possible. >> Well, at at this point at this point in time, unfortunately, I'm going to have to have you come down to the station with me, okay? >> For what? >> Huh? As we're as we're Right now, you're in custody you're in custody. You're under arrest with that person right now, okay? >> So, I'm being charged? >> As right now, yes. >> Okay. So, when can I call my husband? >> I would to soon as we get down there. I know you have a lot I know you have a lot of questions and I want to be as calm as possible, okay? So, as as soon as we get down there, so as we'll sit down, we'll have a talk, and uh when everything's everything's situated and like I said, I can answer questions for you and I'll let you make what phone calls you need to, okay? >> So, who's all under arrest? Who's all under arrest? >> As As of right now, you're the only one here, so as of right now, you're the only you're the only one that's being charged. >> will be charged? My husband will be charged? >> At this point this point This is I'm just concerned about talking to you, okay? >> You said you would answer more of my questions. >> He will. He will. We've got to do this part first. We will talk to you more at the police department. So, for now Put Put your hands behind your back. >> So, I So, when can I make my my phone call? Because my kids get out at 12. >> Step forward, please. Thank you. Pull your sleeve up a little bit and your hair out of the way so we don't get stuck in there, okay? I know you got a lot of questions and I want to provide the answers for you, but then again, I just don't want to sit here and air out laundry in front of you and the entire neighborhood. >> I just want to know that most importantly, I would like to call my my my husband so he can get the kids. Is my husband under arrest? Are you guys trying to get him, too? >> As of right now, this is that's one of our first priorities is, you know, getting a hold of your husband and make sure the kids are okay. So, as we know, like so we're going to try to >> But are you telling me the truth or you just saying it? Because I don't even know what I'm being Who's charging me? >> Passion, I'm I'm being up front honest. I've been doing this for almost 19 years. I'm not trying to bamboozle you or anything like that, okay? >> It doesn't even say who's charging me. It doesn't even say who's charging me. >> We'll We'll be at the jail police department. Yeah, we'll we'll we'll talk We'll We'll talk about, you know, charges and whatnot when we get down there. Like I said, I'm not trying to bamboozle you. We're trying to get We're trying to get all your husband. Try to make arrangements for the kids and whatnot, and get it all situated. Okay? >> Mhm. >> Sorry. Sorry, it's not the most comfortable, but I'll get you out of those ASAP, okay? They're boxes? Oh, they're just clearing stuff out of the It says clearing stuff out of the out of the van. It's It says part of the search warrant, which items were listed here. Obviously, you got your copy. It's right here. You can When we get down to the PD, I'll let you look back over it again, okay? I How long is your what? >> How long is my cell phone going to be gone? >> How long is your stuff going to be gone for? >> Yes. >> It's part part of the investigation. 100% honesty. I don't know, because if whatever's collected will be collected as evidence, and then it's got to go It's got to go through, you know, whether, you know, you take it to court, whether, you know, that's You take it to court, whether, you know, you're found guilty or you're found innocent, whatever, you know, and then he says if If everything everything works out, you know, when you're found innocent or in innocent or charges are dismissed, that property will be returned to you, okay? >> So, they're going to have it until then? >> As right now, yes. >> The formal arrest announcement triggered full Miranda protections. No advisement is captured on camera prior to on-scene questioning. Detectives deferred all substantive interrogation to the station, preserving Miranda compliance, and protecting the evidentiary value of any subsequent statements. Evidence recovered included approximately $116,000 in jewelry, forged checks totaling over $43,000, and $28,500 in Amazon purchases charged to the company. A search of the suspect's phone revealed queries including "How much time do you get for money laundering?" and "How to prove you did not misappropriate funds?" Admissible as consciousness of guilt evidence under Illinois evidentiary standards. Four charges were filed, theft over $1 million, and misappropriation of financial institution property over $1 million. Both class X felonies under 720 ILCS 5/16-1 and 17-10.6 carry 6 to 30 years with no probation eligibility. Continuing financial crimes. Enterprise under 720 ILCS 5/17-10.7 targets the sustained multi-method nature of the scheme. Three counts of forgery under 720 ILCS 5/17-3 address the physical instruments. The lead detective receives a B+. Knock and announce was properly executed. The protective sweep followed established protocol, and substantive questioning was deferred to the station, preserving Miranda compliance throughout. His sustained de-escalation across a prolonged, emotionally charged encounter reflects professional discipline. The single unresolved issue is the phone seizure during an active attorney call. If the device was not specifically listed in the warrant, any evidence derived from it may face suppression under the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine from Wong Sun versus United States, 1963. The subject receives a C. Within the encounter, she complied with lawful commands, did not resist arrest, and correctly invoked counsel. However, the underlying conduct, if proven, reflects 6 years of deliberate financial fraud totaling an estimated $2 million. Her pre-arrest internet searches confirm awareness of criminal exposure, and her prior admission to signing fraudulent checks while denying wrongdoing is a legally contradictory position that undermines any good faith defense. Three lessons. First, access without oversight is the enabler. The subject held unchecked control over payroll systems, banking authentication, and financial records for years. Organizations must apply the principle of least privilege and conduct independent reconciliation audits on any single point of access account. Second, phone search history is evidence querying sentencing ranges on a device subject to a search warrant does not delete the queries. It preserves them. Electronic devices seized under warrant are fully searchable within the scope authorized by the issuing judge. Third, invoking counsel does not stop a warrant. The right to counsel governs interrogation, not entry. A valid search warrant authorizes access independent of consent. The correct response is to comply with the search, remain silent, and invoke counsel clearly, then exercise those rights fully at the station. Let us know if there is an interaction or legal topic that you would like us to discuss in the comments below. Thank you for watching.