Additionally, using a CI may be an excuse to have probable cause for a search, raid, or arrest when there isnt another probable cause. reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Exposing the confidential informants identity would spell the end of the governments ability to use that informant again in the future. There is case law that the defense attorney can argue about disclosing the identity of tipsters versus active participants in criminal cases that involve CIs. There are basically three types of informants: those who agree to cooperate with the police in exchange for favorable treatment in their own cases; those who inform in exchange for money; and citizen-informants who inform out of a sense of civic duty. A relatively untested CI, with no resulting arrests or convictions, may be less likely to be believed. Some informants have personalities that make them difficult to manage. If you have questions about how a confidential informant may affect your case, consult an experienced criminal defense lawyer near you. Receive a phone call from attorney Marni Jo Snyder for a free initial consultation. Login. This rating signifies that a large number of the lawyers peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards. A responsive, knowledgeable and skilled attorney. Mathew did an amazing job in court. Confidential Informants can never be 100% protected by the Government or anyone else. Lorenza Magana, who works with victims of violence in Juarez, Mexico, "We have thousands of informants that are active that we are managing on a daily basis," he says. When the El Paso DEA office got wind of what was happening, the agent in charge was stunned. Attention is given to forms, reports, records, and files that are the foundation of the information gathering and control procedures. Lalo's information was on the mark. It has been dubbed the House of Death. But it wasn't just the people of Juarez who were outraged. You may not see or notice the police. A. Having gained this knowledge all that remains to be done is to transpose it into the environment of managing confidential informants. The extant literature on the topic is primarily comprised of experientially based practical guides to informant management and a handful of field studies drawing information from informants in the study of other undercover practices. Attorney Raul Loya, who represented them, said the federal agents handling Lalo were a joke. Once I reached out to Matt he was back in touch within the hour. A still from a video in which Lalo talks about his case. hide caption. There might be several unhappy criminals and their associates or family members looking to exact revenge orstop them from testifying in court. My son got a felony for possession of THC oil, I immediately started looking for legal assistance and was blessed to find Mathew Shafran. Confidential Informants: Protecting Their Identity Once an informant is known, the drug traffickers are quick to retaliate. 0000001712 00000 n Can a felon be a confidential informant? What evidence is needed to Payments to informants are a thorny issue for the bureau, because agents know defense lawyers will use the payments to question the credibility of an informant while he or she is testifying . Matt was available throughout the process for consultations with both my son and his parents. A confidential informant is a person who provides information to law enforcement regarding another individual or organization in relation to a crime. Specifically, ICE officials say Bencomo was terminated because he didn't tell supervisors that Lalo was still involved with murder and torture in Juarez. How to Become an FBI Informant | Legal Beagle