When is a Ping a Private Thing?

The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals recently o.k.'d the government's secret interception (and use) of the data sent and received from a pay-as-you-go cell phone to locate and convict a drug dealer. The DEA was able to track and locate the defendant because once his mobile phone was on, a "ping" periodically occurs. A ping happens when a cell phone connects with the closest cell phone tower. By collecting ping data, it is relatively easy to track someone's movements. The Court held that there is no expectation of privacy to a citizen's movements.

A petition for review by the Supreme Court was filed, but no decision has been rendered yet. For more information about criminal law, contact an Albuquerque criminal defense attorney at The Romero Law Firm, P.A. We offer afree case evaluation for those who are interested in finding out more about how we can assist them. Call now!