IRS Used Stingray Device In Investigations

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I had no idea the IRS was allowed to do this kind of stuff. For some reason, I thought investigations like this would require a law enforcement agency and a search warrant before using a Stingray device. :eek:

In today's letter, Koskinen says the IRS has just one Stingray-style device -- though it's trying to get another -- and only the agency's Criminal Investigation division ever used it. The IRS-CI tracked a total of 44 cellular devices across 15 investigations since 2011, ranging from federal grand jury to state inquiries, Koskinen says.
 
IRS field agents also carry a sidearm. Put in context of criminal investigations it's really not surprising.
 
Wonder what the founding fathers would be considered in today’s law enforcement agencies?
 
IRS-WWE.jpeg
 
People need to find some code words. So, the IRS thinks people are talking about anal or something, but they are really talking about a huge contribution (cough*bribe*) to a senator.
 
Is that any worse that just local police using them in secret? They can use them without indicating they used them.

They will use the information they got from the stingray to find out something less cryptic about you. They will then use THAT information as the basis for search warrants or subpoenas. That way the true source of the information (quasi legal stingray) is never brought in to question.

Like as an example if they put a tracking beacon on your car and they do a "routine" traffic stop in order to catch you. You would never know you had a tracking beacon on your car, you would just figure it was bad luck you got caught.
 
Um, they should be used in secret. It's a lot harder to catch people being naughty-pants if you tell them how you're keeping an eyeball on them. Duuuuuuuuuuuh!
 
Court approved I'm cool with it. Just on their own, they can go choke on a big one.
 
westrock2000 said:
Is that any worse that just local police using them in secret? They can use them without indicating they used them.

They will use the information they got from the stingray to find out something less cryptic about you. They will then use THAT information as the basis for search warrants or subpoenas. That way the true source of the information (quasi legal stingray) is never brought in to question.

Like as an example if they put a tracking beacon on your car and they do a "routine" traffic stop in order to catch you. You would never know you had a tracking beacon on your car, you would just figure it was bad luck you got caught.
Click to expand...

Maybe, it is possible. One thing is that not all Stingrays can even listen to a conversation, the basic ones just find the location of the phone. They need extra equipment to listen in.

Usually it is not that hard to find out of they own this equipment. I know I saw a website where you could see all items listed by law enforcement, what kind of guns and vehicles they own, etc.

The last thing is that a Stingray usually needs the ISN or whatever that number is for your phone, that is how it works. You enter this number then as phones connect to the stingray it checks the ISN and if it matches then it locks on and tracks it, if it doesn't match then it drops that one and moves onto the next.

What it doesn't do is connect to all those phones in the area at once and let them listen or record them all. Not unless they have gone through a major upgrade I don't know about, and that is entirely possible. But the average Stingray doesn't work that way as far as I know.
 
I am not even sure at what point the IRS started doing their own internal law enforcement activity as opposed to just referring a case/charges to the DoJ. The NSA doesn't have their own cops why does the IRS need them when we already have a Federal Police Force?

That was part of why the DHS was created, to eliminate duplication/redundancy and encourage/facilitate cooperation between agencies.
 
Right, so the IRS is under the Department of Treasury.

But they are going to follow the policy regarding use of Stingrays that was put out by the DoJ. Yet they are not under any DoJ authority, DoJ Policy is not binding outside of the DoJ. If they violate that policy then they can just say "oops". The Department of Treasury or the IRS themselves need to issue their own policy which should comply with US Law to ensure they operate this equipment in accordance with the Law.
 
marzzez said:
Wonder what the founding fathers would be considered in today’s law enforcement agencies?
Click to expand...

That there's too damn many federal agencies, for one.

FBI, ATF, DEA, IRS, DHS ... The list is too long, so here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_law_enforcement_in_the_United_States
 
Only a fool trusts any government, or any government agency. Governments and their agencies are not shining monoliths, composed solely of lofty virtues. What they really are is a nationwide patchwork of individuals, individuals with individual prejudices, morals, and aspirations. There are built in conflicts of interest at all levels.

/But, there are fools born everyday. And, parents who raise their children to wear star spangled glasses. We never seem to have a shortage of goons, no matter if it's law enforcement or our military.
 
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