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A federal judge in Iowa has ordered the suppression of child pornography evidence derived from an invalid warrant. The warrant was issued as part of a controversial government-sanctioned operation to hack Tor users. Out of nearly 200 such cases nationwide that involve the Tor-hidden child porn site known as “Playpen,” US District Judge Robert Pratt is just the third to make such a ruling.
“Any search conducted pursuant to such warrant is the equivalent of a warrantless search,” Judge Pratt wrote Monday in his 19-page order in United States v. Croghan.
While the charges against Beau Croghan have not been dropped yet, the ruling significantly hinders the government’s case.
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Source: Ars Technica – Judge: child porn evidence obtained via FBI’s Tor hack must be suppressed