Sutter County investigator slams Sprint
unless the agency requests same-day compliance, which is then paid in advance based on the volume and type of information requested.”
Yeoman’s father, Daniel, said the request to expedite would have given the SCSO the cellphone information one day sooner than normal.
“It’s not a huge difference, but when it involves a missing person investigation, that one day could mean everything,” Daniel Yeoman said in a text message. “Not sure if this is extortion, bribery, obstruction of justice or all of the above but something needs to be done about it so it doesn’t happen again.”
Votava spoke generally of the company’s policy when complying with law enforcement, saying that if a law enforcement agent wants historical customer information (subscriber information, call details, invoices, cell site data or stored voicemail), they must produce a valid legal demand to the company’s Subpoena Compliance department. He noted that Sprint does not store text message content.
When asked the company’s protocol for charging law enforcement departments for requesting information, Votava said per federal law, Sprint can obtain cost recovery for wiretaps, pen registers and subpoena requests for information that is not kept in the normal course of business, or is overly burdensome. He said Sprint does not publish those fees.
“In general, we do not charge for subpoenas,” he wrote. “We obtain cost recovery for wiretap and pen registers and never charge anyone for an emergency request.”
Yeoman’s body was found in the Feather River near the Live Oak Recreational Park boat launch on May 7 after she was last seen March 30 at a residence in the 1800 block of Romero Street, Yuba City. The FBI served a search warrant on the home. No information about that search has been released.
The autopsy on the Yuba College student was completed two days after her body was found, but results are pending toxicology and lab reports ,which typically take four to six weeks, according to the SCSO. Marysville office, 1530 Ellis Lake Drive Business hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.