HONOLULU (KHON2) — Federal investigators have issued a search warrant for a self-storage facility believed to be used by the couple accused of stealing the identity of two dead infants. Legal experts said evidence found in the facility could solidify suspicions regarding the couple’s involvement in espionage.
The search warrant was issued on Wednesday for the Waikele Self Storage and specifically targets a bunker marked as USS Maryland. The document lists several items belonging to Walter Primrose and Gwynn Morrison that can be seized by investigators. Among them, “Records or materials constituting or concerning any identification or government documents from a foreign country.”
“Records… sufficient to show communication sent to or received from a foreign country.” And “Records and documentation regarding past and future travel arrangements.”
“I really think that we’re gonna learn a lot from what happens after this search because after this search they’re either going to find something and then we’re going to see something serious kick in,” said Ali Silvert, a retired federal public defender for over 30 years.
Silvert is not involved in the case. While the feds have alluded to the couple as being spies with pictures of them wearing a KGB uniform, allegedly having documents with coded language and an invisible ink kit, Silvert said that’s still not enough to charge them with being spies.
“I think there’s smoke, there’s suspicion, but I don’t think there’s hard evidence, at least from what we’ve seen,” Silvert said.
Silvert added that the court hearings will take a dramatic turn if the couple winds up being charged with treason.
“Things would all be done behind the scenes. So all these court hearings that you’re seeing, the detention hearing, the probable cause hearing, and all those things would most likely vanish from this point forward,” said Silvert.
Silvert said attorneys would also have to get top secret clearance.
“All evidence is reviewed in a sealed off private room only accessible to the attorneys. No one else is allowed in there and the attorneys can’t even bring out documents or even notes from that room,” Silvert said.
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Defense attorneys have said that Primrose and Morrison are not spies. For now, both defendants are charged with conspiracy, aggravated ID theft and lying to get passports.
