The usage of stingrays by United States regulation enforcement is an investigative method utilized by each federal and native legislation enforcement in the United States to obtain data from cell phones by mimicking a mobile phone tower. The units which accomplish this are generically often known as IMSI-catchers, but are commonly called stingrays, a model bought by the Harris Corporation. Initially, the usage of stingray phone trackers was a secret, on account of numerous non-disclosure agreements between particular person police departments and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In accordance with the American Civil Liberties Union, the FBI entered into agreements with no less than 48 police departments in the United States. In these agreements, the FBI allowed police departments to make use of the stingrays, while requiring police departments present no information to both the public or the courts concerning the devices' operation or existence. In December 2012, the Electronic Privacy Information Center launched paperwork which present the United States Department of Justice discussing the use of cell phone monitoring gear, together with addressing unlawful interference considerations.

More data on stingrays was obtained in March 2013, when the American Civil Liberties Union launched documents it obtained through a Freedom of knowledge Act request. Stingray units have been used in a wide range of criminal investigations, iTagPro key finder from homicide and kidnapping to misdemeanor theft. The best way law enforcement use stingrays has been criticized by quite a few civil liberties groups, who've filed lawsuits in opposition to present practices. Baltimore, Maryland iTagPro smart tracker has a a lot increased use of stingrays compared to other giant cities, like Boston, New York City and San Diego. The official place of the US Federal government is that the use of stingrays does not require a probable cause warrant, ItagPro because they claim stingrays are a kind of pen register tap, which does not require a warrant, as determined in Smith v. Maryland. The government notes that they don't intercept the actual dialog, solely monitoring id of the phone and its location. The devices do have the technical capability to file the content of calls, so the government requires these content material-intercepting functions to be disabled in normal use.

In September 2015, the US Justice Department issued new guidelines requiring federal agents to acquire warrants earlier than utilizing stingray gadgets, besides in exigent circumstances. Washington state passed the same law. In addition, ItagPro California, anti-loss gadget Minnesota and Utah have additionally passed legal guidelines requiring warrants for stingray use. In 2011, within the case of Daniel David Rigmaiden in the U.S. District Court of Arizona, the chief of the FBI Tracking Technology Unit wrote an affidavit defending the use of an unspecified pen register device. Information concerning the model or operate was purposefully withheld, citing FBI coverage; the letter assured the court docket that the system was legally compliant. Wall Street Journal described the machine as a "stingray", ItagPro along with basic information about how it worked. Much of the information on stingray gadgets was offered by Rigmaiden himself, who regarded for iTagPro website how authorities had found he was committing tax fraud. In January 2016, within the case of United States v. Patrick, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, upheld the warrantless use of a stingray to find the suspect.

On March 30, 2016, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals ruled in Maryland v. Andrews that a warrant is required for using a stingray. This led to the suppression of evidence for alleged tried murder by Andrews. On April 25, 2016, the Baltimore City Circuit Court suppressed proof collected using a stingray in the trial of alleged murder suspect Robert Copes. The police had obtained authorization to use a pen register, however the courtroom ruled that it was inadequate they usually wanted a possible cause warrant. On July 12, 2016, the U.S. District Court of Southern New York dominated in United States v. Lambis that utilizing a stingray constitutes a search that requires a warrant and suppressed the evidence gathered from its use. On August 16, 2016, a complaint was filed to the Federal Communications Commission by the center for Media Justice, Color of Change, and Open Technology Institute relating to the usage of stingrays by the Baltimore Police Department.