Jeffrey Koistinen Federal Trial Delayed Tenth Time as Judge Weighs Blue iPhone Evidence

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Tucson, AZ/Watertown, SD – The federal criminal proceedings against Jeffrey Allen Koistinen have been delayed once again, marking the tenth continuance in a case heavily bogged down by pre-trial disputes over seized evidence.

Koistinen, who is facing federal charges including child pornography and coercion, will now see his trial pushed to the fall. The delay stems from ongoing legal battles over two pending suppression motions, primarily focused on a “blue iPhone” seized by law enforcement.

New Federal Court Schedule

On May 29, 2026, Koistinen’s defense attorney filed a tenth request to extend the plea deadline and continue the trial, noting that the defense needs more time to prepare based on the outcome of the pending suppression motions. The government did not oppose the request.

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On June 9, 2026, District Judge Angela M. Martinez officially granted the continuance.

Event	New Deadline/Date
Plea Deadline	September 04, 2026, by 3:00 p.m.
Jury Trial	September 22, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.

Updates on the “Blue iPhone” Battle

The core of the current gridlock revolves around whether the government can utilize data recovered from the blue iPhone. Recent court filings show escalating arguments over the Magistrate Judge’s findings.

·        Magistrate’s Recommendation: On April 9, 2026, the Magistrate Judge issued a Report and Recommendation advising the District Court to deny both of the defendant’s motions to suppress the evidence.

·        Defense Objection: On April 21, 2026, Koistinen’s defense team filed an objection to the Magistrate’s recommendation. The defense continues to challenge the scope of the warrant and the circumstances of the phone’s recovery.

·        Government’s Response: In a response filed on May 5, 2026, federal prosecutors argued that the defense failed to identify any “clear error” in the Magistrate’s analysis.

·        The “Automobile Exception”: Prosecutors highlighted that the Magistrate Judge had already concluded the phone’s seizure was lawful under the “automobile exception”. The government argued that because the defense did not specifically object to this particular finding, they had legally waived the issue.

Prosecutors maintain that even if the exact moment of seizure was undocumented, the discovery of the phone was inevitable, and suppression of the evidence is not warranted.

What’s Next?

Koistinen will remain in federal custody as the District Court prepares to make a final ruling on the Magistrate’s Report and Recommendation. That decision will likely be the definitive factor in whether Koistinen takes his case to a jury on September 22 or accepts a plea agreement by the early September deadline.

Note: Koistinen has pleaded not guilty to all counts. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.