Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-03-03405/USCOURTS-ca8-03-03405-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Jeffrey B. Austin
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 03-3405

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellee, * Appeal from the United States

* District Court for the Western

v. * District of Missouri.

*

Jeffrey B. Austin, * [UNPUBLISHED]

*

Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: April 13, 2004

Filed: May 12, 2004

___________

Before LOKEN, Chief Judge, RICHARD S. ARNOLD and FAGG, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Jeffrey Austin appeals his conviction for being a felon in possession of a

firearm following a bench trial. Austin contends the evidence was insufficient to

convict him because he no longer lived at the residence where the firearms were

seized. Having carefully reviewed the record, we conclude there was sufficient

evidence that Austin possessed the firearms, either actually or constructively, on or

about the date of the seizure. See United States v. Gary, 341 F.3d 829, 834 (8th Cir.

2003) (constructive possession established by showing firearm was seized at

defendant’s residence). 

Appellate Case: 03-3405 Page: 1 Date Filed: 05/12/2004 Entry ID: 1766315 
*

The Honorable Richard E. Dorr, United States District Judge for the Western

District of Missouri. 

-2-

In the course of a drug investigation, police obtained a warrant to search

Austin’s home at 1814 South Ferguson Street in Springfield, Missouri. Before the

search, police had conducted surveillance and had seen two cars belonging to Austin

at the location. After Austin left in one of the cars, officers stopped him and arrested

him. At the time of his arrest, Austin possessed the keys to the residence at 1814

South Ferguson. Later that day, during the search of 1814 South Ferguson, officers

found two loaded pistols and a shotgun in a bedroom. In the same bedroom, officers

also found a photo identification card belonging to Austin, current prescription

medicines in his name, and men’s clothing. Further, the home’s utility records were

in Austin’s name, Austin made the mortgage payments and had an arrangement with

the owner to buy the residence, and Austin listed 1814 South Ferguson as his home

address when he was booked less than two months earlier. Witnesses also testified

they saw Austin living at the residence during the month of the search and saw him

possess the firearms that were later seized by the police. 

Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict, we conclude

substantial evidence supports the district court’s*

 conviction of Austin. See United

States v. Navarrete-Barron, 192 F.3d 786, 792 (8th Cir. 1999) (bench trial standard of

review). We thus affirm.

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Appellate Case: 03-3405 Page: 2 Date Filed: 05/12/2004 Entry ID: 1766315