Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-05-01026/USCOURTS-ca8-05-01026-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Bonnie S. Bailey
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

1

 The Honorable Linda R. Reade, United States District Judge for the Northern

District of Iowa.

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 05-1026

___________

United States of America, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

* Appeal from the United States 

v. * District Court for the Northern

* District of Iowa

* 

Bonnie S. Bailey, *

 *

Defendant - Appellant. *

___________

 Submitted: June 21, 2005

 Filed: September 1, 2005 

___________

Before MELLOY, HEANEY, and GRUENDER, Circuit Judges.

___________

MELLOY, Circuit Judge.

Bonnie Bailey was found guilty by a jury of attempt to manufacture

methamphetamine, possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture

methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and

being a drug user in possession of a firearm. The district court1

 imposed concurrent

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sentences of 151 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Bailey

appeals, challenging the sufficiency of the evidence and claiming that she was

sentenced in violation of the Sixth Amendment and United States v. Booker, --- U.S.

---, 125 S. Ct. 738 (2005). We affirm.

I. Background

Bonnie Bailey is a forty-four-year-old farm laborer who worked for Lloyd

Engler on his farm in Elkader, Iowa, from July 2001 until her detention. In July 2003,

Leland Davis told police that he believed that there was a methamphetamine lab being

run on the farm. Based on this information, the police executed a search warrant on

Engler’s farm.

During the July 16, 2003, search, Bailey and witness Luke Koehn were present.

The police found burn sites and remnants of past cooks of methamphetamine,

components used to manufacture methamphetamine, and some personal items

belonging to Bailey. The components the police found that could be used in the

manufacture of methamphetamine included: 8.1 grams of pseudoephedrine, lithium

batteries, coffee filters with residue from the manufacture of methamphetamine, a

plastic bag of salt, tin foil, a blender, a propane torch, a fitting commonly used on

propane tanks to store anhydrous ammonia, and containers containing liquids

consistent with the manufacture of methamphetamine. After testing these items, the

Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation laboratory determined that at least four to

five grams of pure methamphetamine could have been produced from the

pseudoephedrine. 

Officers found “burn sites” near Engler’s residence and a camper that contained

remnants of tin foil, coffee filters, pill packages, empty starter fluid cans, and mail

addressed to Bailey. In and around a truck on the farm, officers found a propane tank

that had a fitting with a blueish tinge. This type of tinge was consistent with contact

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with anhydrous ammonia. Additionally, the officers found a hose that could be used

with the propane tank.

Officers also seized some of Bailey’s personal items, including mail addressed

to her and her purse. In the purse, officers found a photo ID of Bonnie Bailey,

crushed pseudoephedrine, and a container of lithium batteries. 

On October 13, 2003, officers again searched Engler’s farm. During the

search, Bailey and Engler were present. Officers searched in and around a machine

shed, the farm’s milk parlor, and the residence. In the machine shed, police officers

found what they believed to be an active methamphetamine “cook” in a Coleman

cooler and components for making methamphetamine. These components included:

tin foil, coffee filters, plastic bags, Coleman camping fuel, instruments to cut casings

from lithium batteries, a small heater to dry methamphetamine manufacture byproducts, a propane torch, a plastic container of liquids consistent with

methamphetamine manufacturing, other containers appropriate for storing anhydrous

ammonia, and Thermos brand containers of anhydrous ammonia. Officers also found

a funnel that had Bailey’s name written on it, a car once registered to Bailey, and an

additional box heater of the same brand and model as the heater running at the active

cook site. In separate locations on the farm, the officers found starting fluid cans

punctured at the bottom.

In the milk parlor, police officers again found tin foil with burn marks

indicating it was used for ingesting methamphetamine and a tube for ingesting

methamphetamine. Officer’s also searched Engler’s person. They found three bags

of methamphetamine, two bags with methamphetamine residue, lighters, a tube used

for ingesting methamphetamine, and $275.00. The total weight of the

methamphetamine mixture found on Engler was 3.76 grams.

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In the residence, the police found mail addressed to Bailey. Officers found

evidence of drug use, including tin foil with burn marks consistent with use of

methamphetamine. In the dining room, they found Bailey’s purse. Her purse

contained $410, four lithium batteries, and 135 pseudoephedrine pills. In the kitchen,

officers found nine bags of pre-measured methamphetamine in an eyeglass case and

a large plastic bag labeled “Bonnie’s Goodies Bags” which contained additional

empty bags. The total weight of the methamphetamine was 7.86 grams. 

In a bedroom of the residence, which officers testified Bailey admitted she

occupied, officers found a bag of methamphetamine on a piano and empty bags under

the bed. Also, in a bag containing Bailey’s personal photos, officers found a .32

caliber handgun with the serial number scratched off. 

On December 16, 2003, officers again conducted a search of the farm. Bailey

was also present for this search. In the bedroom Bailey occupied, officers found a tin

containing twenty-one grams of crushed pseudoephedrine near a small glass vial

containing a small amount of methamphetamine. Officers also found remnants of a

methamphetamine cook in the basement of the residence. The remnants included

sixty-nine grams of a mixture containing waste product of methamphetamine

manufacturing and a starting fluid can punctured on the bottom.

Following the third search, a grand jury issued an Indictment against Bailey.

Counts 1 and 3 charged Bailey with the attempted manufacture of methamphetamine

in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 846, and 18 U.S.C. § 2. Counts

2, 5, and 7 charged Bailey with possession of pseudoephedrine pills with intent to

manufacture methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(c)(2). Count 4

charged Bailey with possession with intent to distribute approximately 9.24 grams of

actual methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841 (b)(1)(B), and

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 The grand jury filed a Superseding Indictment, to correct a typographical error

in Count 7, on April 23, 2004. Bailey again pled not guilty. On June 28, 2004, the

grand jury filed a Second Superseding Indictment. This Indictment added another

charge against Bailey’s co-defendant Engler, but did not name Bailey. 

-5-

18 U.S.C. § 2. Count 6 charged Bailey with possession of a firearm by an unlawful

drug user in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(2). Bailey pled not guilty.2

At trial, Darrell Simmons, Special Agent for the Iowa Division of Narcotics

Enforcement testified to various statements allegedly made by Bailey at the time of

the searches. Simmons was present for all three searches of the farm. He testified

that Bailey admitted to having personal items in the camper and to having been in the

camper during the two days previous to the July 16, 2003 search. 

Simmons also testified to statements purportedly made by Bailey at the time

of the October 13, 2003 search. Simmons testified that Bailey admitted that she had

stayed at Engler’s residence. He testified that Bailey said she had previously

possessed the gun that was seized. Bailey also allegedly stated that she stole

pseudoephedrine and lithium batteries from a car that belonged to an acquaintance,

Melinda Trappe, who was known to manufacture methamphetamine on the farm.

Again, Simmons testified to statements allegedly made by Bailey during the

December 16, 2003, search. Simmons testified that Bailey admitted to him that she

occupied the bedroom where the methamphetamine and the firearm were found. 

Leland Davis testified that he used methamphetamine on the farm with Bailey

and Engler between five and ten times. Davis also testified that he saw Bailey with

Coleman camping fuel in glass jars. Although Davis testified that he never witnessed

anyone, other than himself, make methamphetamine at the farm, Deputy Mark

Kautman from the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office testified that Davis previously had

claimed to have observed Lyle Voss and Jeff Freese making methamphetamine on

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July 16, 2003. Finally, Davis testified about his interaction with Bailey. He stated

that he knew Bailey lived at the farm and that he had purchased methamphetamine

from her. 

Luke Koehn testified to his involvement with Bailey and Engler. Koehn

participated in the manufacture of methamphetamine at the farm as many as fifty

times between late 2002 and 2003. He manufactured methamphetamine with Bailey

at least twelve of those times. Koehn stated that Bailey was always at the farm. He

noted that she sometimes stayed in the camper, and other times in the first floor

bedroom of the residence. He testified that he stole anhydrous ammonia with Bailey.

Further, he testified that Bailey was a drug user, that he had smoked

methamphetamine off of tin foil with Bailey for about one year, that he bought

methamphetamine from Bailey on a few occasions, and that Bailey had possessed the

gun admitted into evidence at trial. In fact, he stated that Bailey had offered to sell

the gun to him at one time.

Addie Bunting, Bailey’s daughter, testified to Bailey’s drug use. Bunting

testified that she knew Bailey was a regular drug user and admitted to using drugs

with Bailey and Engler on prior occasions. She stated that she knew Bailey and

Engler sold methamphetamine. Bunting testified that she saw Engler, but never

Bailey, manufacture methamphetamine. 

A jury found Bailey guilty as to all counts. The district court sentenced Bailey

to 151 months each for Counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7, and 120 months for Count 6, all

to run concurrently. The district court also sentenced Bailey to five years supervised

release, consisting of three years each for Counts 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7, and five years

for Count 4, to run concurrently. Bailey now brings this timely appeal of her

conviction and sentence.

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II. Sufficiency of the Evidence

Bailey challenges the sufficiency of the evidence presented to support her

conviction on all counts and seeks a new trial. We reverse the jury verdict based on

the sufficiency of the evidence only if no reasonable jury could have found Bailey

guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Ramirez, 362 F.3d 521, 524 (8th

Cir. 2004). Further, we reverse a “denial of a motion for a new trial if the district

court abused its discretion.” Id. at 525. 

Upon a careful review of the record, we conclude that there was sufficient

evidence to support Bailey’s conviction on all counts. Bailey argues that there is

insufficient evidence to prove that the lab equipment, pseudoephedrine pills,

methamphetamine, or gun found in the three searches belonged to her. As detailed

above, the evidence found during the three searches supports the jury’s findings that

the drugs and the components for making methamphetamine at the farm belonged to

Bailey. Further, the testimony of Agent Simmons, Luke Koehn, and Bailey’s

daughter buttresses the evidence seized in the searches. “We enjoy no greater

vantage point on appeal than did the jury at trial, and we have no right to usurp the

jury’s role to judge the facts and make credibility findings.” United States v. Porter,

409 F.3d 910, 915 (8th Cir. 2005). Accordingly, a reasonable jury could have found

Bailey guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Ramirez, 362 F.3d at 524. The court’s

denial of the motion for a new trial was not an abuse of discretion as Bailey has not

met the stringent standard necessary to grant a new trial.

III. Sentencing Issues

Bailey alleges that she was sentenced in violation of the Sixth Amendment

because she was sentenced on the basis of a drug quantity not found by the jury or

admitted by the defendant. Further, she argues that her sentence violated the Sixth

Amendment because she was sentenced on the basis of the possession of a gun in

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connection with another felony and enhancements not found by the jury or admitted

by the defendant. 

Bailey properly objected at sentencing to the court’s use of facts not found by

a jury, citing Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. 296 (2004). The district court

overruled Bailey’s objections. Because her objections were properly preserved for

review on appeal “we construe [her claims] as a challenge to her sentence under the

Supreme Court’s decision in” Booker, --- U.S. ---, 125 S.Ct. at 755 (extending the

reasoning of Blakely to the United States Sentencing Guidelines). United States v.

Brandt, --- F.3d ---, 2005 WL 1993962, at *1 (8th Cir. Aug. 19, 2005). 

The district court’s use of these drug quantity findings and enhancements in a

mandatory guidelines fashion constituted error. See United States v. Pirani, 406 F.3d

543, 550 (8th Cir. 2005) (en banc). As the Supreme Court stated in Booker, the

federal Sentencing Guidelines are merely advisory. Booker, -- U.S. --, 125 S.Ct. at

757. Because Bailey preserved the error, the government bears the burden of

showing that this error was harmless. Id. 

In this case, the district court computed a sentence based upon an upward

adjustment and a drug quantity calculation of 151 months for Counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and

7, and a 120 month term for Count 6, to run concurrently. The district court imposed

an alternate sentence, in case the Supreme Court found the Sentencing Guidelines to

be unconstitutional, of 151 months for Counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7, and 120 months for

Count 6, to run concurrently. In imposing this sentence, the district court considered

the factors set forth at 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(1)-(7). The district court imposed a

second alternative sentence in case the Supreme Court prohibited the application of

upward guideline adjustments from the base offense level other than those supported

by facts stipulated to by the defendant. This sentence consisted of a 97 month term

for all counts to run concurrently.

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Because the district court imposed an alternative sentence that is the same as

one within the “mandatory” guideline range, any Booker error that occurred “did not

affect the ultimate sentence and was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.” United

States v. Bassett, 406 F.3d 526, 527 (8th Cir. 2005). 

IV. Conclusion

For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that Bailey’s conviction was

sufficiently supported by the evidence and any sentencing error was harmless beyond

a reasonable doubt. The judgment of the district court is affirmed.

______________________________

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