# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls For the Eig hth Circu it

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _
No. 1 1- 37 88

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _
Uni te d S ta te s o f Am eri ca

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pla in ti

ff - App el le e

v.

Ro be rt Ga rci a

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll an t

__ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Dis tri ct of M in ne so ta - St. Pa ul

__ __ __ __ __ __
Su bm it te d: Octo be r 18 , 20 12 Fil ed : J an ua ry

16 , 20 13

__ __ __ __ __ __
Befo re MUR PHY, BYE, and SHEPHERD, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

__ __ __ __ __ __
BYE, Cir cu it Ju dg e.

A jury co nv ic te d Ro be rt Garci a of co ns pi racy to di st rib ut e an d po ss es si on wit h
in te nt to di st rib ut e m et ha m ph et am in e an d Oxycod on e in vi ol a t i o n o f 21 U.S.C. §§
84 1( a), 84 1( b) (1 )(A), an d 84 6, an d ai di ng an d ab et ti ng po ss es si on wit h in te n t t o di st ri b u te m et ha m

ph et am in e in vi ol at io n of 21 U.S.C. §§ 84 1( a), 84 1( b) (1 )(A) an d18 U.S.C. § 2. The di st ric t co ur t se nt en ced Garci a to 24 0 m on th s of im pr is on m en t. 1

Garci a ap pe al s hi s se nt en ce on th e gr ou nd s th e di st ric t co ur t cl earl y erre d in fin di ng he was an or ga ni zer or le ad er of a cri m in al act iv it y th at in vo lv ed fiv e o r mo r e
pa rti ci pa nt s pu rs ua nt to Uni te d St at es Sen te nc in g Gui de li ne s Ma n ua l (U.S.S.G.) §
3B 1.1 (a) an d po ss es se d a fir earm in co nn ect i o n w i t h a dr ug of fen se pu rs ua nt to U.S.S.G. § 2 D1.1 (b )(1 ). W e aff irm.

I

The Bu reau of Alco ho l, Tob acco , an d Fi rear m s (ATF ) b e g an in ve st ig at in g Garci a's dr ug tra ffi ck in g act iv i ti es in 20 07

. Garci a li ve d in Garri so n, Mi nn es ot a,

w he re he ran an au to bo dy sh op cal le d D.J.'s Aut o. Garci a al lo wed Ran dy Le e Mo t z k o , w h o la te r pl ead ed gu il ty an d te st ifi ed fo r th e go ve rn m en t, to li ve at D.J.'s
Aut o in ex ch an ge fo r ru nn in g erra nd s fo r Garci a's dr ug tra ffi ck in g op erat io n. Mo tz ko

te st ifi ed Garci a di rect ed hi m to dr iv e to th e Mi nn eap ol is -St

. Pau l area on at le as t fo ur

o ccas io ns to pi ck up a po un d of m et ha m ph et am in e fro m Epi fan io Man zan ares an d

tra ns po rt t he m et ha m

ph et am in e b ack to Garri so n.

On Ju ne 24
, 20 10
, Garci a pr ov id ed Mo tz ko a pi ck up tru ck an d in st ru ct ed hi m

to m eet Man zan ares in th e Twin Ci ti e s to pi ck up m et ha m ph et am in e. Aut ho rit ie s le arn e d o f t he m eet in g. Cro w W in g Co un ty Dep ut y Pat ric k Pi ck ar pu ll ed ov er Mo tz ko 's tru ck as Mo tz ko ret ur ne d fro m th e t r a n s act io n. Afte r Pi ck ar le arn ed th e

tru ck was un in su red

, he im po un de d th e ve hi cl e. Offi cers la te r se arch ed th e tru ck an d
di sc ov ered th e m et ha m

ph et am in e in si de a bo x of Tid e la un dr y de te rg en t

. The
of fic ers rep la ced th e Tid e bo x wit h a si m il ar bo x to try to fu rth er th e in ve st ig at io n an d
id en ti fy ad di ti on al co -co ns pi rat or s. The ir pl an wor ke d. Jo hn Hil dr et h ret rie ve d th e

tru ck fro m th e i mp o u n d l o t

. Offi cers fo ll owe d hi m as he dr ov e th e tru ck to a bo at

The Hon or ab le Mi ch ael J. Dav is

, Ch ie f Ju dg e, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Co ur t fo r 1 th e Dis tri ct of M in ne so ta

.
-2

-la un ch on Mi ll e Lacs Lak e. Garci a an d Sh awn Fu lt z arri ve d on a p o n t o o n bo at

.

Offi cers watc he d w hi le th e th ree m en se arch ed fo r th e m et ha m ph et am in e lo cat ed
in si de th e b ox of d et erg en t.

Tho m as Ci sa r an d Em il y Bl ah ni k al so te st ifi ed fo r th e go ve rn m en t. Ci sa r di d
od d job s at D.J.'s Aut o an d rece iv ed m et ha m ph et am in e as co m

pe ns at io n fo r hi s wor k.
Bl ah ni k was th e gi rlf

rie nd of Karl Pen tz , who was in di ct ed wit h Garci a an d pl ead ed

g u i l t y to co ns pi racy an d fir earm ch arg es

. Bl ah ni k to ok ov er Pen tz 's dr ug de a l i n g

o p erat io n aft er Pen tz was arre st ed

. Bl ah ni k te st ifi ed sh e rece iv ed an o u n c e o f

m et ha m ph et am in e fro m Garci a fo r res al e at le as t fo ur ti m es be fo re Bl ah ni k was

arre st ed on Ju ly 30, 2 00 8 fo r se ll in g o ne ha lf- ou nc e o f m et ha m ph et am in e.

Fi na ll y , th e go ve rn m en t pr es en te d th e te st im on y of two co nf id en ti al
in fo rm an ts , Ant ho ny Kem pe r an d Ren ee Kelm

. Kem pe r m ad e ni ne co nt ro ll ed

m et ha m ph et am in e bu y s fro m Gar c i a b e t w e e n th e su m m er of 20 09 an d th e fal l of
20 10

. Kelm m ad e fiv e co nt ro ll ed m et ha m ph et am in e bu y s fro m P e nt z be twee n Feb ru ary 20 10 an d M ay

20 10

.

The jury ret ur ne d a gu i l t y v e rd ic t. Befo re se nt en ci ng , th e di st ric t co ur t

ex am in ed a pr es en te nc e in ve st ig at io n rep or t (PSR ), whi ch reco m m en de d in crea si ng Garci a's o f

f e n s e le ve l by two fo r po ss es si on of a da ng ero us weap on in co nn ect io n wit h a dr ug cri m e pu rs ua nt to U.S.S.G. § 2D1 .1(b )(1 ) an d by an ad di ti on al fo ur le ve ls
f or be in g an or ga ni zer or le ad er of a cri m in al act iv it y th at in vo lv ed f i v e o r mo r e
pa rti ci pa nt s or was ot he rwis e ex te ns iv e pu r s ua nt to U.S.S.G. § 3B 1.1 (a). Garci a ob jecte d t o t he reco m

m en de d e nh an cem en ts

.

T he dis tr ic t cour t he ld an ev id en ti ary he ari ng reg ard in g th e di sp ut ed se nt enci ng is su es on Decem

be r 13 , 20 11

. ATF Age nt Ja y m e Sy ve rs on , who ha d bee n with th e in ve st ig at io n si nc e it be ga n, te st ifi ed at th e he ari ng

. He st at ed th e m ajor it y of Garci a's
dr ug sal es to ok pl ace i n Gar ci a's ho m e o r bu si ne ss . Garci a's ro le was t o c oo rd in at e

-3

-al l as pe ct s of th es e tra ns act io ns

. Sy ve rs on reco u n te d on e pa rti cu la r tra ns act io n on

May 20
, 20 10
, in whi ch po li ce of fic ers fo ll owe d Pen tz fro m hi s res id en ce to Garci a's
ho m e on Mi ll e Lacs Lak e. Pen tz pi ck ed up m et ha m ph et am in e at Garci a's ho m e an d
th erea fte r dr ov e to a McDo na ld 's pa rk in g lo t, whe re Pen tz so ld m et ha m ph et am in e to
Kelm

. Sy ve rs on al so de ta il ed th e Octo be r 14
, 20 10 ex ecu ti on of a se arch warra nt at
Garci a's ho m e. In si de Garci a's be dr oo m , ag en ts fo un d a sm al l am ou nt of ps il oc y bi n

m us hr oo m s an d m ari

juan a, fo ur Ecst as y ta bl et s, a rif le m ag azi ne lo ad e d wit h ei gh t
.22 cal ib er ro un ds

, an d te n lo os e .27 0 cal ib er ro un ds

. In si de Garci a's la un dr y ro om , ag en ts fo un d fiv e gu ns : th ree 12 -g au ge sh ot gu ns an d two rif l e s

. Age nt s fo un d
ad di ti on al am

m un it io n i n a do wns ta irs be dr oo m an d a n o ut si de sh ed

.

Afte r co ns id eri ng th e te st im on y at th e se nt en ci ng he ari ng an d th e ev id en ce at
tri al

, th e di st ric t co ur t ov erru le d Garci a's ob jecti on s to th e PSR an d im po se d th e two

en ha nc em en ts

. The co ur t cal cu la te d Garci a's Gui de li ne s ran ge at 36 0 m on th s to li fe,
bu t va rie d do wnwar d an d se nt en ced Garci a to 24 0 m on th s of im pr is on m en t. Garci a th en fil ed th is ap pe al

.

II

Garci a as k s us to rev ers e th e di st ric t co ur t's se nt en ce an d rem an d fo r

res en te nc in g fo r two reas on s: (1 ) th e di st ric t co ur t er r e d i n ap pl y in g th e fo ur -le ve l
le ad ers hi p e nh an cem en t; an d (2 ) th e d is tri ct co ur t i m pr op erl y ap pl ie d t he two -le ve l
da ng ero us weap on en ha nc em en t.

W e rev ie w th e di st ric t co ur t's ap pl ic at io n of th e Sen te nc in g Gui de li ne s de no vo

an d it s fact ua l fin di ng s fo r cl ear erro r. Uni te d St at es v. And ers on , 61 8 F.3 d 87 3, 87 9 (8 th Cir

. 20 10 ). Bec au se th e nu m be r of m em be rs of a co ns pi racy and a de fen da nt 's

po ss es si on of a gu n wit hi n th e m ean in g of U.S.S.G. § 2D1 .1(b )(1 ) are m at te rs of fact

, th is co ur t rev ie ws th e di st ric t co ur t's co nc lu si on s fo r cl ear erro r. Uni te d S t a t e s v. Raz o- Gue rra, 53 4 F.3 d 97 0, 9 7 6 ( 8 t h Ci r. 20 08 ) (le ad ers hi p en ha nc em en t); Uni te d

-4

-S t a te s v. Pere z-Gu erre ro , 33 4 F.3 d 77 8, 78 3 (8 th Ci r. 20 03 ) (d an ge ro us weap on

en ha nc em en t).

A. Leade rs hi p En ha nc em en t

Sect io n 3B 1.1 (a) m an da te s a fo ur -le ve l en ha nc em en t "[i ]f t he de fen da nt was

an or ga ni zer or le ad er of a cri m in al act iv it y th at in vo lv ed fiv e or m or e pa rti ci pa nt s or

was ot he rwis e ex te ns iv e." A "p art ic ip an t" is "a pe rs on who was c r i mi na ll y

res po ns ib le fo r th e co m

m is si on of th e of

fen se , b ut ne e d n o t ha ve be en co nv ic te d."

U

. S

. S.G. § 3B 1.1
, cm t. n.1

. "Th e go ve rn m en t be ars th e bu rd en of pr ov in g by a
pr ep on de ran ce of th e ev id en ce th at th e ag gr av at in g ro le en ha nc em en t is warra nt ed ."
Uni te d S ta te s v . Gain es , 63 9 F .3d 42 3, 4 27 (8t h C ir. 2 01 1)

.

G a r ci a do es no t di sp ut e he was a le ad er or or ga ni zer. In st ead

, he a r g u e s t h e cri m in al co ns pi racy h e le d d id no t h av e fi ve or m or e p art ic ip an ts . Gar ci a co nc ed es he

, c oo pe rat in g co -d efen da nt Mo tz ko

, an d co -d efen da nt Pen tz were pa rti ci pa nt s. App el la nt 's Br. 21

. He cl ai m s, ho wev er, th e di st ric t co ur t cl earl y erre d whe n it fo un d

co -d efen da nt Man zan ares pa rti ci pa te d in th e co ns pi racy be cau se th e go ve rn m en t di d

no t pr es en t ev id en ce of Man zan ares 's pa rti ci pa ti on in it s m em or an du m de ta il in g th e
go ve rn m en t's se n t e n c i n g po si ti on

. W e di sa gr ee. Man zan ares pl ead ed gu il ty to

pa rti ci pa ti ng in th e co ns pi racy Garci a le d. Mo reo ve r, Age nt Sy ve rs on 's te st im on y at
th e se nt en ci ng he ari ng reg ard in g th e Ju ne 24
, 20 10 tra ns act io n be twee n Mo tz ko an d

Man zan ares was su ffi ci en t to es ta bl is h Man zan ares was a pa rti ci pa nt

. Mo tz ko 's tri al

te st im on y ab ou t th e m

ul ti pl e dr ug tra ns act io ns he co nd uc te d wit h Man z a n a r es
pr ov id ed fu rth er ev id en ce. A se nt en ci ng co ur t m ay rel y on ev id en ce i n t r o d u ced at
tri al whe n m ak in g Gui de li ne s de te rm in at io ns

. Uni te d St at es v. Bl e d s o e , 44 5 F.3 d
10 69
, 10 73 (8 th Ci r. 20 06 ) ("Ha vi ng pr es id ed ov er th e tri al

, th e di st ric t co ur t was

en ti tl ed to rel y

on th is ev id en ce at se nt en ci ng

. . . ."). The go ve rn m en t has ad du ced

m or e th an su ffi ci en t ev id en ce to pr ov e Man zan ares was a pa rti ci pa nt in th e

co ns pi racy Garcia led

.

-5

-Garci a al so co nt en ds th e di st ric t co ur t cl earl y erre d wit h res pe ct to th e ot he r

pa rti ci pa nt s be cau s e ( 1) Bl ah ni k an d Ci sa r ha d on ly a tra ns ie nt , bu y er-s el le r rel at io ns hi p wit h Garci a; an d (2 ) th e ev id en ce reg ard in g th e rem ai ni ng pa rti ci pa nt s is va gu e an d in co nc lu si ve

. Aga in , we di sa gr ee. W e ha ve ack no wled ge d " th e m ere
ag reem en t of on e pe rs on to bu y wha t an ot he r ag rees to se ll

, st an di ng al on e, do es no t

su pp or t a co ns pi racy co nv ic ti on ." Uni te d St at es v. Pri es ko rn , 65 8 F.2 d 63 1, 63 4 (8 th
Ci r. 19 81 ) ( q u o t a t i on an d ci ta ti on om it te d)

. A bu y er-s el le r rel at io ns hi p, ho wev er, in vo lv es "a si ng le tra ns ie nt sa le s ag reem en t an d sm al l am ou nt s of dr ug s co ns is te nt
wit h pe rs on al us e." Id

. (q uo ta ti on an d ci ta ti on om it te d) ; se e al so Uni te d S t a t e s v. Hug ga ns , 65 0 F.3 d 12 10
, 12 22 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ), cer t. de ni ed

, 13 2 S. Ct

. 15 83 (2 01 2)

. Here, aft er Pen tz was arre st ed

, Bl ah ni k ob ta in ed an ou nc e of m et ha m ph et am in e fro m Garci a fo r res al e at le as t fo ur ti m es

. Bl ah ni k was arre st ed on Ju ly 30
, 20 08 fo r se ll in g

on e ha lf- ou nc e of m et ha m ph et am in e Garci a ha d pr ov id ed he r. The ev id en ce, in sh or t,

es ta bl is he d a n o n g o in g rel at io ns hi p in whi ch Garci a was Bl ah ni k's su pp li er. W e 2

th eref or e ha ve l i t t l e di ffi cu lt y co nc lu di ng Bl ah ni k pa rti ci pa te d in th e co ns pi racy Garci a le d.

Bec au se we co nc lu de Man zan ares an d Bl ah ni k were pa rti ci pa nt s an d Garci a ha s co nc ed ed he

, Mo tz ko

, an d Pen tz pa rti ci pa te d, th e co ns pi racy ha d f i v e o r more
pa rti ci pa nt s. W e ne ed no t ad dr es s Garci a's arg um en ts wi t h r e s pe ct to th e ot he r
pa rti ci pa nt s. The di st ric t co ur t di d no t cl earl y err whe n it im po se d th e en ha nc em en t.

B. Dang ero us W eap on Enh an cem en t

Sect io n 2D1 .1(b )(1 ) pr ov id es , "[i ]f a da ng ero us weap on (in cl ud in g a fir earm )

w a s p o s s es se d, in crea se by 2 le ve ls ." Fo r § 2D1 .1(b )(1 ) to ap pl y , th e go ve rn men t

The fact Bl ah ni k was no t in di ct ed fo r th is co nd uc t m ak es no di ffer en ce. See 2 Uni te d St at es v. Men do za, 34 1 F.3 d 68 7
, 6 9 3 ( 8 th Ci r. 20 03 ) (co nc lu di ng pe rs on s who are n ot in di ct ed st il l m ay be "p art ic ip an ts " fo r pu rp os es of U.S.S.G. § 3B 1.1 ).

-6

-m

us t pr ov e (1 ) th e weap on was po ss es se d; an d (2 ) it was no t cl earl y im pr ob ab le th at
th e weap on was co nn ect ed to th e dr ug of fe n s e

. A nd ers on , 61 8 F.3 d at 88 0. "Th e

3

go ve rn m en t ca n p ro ve th at th e weap on was c on ne ct ed wit h th e o ffen se by sho win g th at a te m po ral an d sp at ia l rel at io n ex is te d be twee n th e weap on , th e dr ug tra ffi ck in g

act iv it y , an d th e de fen da nt ." Uni te d St at es v. Payne, 81 F.3 d 75 9, 76 3 (8 th Ci r. 19 96 ) (q uo t a t i o n an d ci ta ti on om it te d)

. Alt ho ug h th e m ere pr es en ce of a weap on is no t

en ou gh

, Uni te d St at es v. Sav ag e, 41 4 F.3 d 96 4, 96 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 05 ), th e go ve rn m en t

ne ed no t sh ow th e de fen da nt us ed or ev en to uc he d a weap on to fin d a co nn ect io n. Uni te d St at es v. Fl ad te n, 23 0 F.3 d 10 83
, 10 86 (8 th Ci r. 20 00 ) (p er cu ria m ). The

en ha n c e men t p o se s "a ve ry lo w ba r fo r th e go ve rn m en t to hu rd le ." And ers on , 61 8
F.3 d a t 8 82

.

Garci a do es no t di sp ut e he po ss es se d th e weap on s. Rat he r, he a r g u e s i t was "cl earl y im

pr ob ab le " th e weap on s ATF ag en ts fo un d were co nn ect ed to th e

m et ha m ph et am in e co ns pi racy he le d. App el la nt 's Br. 27

. Th e d i s t r i c t co ur t fo un d
th at on at le as t on e o c c a s i o n , G arci a de al t dr ug s to Pen tz at Garci a's res id en ce. S t a t e men t of Rea so ns 10

. Garci a co nt en ds th e go ve rn m en t di d no t pr ov e b y a
pr ep on de ran ce of th e ev id en ce th is tra ns act io n to ok pl ace in Garci a's ho us e, as
op po se d to so m e ot he r lo cat io n on hi s pr op ert y

. The refo re, Garci a arg ue s, th e di st ric t

c o u rt erre d whe n it fo un d a sp at ia l ne xu s be twee n th e gu ns , t he m et ha m ph et am in e

c o n s p ira cy , an d hi m

. Garci a al so cl ai m s th ere was no te m po ral ne xu s

. Th e in di ct m en t st at ed th e co ns pi racy en de d on or ab ou t Sep te m be r 29
, 20 10

. The al le ge d

Unt il rel at iv el y rece nt ly, th ere was so m e in tra -ci rcu it in co ns is te nc y reg ard in g 3 th is req ui rem en t. So m e co ur ts em pl oyed th e "n ot cl earl y im pr ob ab le " fo rm

u l a t io n de sc rib ed ab ov e, whi le ot he rs req ui r e d th e go ve rn m en t to sh ow it was "at le as t
pr ob ab le th at th e weap on was c on ne ct ed to th e of fen se ." Uni te d S ta te s v . Hay s, 1 5 F.3 d 12 5, 12 7 (8 th Cir . 19 94 ). Ju dg e Arn ol d re so lv ed th is in co ns is te nc y in pl en ary fas hi on in Uni te d St at es v. Pero ces ki

, 52 0 F.3 d 88 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ). It is no w se tt le d th e go ve rn m en t m

us t sh ow it is "n ot cl earl y im pr ob ab le " th e weap on was co nn ect ed
to th e d ru g o ffen se for th e en ha nc em en t t o a pp ly.

-7

-dr ug de al be twee n Garci a an d Pen tz oc cu rred on May 20
, 20 10

. Acco rd in g to Garci a,

th es e ev en ts are to o rem ot e fro m th e O c t ob er 14
, 20 10 se iz ur e of th e gu ns to

co ns ti tu te a t e mpo ral ne xu s. Bec au se th es e co nn ect io ns are la ck in g, Garci a arg ue s th e g ov ern m en t d id no t p ro ve a req ui red ele m en t o f th e en ha nc em en t.

Garci a's arg um en ts are wit ho ut m eri t. W e ha ve he ld t h e g ov ern m en t
de m on st rat es th e req ui red co nn ect io n be twee n th e weap on an d th e dr ug act iv it y whe n th e weap on "was fo un d in th e sa m e lo cat io n whe re dr ug s or dr ug pa rap he rn al ia were lo cat e d or whe re pa rt of th e co ns pi racy to ok pl ace." Uni te d St at es v. You ng , 68 9
F.3 d 94 1, 94 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ) (q uo ta ti on an d ci ta ti on om it te d)

. The gu ns were fo un d
in si de Garci a's la un dr y ro om

. Part of th e co ns pi racy un qu es ti on ab ly to ok pl ace in
Garci a's ho m e. ATF Age nt Sy ve rs on te st ifi ed m an y of Garci a's dr ug sa le s to ok pl ace in si de hi s ho m e. See Uni te d St at es v. Mar ti ne z, 55 7 F.3 d 59 7, 60 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ) (co nc l u d i n g w it ne ss te st im on y m ay pr ov id e a su ffi ci en t ba si s fo r a di st ric t co ur t to

ap pl y th e § 2D1 .1(b )(1 ) en ha nc em en t). Garci a of fers no ev id en ce th e May 20
, 20 10
dr ug sa le be twee n hi m an d Pen tz to ok pl ace e ls ewh ere. Ev en if th e tra ns act io n di d

ta ke pl ace el se whe re on th e pr op ert y , we ha ve no t req ui red bo th th e weap on an d dr ug

act iv it y to be lo cat ed wit hi n th e ho m e to fin d th e two are co nn ect ed

. Uni te d St at es

v. Bet z, 82 F.3 d 20 5, 21 1 (8 th Ci r. 19 96 ) (h ol di ng th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t cl earl y err in ap pl y in g th e en ha nc em en t whe re gu ns were fo un d on th e sa m e pr em is es fro m whi ch th e de fen da nt tra ffi ck ed dr ug s an d were "re ad il y acce ss ib le " to th e de fen da nt ).

In de ed

, we ha ve fo un d a ne xu s whe re th e co nn ect io n be twee n th e gu ns an d th e dr ug s is m or e rem ot e th an in Garci a's cas e. See Pero ces ki

, 52 0 F.3 d at 88 9- 90 (co nc lu di ng th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t err in ap pl y in g th e en ha nc em en t whe re th e dr ug s were fo un d
in si de a lo ck ed sa fe in th e de fen da nt 's gi rlf rie nd 's ga rag e an d gu ns were fo un d in si de

a cam pe r-t rai le r on th e p ro pe rty where th e d efen da nt so m et im es li ve d)

.

Mo reo ve r, al th ou gh Garci a co rrec tl y no te s th e gu ns were no t se iz ed un ti l aft er th e te rm in at io n of th e co ns pi racy, we do no t in du lg e th e far- fet ch ed co nc lu si on Garci a acq ui red fiv e gu ns in th e two -week pe rio d be twee n th e en d of th e co ns pi racy

-8

-an d th e ex ecu ti on of th e se arch warra nt

. Garci a ran a dr ug op erat io n fo r m an y y ears

.

Giv en th e lo ng -s ta nd in g du rat io n of Garci a's co nd uc t, th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t cl earl y

err in fin di n g G a r c i a p os se ss ed th e gu ns whi le th e co ns pi racy t oo k pl ace. Bec au se th e gu ns were fo un d in si de Garci a's ho m e a n d p a r t of th e co ns pi racy to ok pl ace in
th at sa m e lo cat io n, it is no t cl earl y im pr ob ab le th e weap on s were co nn ect ed to
Garci a's dr ug tra ffi ck in g act iv it y

. Th e d i st ric t co ur t pr op erl y ap pl ie d th e

en ha nc em en t.

III

The jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ct co ur t i s af fir m ed

.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

-9

-