Pursuant to 5 T H C IR . R. 47.5 , the court has determined that this opinion should not * be publishe d and is not precedent except under the limited circu mstance s set forth in 5 T H C IR . R. 47.5 .4. 

### INTHE UNI TED S TATESCOU RT OFAPPEALS

FORTHE FIFTH CIRCU IT

N o. 08- 50685 Su m m ar yC al endar
UN I TE D S TA TE S OF AM ERI CA P l ai n t i f f

- A pp el l ee
v. RO BE RT O D IAZ D e fe nda nt
- Appe l l ant

A pp ealf

rom t h e U n i t ed S t ates D i st ri ctC ou rt f or t h e W est ernD i st ri ctof T exas U SD C N o. 3: 07- C R

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B ef ore SM ITH , ST E W A R T , an d S O U T H W IC K , C i rcui tJu dg es. P E R C U R IA M: * R obert o D i az ap pea l s hi s c on vi ct i on s f or one coun tof

con spi racy to posses s w i th i nt entt o di st r ibut e a nd one c ountof pos se ss i on w i t h i nt entt o di st r ibute 1, 00 0 ki l o gr am s o rm o r e o f m ar ij uana . The di s t r i c tco ur ts e nt e nc e d Di az t o t he s t at ut o r y m i ni m um o f 2 40 m o nt hs o f

i m pr i s o nm e nto n e ac h c o unt , t o r un con cu rren tly, t o b e fol l ow ed b y 10 ye a rs of su p erv i sed releas e, a l so co n cu rren t, an d a $1 , 000 f

i n e. United States Court of App eals Fifth Circuit 

### F I L E D Jul y 24, 2009 Cha rl es R. F ulb ru g e II I ClerkN o. 08- 50685

2 D ia z c o n t e n d s th a tth e e v id e n c e w a s n o ts u ff ic ie n tto s u p p o r tth e ju r y ’s ve r di c tbe c aus e t he G o ve r nm e ntfail e d t o adduc e ev i de nc e t hathe kne w a bo ut th e m a r iju a n ain th e tr a ile r . W e w i l lu p h o ldth e ju r y ’ s v e r d ic t if a re a s o n a b le t ri e r o f fa ct c ou l d concl u de f rom t h e evi den ce t h at th e el em en t s of t h e of fen se w e r e e s ta b lis h e db e y o n da re a s o n a b le d o u b t. Ja c k s o n v . V irg in ia, 443 U
. S. 307, 3 1 9 (1 9 7 9 ); seeUn i t ed S t ate s v. D eL eon , 2 4 7 F .3d 5 9 3 , 5 9 6 n .1 (5 th C ir. 2 0 0 1 ). P roof of i n volvem en ti n a dru g conspir acy requ i res evi den ce of “ ( 1) t h e exi st en ce of an agreem en tbetw een t w o or m ore persons t o vi ol ate th e na rcot i cs l aw s, (2 ) t h e d e fe n d a n t ’s k n o w le d g e o f t h e a g r e e m e n t , a n d(3 ) t h e d e fe n d a n t ’s vo l u n tarypa rti ci p a ti on i n the con sp i ra cy . ” Un i t ed S t ate s v. G allard o- Trapero , 1 8 5 F
. 3 d30 7 , 31 7 (5 th C i r. 19 9 9 ). T o p rov e g u i l t of po sse ssion w i th i n ten t t o di s t r ibut e ac o nt r o l l e d s ubs t anc e , t he G o ve rnm e ntm us te s t ab l i s h: ( 1) kn ow led ge, ( 2) possess i on , an d ( 3) i n t en tt o di st ribu t e t h e contr ol l ed s u b s ta n c e . Un itedS ta tes v. S o lis , 2 9 9 F .3d 4 2 0 , 4 4 6 (5t h C ir. 2 0 0 2 ). T h e e v id e n c e s h o w e dth a t o n M a y2 7 , 2 0 0 7 , a t a p p r o x im a te ly4 :3 0 a .m ., a tr act or- t rai l er app roached t h e border checkp oi n tnea r Si erra B la n ca, T exas. D i az w as dr ivi ng t he t r uc k, a nd h i s br o t he r Abelw as apa s s e nge ri n t he t r uc k. Ab o r d e rp a tr o l ca n in e a le r te dto th e p r e s e n c e o f h u m a n s a n d/o rille g a l d r u g s in t h e t rai l er, an d u pon f u rt h er i n spect i on , agen t s f ou n d a t ot al of

3, 405 pou n ds of m arij u an a i n si de the t rai l er. Abeli n f orm ed the agen tt h at he saw t h e t ruck l o ad e d a t1 : 00 a . m . o n M ay 27 , 20 07 . Evi de nc e de m o ns t r at e d, ho w e ve r , t hatt he D i az brot h ers w ere present w h en t h e t ruck w as loadedw i t h l egi t i m ate c argo on M ay2 5, 2 00 7. The o r i gi nal s e al o n t he t r ail e r w as i nt ac t ; ho w e ve r , a bo l t o n a doo r l at c h had be e n r e pl ac e d. Thi s al t e r at i o n all o w e d ac c e s s t o t he t rai l er w ith o u t d a m a g e to th e o r ig in a l s e a l. Tes t i m o ny e s t ab l i s he d t hat D i az ac t e d ne rvo us l y dur i ng i ns pe c t i o n o f t he t rai l er att h e border cr ossi n g. D i az t ol d B order A gen tV el asqu ez t h at he w as on proba t i on , st ati n g t h at he ha d been arres t ed at a portof entry i n E lP as o f

or en t eri n g w i t h m arij u an a. D i az exp l ai n ed that a f ri en d h adt ol d h i m t o cr oss aN o. 08- 50685

3 t r uck t hro ugh t he portof ent r y i n E lPaso
. H e s t at ed t hathe di d notknow t hat t her e w er e dr ugs i n t hatt r uck and t hathe c oul d notbe l i eve t he s am e thi ng w as happeni ng t o hi m agai n. D i az st at ed t hatt he peo pl e a tt he c om pany m usthave pu tth e m arij u an a i n t h e t rai l er. C u st om s A gen tP atr i ci a H erna n dez confirm ed t hatRob e r t o D i az ha d b e e n s t o ppe d on J anuar y 31 , 2 00 6, a tt he Br i dg e o f t he A m er i c as por tof

ent r y i n E lPaso , Texas
. The p i c kup t r uck he w as dr ivi ng had 1 9 k i l og ra m s of m a rij u a n ah i d d en i n the en gin e com p a rtm en t. Th i s evi denc e w as s uf f i c i entf ora r eas onabl e t r i er of fac tt o c onc l ude t hat D i az kno w i ngly pa r t i c i pa t e d i n t he dr ug c o ns pi r ac y andkn o wi n glyp o s s e s s e d t he m a r iju a n aw ith t h e in te n t to d is tr ib u te . S e eJ a c k s o n , 44 3 U
. S. a t3 19 . Bey o nd D i az’ s m ere c on tro l of th e t ract or- t rai l er i n w h i ch the dru gs w ere f ou n d, t h ere w ere a n u m b er of ci rcu m stan ces from w h i ch the j u r ycou l di n fer gu i l ty kno w l e dg e . Forex am pl e , bo r de rcr o s s i ng ag e nt s t e s t i f i e d t hatD i az w as ne rvo us w h e n h e w a s d e la y e d a t th e c h e c k p o in t a n d th a t h e s e e m e de a g e rto le a v e . S ee Uni t e d St at e s v . G ut i e r r ez - Far i as , 2 9 4 F. 3 d6 5 7 , 6 6 0 ( 5 t h Ci r . 2 0 02) (n e r vo u sn ess ). M ore ov er, th ere w a s ev i d en ce th a t D i a z h a dpr ev i ou s ly a tt e m p te dto cr o s s th e b o r d e rw ith m a r iju a n ah id d e n i n h i s t r u c k
. Id
. at661. And D i az po s s e s s e d o ve r 1, 00 0 ki l o gr am s o f m ar ij uana , v al ue d a t$ 2. 7 m i l l i o n, w h i c h is u n lik e lyto h a v e b e e n e n tr u s te dto a n u n s u s p e c tin gd r iv e r . Un i t ed S t ate s v. G arci a-Flores , 246 F
. 3d451 , 455 ( 5th C i r. 200 1)
. A dd i t i on alevi den ce of D i az’ s gu i l t y kn ow l edg e i n cl u ded : t h e del ay betw een t h e t i m e t h e com pu t ers w ere l oad ed at TM Xon M ay 25 an d t h e ti m e theya rriveda tt h e checkp oi n ton M ay 27 ; Abel ’ s fal se s t atem en tt h at th ey h adp i ckedu p t h e load only a f ew hou rs b e f o r e ; a ndd a m a g e t o t he t r a i l e rd o o r s , whi c h was n o to b s e rv e db yTM X e m p lo y e e s u p o n lo a d in g . S ee Un i t ed S t ate s v. G am ez- G on zalez , 319 F. 3d 695, 699 ( 5th C i r. 200 3) (n ot i n g t h at delay in a rrival at c h eckp oi n tal l ow ed i n ference o f g ui l t)
. Fi nall y, D i az ’ s ow ne r s hi p of f ive of t he se ve n ce l lphon e s fo und i ns i de t h e tr u c ka ls o in d ic a t e dh is k n o w in gin v o lv e m e n tb a s e do n th e D E Aa g e n t ’s t e s t i m o ny t hat dr ug t r af f i c ke r s o f

t e n e m pl o y m ul t i pl e c e l lpho ne s . I n s um , t heN o. 08- 50685

4 evi denc e w as m or e than suf f i c i entf ort he j ury t o i nferD i az’ s gui l t y know l edge b e y o n dare a s o n a b le d o u b t. D i aza r gue s thatthedi s t r ic tc o urti m properl y al l ow ed tes t i m on y reg ar ding h is d iss im il a r p rio r d ru g a rr e st i n v iola tion o f F e d e ra l R u le of E v id e n ce 4 0 4 (b ). H e a r g u e s th a t t h e G o v e r n m e n t b o ls te r e dits w e a kc ir c u m s ta n tia l c a s e w ith th is e v id e n c e , th a t t h e te s tim o n yw a s n o t re le v a n t b e c a u s e h e d e n ie dk n o w le d g e in t h e pri or c ase al so, t h at th e pri or arr estw as t oo rem ovedin tim e a n d w as not s i m i l ar , a nd thatt he pr o ba t ive v al ue w as subs t ant i all y o ut w e i ghe d b y undue prej u di ce. R u l e 404 (b) prohibi t s t h e adm i ssi on of “ [ e] vi den ce of

ot h er c ri m es, w rongs, o ra c ts . . . to p r o v e t h e c h a r a c te ro f ap e r s o n in o r d e rto s h o w a c tio n in confor m i t y t h erew i t h
. I tm ay, how ever, be adm i ssibl e f or other p u rposes, such as pr oo f of m ot ive, oppor t uni t y, i nt ent , pre par at i on, pl an, know l edge , i dent i t y, or absence of

m i st ak e or acci den t. . . . ” Fed
. R
. E vi d. 404 (b)
. To be a dm i ssibl e, e xt r i ns i co f

fe ns e e vi de nc e m us tb e “ rel evan tt o a n i s s ue o t he rt han t he defenda n t ’ s c h aract er, ” an d i t“ m u stpossess probative value t h at i s not sub st ant i all y o ut w e i ghe d b y i t s und ue pr ej udi c e a nd m us tm e e tt he o t h er req u i rem en ts of [F ed
. R
. E vid
. 40 3 ]. ” Uni t e d St at e s v . Be e c hum , 582 F. 2d 898, 9 1 1 (5 th C ir . 1 9 7 8 ) (e n b a n c ). W e re v ie w a d is tr ic t co u r t’s d e c is io n to a d m it R u le 40 4(b) evi den ce f

or abu se of

di scr et i on , w i t h hei gh t en ed revi ew i n cr i m i n alcases . Uni t e d St at e s v . Po mpa , 4 3 4 F .3d 8 0 0 , 8 0 5 (5t h C ir. 2 0 0 5 ). T h e te s tim o n yco n c e r n in gD ia z ’ s p r io ra r r e st m u s t b e a n a ly z e du n d e rR u le 4 0 4 (b ). S ee Un i t ed Stat es v . G o n za lez , 328 F. 3d 755, 759- 60 ( 5t h C i r . 2003) ( an al yzi n g ad m i ssi on of evi den ce of defenda n t ’ s pri or convic t i on f or posses si on of m ar ij uana un derR ul e 4 04(b) )
. D i az’ s pl ea of n otgui l t y pl ac ed hi s i nt entat is s u e fo rp u r p o s e s o f R u le 4 0 4 (b ). S ee Pompa , 4 3 4 F .3 d a t 8 0 5 . F u r t h e r , D ia z ’s ow n st atem en t s up on hi s arr esti n t h i s c ase t h at he ha d a p ri or arr estf or c r os si ng m ar ij uana, t hath e agai n had no know l edge of t he m ar ij uana, and t hat he c oul d notbe l i eve i tw as happeni ng t o hi m agai n, al lpl ac ed hi s know l edge atN o. 08- 50685

5 i ss ue. The ev i denc e of the pr i orarr es tw as probat ive of D i az’ s know l edge t hat m arij u an a w as h i dd en in t h e t rai l er. Th e factt h at itw as evi den ce of an arres t a n dn o t a co n v ic t i o n d o e s n o t m a k e it in a d m is s ib le
. SeeUni t e d S t at e s v. G on zalez- L i ra , 93 6 F
. 2 d18 4 , 18 9 ( 5 th C i r. 19 9 1 ). T h e d a te of D i a z’ s p ri or a rres t, January 31, 2006, onl y o ne and a hal f ye ar s bef

or e thi s of

fens e i n M ay o f

2007, d o e s n o t w e ig h a g a in s t a d m is s ib ility
. S ee G on zalez , 3 28 F
. 3d at7 60 (ho l di ng t h at adm i ssi on of

198 8 conv i ct i on t o prove kn ow l edg e of drug s i n 200 1 of

fen se w a s n o t a n a b u s e o f d is c r e tio n , a n dn o tin gca s e s in w h ic h 1 5 - a n d1 8 -y e a r -o ld c o nvi c t i o ns w e r e a dm i t t e d wi t ho uta n a bus e o f di scr et i o n)
. Al t ho ught he of fen ses w ere not i den t i cali n t erm s of t h e t yp e of

t ruck or t h e si ze of

t h e l oad of m ar ij uana, D i az’ s ow n st at em ent s abouth i s pr i orarr es tforcr os si ng m ar ij uana, vo l unt e e r e d byhi m att he t i m e o f t hi s a r r e s t , m ad e t hi s e vi de nc e hi ghly r e l e va nt as t o hi s know l edge and m i t i gat ed any a d d i t i onalpr ej udi c e c r eat ed by p re se n tin gev id e n ce of th e a rr e st itse lf. T h e di st ri ctcourtgave i n st ructi on s t o t h e j u ry on the l i m i t ed p u rpose f or w hi c h i tc o ul d us e t he e vi de nc e o f D i az ’ s pr i o ra r r e s t . Thi s a l s o m i t i ga t e d t he p o te n tia l p r eju d ic ia l e ffe c t o f th e a d m is s io n o f th e e v id e n c e . S ee i d. at760 n. 2. T h e di st ri ctcourtdi d n otabu se it s di scr et i on i n adm i t t i n g t h i s evi den ce. AF F I RMED.