# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls

For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 4- 20 80

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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.

Trav is Sen te ll Peel er

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

an t - Ap pe ll an t

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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

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Su bm it te d: Decem

be r 12 , 20 14
Fil ed : M arch 5, 2 01 5

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Befo re LOKEN, BRIGHT, and KELLY , Cir cu it Ju dg es

.

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LOKEN, Ci rcu it Ju dg e.

A jury co nv ic te d Trav is Peel er of co ns pi racy to po ss es s wit h in te nt to di st rib ut e

m or e th an fiv e ki lo gr am s of po wde r co cai ne an d 28 0 g r a m s of crac k co cai ne in

vi ol at io n of 21 U.S.C. §§ 84 1( a)(1 ), 84 1( b) (1 )(A), an d 84 6. The di st ric t c o ur t 1

The Hon or ab le Ri ch ard H. Ky le

, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e Dis tri ct 1

of Mi nn es ot a.gr an te d a do wnwar d va ria nc e an d se nt en ced Peel er to th e m an da to ry m in im um of 12 0

m on th s in pr is on

. Peel er ap pe al s, arg ui ng th e ev id en ce was in su ffi ci en t to su pp or t th e

co ns pi racy co nv ic ti on

. “ W e rev ie w th e su ffi ci en cy of th e ev id en ce de no vo , vi ewin g

ev id en ce in th e l i g h t mo s t fav or ab le to th e jury’ s ve rd ic t, res ol vi ng co nf li ct s in th e

go ve rn m en t’s fav or , an d acce pt in g al l reas on ab le in fere nc es th at su pp or t th e ve rd ic t.”

Uni te d St at es v. Harri s- Tho m ps on , 75 1 F.3 d 59 0, 59 8 (8 th Ci r.), cert

. de ni ed

, 13 5 S.

Ct . 41 5 (2 01 4) . App lying th is de fere nt ia l s ta nd ard , we affi rm

.

At tri al

, FBI Sp eci al Age nt Ja m es So m erv il le te st ifi ed th at

, in earl y Ja nu ary

20 12

, la w en fo rcem en t of fic ers in ve st ig at i n g wid es pr ead co cai ne tra ffi ck in g in

Mi nn eap ol is be ga n in te rcep ti ng th e ph on e cal ls of su sp ect ed dr ug de al er Ro ss co

Ro ss

. The cal ls rev eal ed th at Ro ss was di st rib ut in g co cai ne an d crac k c o c a i n e

su pp li ed by Mu sa al eh Mu ha m m ad to m ul ti pl e lo wer-l ev e l de al ers

. On Ja nu ary 8,

Ro ss co m

pl ai ne d to Mu ha m

m ad ab ou t th e q u a l it y of hi s la te st su pp ly. The two

arra ng ed a m eet in g on Ja nu ary 9, an d th e po or co cai ne was “ swa pp ed ou t” fo r a fres h

su pp ly. Ro ss th en be ga n cal li ng hi s bu y ers to le t th em kn ow he ha d co cai ne an d “ was
read y to sel l.”

O n J a n ua ry 12

, Ro ss cal le d Peel er -- who was no t pr ev io us ly kn own to t h e

in ve st ig at or s -- at a W is co ns in ph on e nu m be r. Ro ss to ld Peel er he ha d “ so m e ne w
th un de r wh e n e v er y ou read y .” Peel er res po nd ed “ [a]lri gh t,” an d sa id he ha d be en

“ sl ow ro ll in g” be cau se “ y ou sa id y ou was go nn a be go ne fo r th at li tt le week .” Peel er

sa id , “ so on as I’m rig ht

, I ’l l g i v e y ou r as s a cal l.” So m erv il le ex pl ai ne d to th e jury

th at “ ne w th un de r” m ean t ne w co cai ne , “ sl ow ro ll in g” m ean t Peel er ha d be en se ll in g

hi s cu rren t su pp ly of co cai ne sl owl y , an d “ so on as I’m rig ht ” m ean t whe n Peel er ha s

m on ey to bu y m or e co cai ne

.

On Ja nu ary 19

, Ro ss cal le d Peel er t o a sk why he ha d no t he ard fro m hi m

. Peel er res po nd ed he was “ jus t wait in g o n t h i s l i tt le br ead ” an d was at “ twen ty [o r]

twen ty-two.” So m erv il le ex p l a i n e d t ha t br ead m ean t m on ey ; Peel er was sa y in g he

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-ha d ab ou t two -th ou sa nd or twen ty-two hu nd red d o l l a r s

. The ne xt da y , Peel er an d

Ro ss arra ng ed to m eet be twee n Green Bay, W is co ns in , wh ere P e e l e r li ve d, an d th e
Twin Ci ti es , whe re Ro ss li ve d. Afte r cal li ng Mu ha m m ad

, Ro ss ph on ed Peel er, who

was al read y on th e r o ad

, an d to ld hi m he wou ld le av e fo r th ei r m eet in g po in t aft er

“ rid in ’ ov er to du de ho us e,” an d wou ld cal l a g a i n “as so on he do ne hi s th in g.”

So m erv il le ex pl ai ne d th at “ do in g hi s th in g” refe rred to co nv ert in g po wde r co cai ne to

crac k co cai ne

. Late r th at ev en in g, Ro ss an d Peel er m et in a McDo na ld ’s pa rk in g lo t

of f In te rs ta te 94 in Men om on ie

, W is co ns in

, whe re Mi nn eap ol is Po li ce Serg ean t Troy

Sch oe nb erg er te st ifi ed th at he ob se rv ed wha t ap pe ared to be a na rco ti cs sa le

. Mi nn eap ol is po li ce fo ll owe d Peel er whe n he le ft th e ren de zv ou s, an d he was st op pe d
by W is co ns in St at e Troo pe r Ja so n Bak ke n. Bak ke n te st ifi ed th at a co ns en su al se arch

of Peel er’s car un co ve red 81 gra m s o f crac k c oc ai ne hi dd en in a do or pa ne l.

Mu ha m m ad pl ead ed gu il ty to co ns pi racy to di st rib ut e co cai ne an d te st ifi ed fo r

th e g ov ern m en t at Peel er’s t ria l. Mu ha m m ad tes ti fie d th at he ha d b een di st rib ut in g

po wde r co cai ne to Ro ss fo r e i g h t or ni ne y ears an d kn ew Ro ss co ok ed po wde r

co cai ne to crac k co cai ne “ on oc cas io n.” Dur in g th e co ns pi racy pe rio d ch arg ed in th e

in di ct m en t, Mar ch 20 09 to Mar ch 20 12

, Mu ha m m ad acq ui red fro m on e to se ve n

ki lo gr am s of coca in e fro m hi s s up pl ie r eac h m on th

. Mu ha m m ad wou ld cu t (di lu te )

th e po wde r co cai ne an d di st rib ut e it to Ro ss an d ot he r cu st o mer s

. M u ha m m ad

t e s t i f i e d th at he so ld m or e th an fiv e ki lo gr am s of po wde r co cai ne to Ro ss ov er th i s

th r e e

- ye a r p eri od

. Mu ha m m ad kn ew fro m th ei r co nv ers at io ns th at Ro ss res ol d th e

co cai ne to m

ul ti pl e cu st om ers , in cl ud in g a bu y er n am ed “ Trav is ” fro m Green Bay.

At th e cl os e of th e e vi de nc e, Peel er ti m el y m ov ed fo r jud gm en t of acq ui tt al

,
arg ui ng th at a reas on ab le jury co ul d no t fin d be y on d a reas on ab le do ub t th at he joi ne d

th e al le ge d co ns pi racy be cau se th e go ve rn m en t ha d no ev id en ce, on ly “ im pe rm is si bl e

sp ecu la ti on ,” o f a nyth in g m or e th an a si ng le 81 -g ram tra ns act io n be twee n a bu y er,
Peel er, an d a se ll er, Ro ss

. A f t e r h e a r i n g arg um en t, th e di st ric t co ur t de ni ed th e

m ot io n b ut th en in st ru ct ed th e jury --

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-th at tra ns ie nt sa le s whe re a bu y er is pu rch as in g dr ug s f o r h i s o w n
p e r s o n a l us e an d no t fo r th e pu rp os e of di st rib ut in g or de li ve rin g t h e
pu rch as ed dr

ug s to an ot he r do es no t, i n a nd of i ts el f, m ak e th e bu y er a

co -co ns pi rat or wit h th e se ll er in th e se ll er’ s dr ug dis tr ibu ti on co ns pi racy. If, ho wev er, th e bu y er acq ui res th e dr ug s fro m th e se ll er i n t en di ng to di st rib ut e or de li ve r t h e dr ug s to an ot he r pe rs on in st ead of us in g th em fo r hi s own pe rs on al us e, or if he pu rch as ed th e dr ug s fro m th e se ll er as
pa rt of th e co nt in ui ng bu y er/ se ll er rel at io ns hi p, he m ay be

, de pe nd in g on wha t th e ev id en ce sh ows , a c o- co ns pi rat or wit h th e se ll er in a dr ug di st rib ut io n c on sp ira cy

.

In cl o s i ng arg um en t, de fen se co un se l vi go ro us ly arg ue d th at th e ev id en ce

es ta bl is he d th at Peel er was m erel y Ro ss ’s cu st om er, no t a co -co ns pi rat or in th e la rg e

co ns pi racy in vo lv in g Muh am m ad

, Ro ss , and m an y ot he rs

. The go ve rn m en t argu ed

th e ev id en ce es ta bl is he d th at Ro ss an d Peel er ha d an on -g oi ng rel at io ns hi p in whi ch

Peel er pu rch as ed di st rib ut io n qu an ti ti es o n a t l eas t two oc cas io ns , an d th at Ro ss ’s 2

sa le s of m or e t h a n f

i ve ki lo gr am s of co cai ne to Peel er an d Ro ss ’s ot he r cu st om ers

were re as on ab ly fores eeab le to Peel er, ev en if Pe el er was un aware of th e fu ll sco pe

of th e en ti re co ns pi racy.

On ap pe al

, Peel er arg ue s th at th e go ve rn m en t pr ov ed on ly th at he ha d a bu y erse ll er rel at io ns hi p wit h Ro ss , whi ch by it se lf was in su ffi ci en t to su pp o rt th e

co ns pi racy c o n v i c t i o n

. He rel ie s on Uni te d St at es v. Pri es ko rn , 65 8 F.2 d 63 1, 63 6
(8 th Ci r. 19 81 ), whe re we no te d th at “ pr o o f o f a bu y er-s el le r rel at io ns hi p, wit ho ut

m or e, is in ad eq ua te to ti e th e bu y er t o a la rg er co ns pi racy s uc h as is ch arg ed he re.”

The pr in ci pl e is well -es ta bl is he d, at leas t i n t hi s ci rcu it , bu t i t i s l im it ed to a na rro w

cat eg or y of cas es

. “ [B]uyer-se ll er rel at io ns hi p cas es in vo lv e on ly ev id en ce of a sin gle

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.”

Uni te d St at es v. Hug ga ns , 65 0 F.3 d 12 10

, 12 22 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ) (q uo ta ti on om it te d)

,

Age nt So m erv il le te st ifi ed th at 81 gr am s was “ no t ev en cl os e” to th e am ou nt 2

a co cai ne us er wo ul d b uy, and in st ead wou ld on ly be p ur ch as ed for res al e.

-4

-cert

. de ni ed

, 13 2 S. Ct

. 15 83 (2 01 2) ; se e Uni te d St at es v. Vin to n, 42 9 F.3 d 81 1, 81 5-

16 (8 t h C i r

. 20 05 ); Pri es ko rn , 65 8 F.2 d at 63 4- 35

. “ Evi de nc e of m ul ti pl e sa le s of

res al e q ua nt it ie s of

dru gs is su ffi ci en t i n a nd of i ts el f to m ak e a s ub m is si bl e cas e o f

a co ns pi racy to di st rib ut e.” Uni te d St at es v. Co nwa y , 75 4 F.3 d 58 0, 58 8 (8 th Ci r.)
(q uo ta ti on om it te d) , cert . den ie d, 1 35 S. Ct. 7 70 (20 14 ).

In Pri es ko rn , we he ld th at th e ev id en ce was su ffi ci en t to co nv ic t de fen da nt of

pa rti ci pa ti ng in th e al le ge d co ns pi racy, bu t th e di st ric t co ur t erre d in refu si ng to gi ve

a req ue st ed bu y er/ se ll er th eo ry -o f-d efen se in st ru ct io n b e c a u se “ th ere was ev id en ce

in di c a t i n g ” d e fen da nt m ad e on ly on e pu rch as e, kn ew on ly th e se ll er, an d ha d no t

or de red th e co cai ne he bo ug ht

. Here, th e di st ric t co ur t ga ve a th eo ry -o f-d efen se

in st ru ct io n th at accu rat el y ex pl ai ne d th e bu y er/ se ll er de fen se as de fin ed in ou r pr io r

cas es

. Co un se l fo r Peel er th en vi go ro us ly arg ue d th is de fen se in cl os in g. The jury’ s

gu il ty ve rd ic t refl ect s th at it fo un d, in th e wor ds of th e di st ric t co ur t’s in st ru ct io n, th at

Peel er “ acq ui re[d 81 gra m s o f cra ck co cai ne ] fro m [Ro ss ] in te nd in g t o d is tri bu te or
de li ve r th e dr ug s to an ot he r pe rs on in st ead of us in g th em f o r hi s own pe rs on al us e,

or

. . . pu rch as e d t he dr ug s fro m [Ro ss ] as pa rt of th e co nt in ui ng bu y er/ se ll er
rel at io ns hi p.” In reac hi ng it s ve rd ic t, t h e ju r y li st en ed to th e ta pe d ph on e cal ls

, as
well as Age nt So m erv i l l e ’s t es ti m on y ex pl ai ni ng wha t th e co de wor ds an d jarg on

us ed in th e co nv ers at io ns m ean t. Viewe d in th e l ig ht m os t fav or ab le to th e jury’ s

ve rd ic t, th is ev id en ce to ge the r w ith Mu ha m m ad ’s pa rti al co rro bo rat io n was su ffi ci en t

fo r a reas on ab le jury to fin d be y on d a re a s o n a bl e do ub t th at th e 81 -g ram pu rch as e

was pa rt of Peel e r ’s on -g oi ng rel at io ns hi p wit h Ro ss (an d who ev er was su pp lying

Ro ss ) to po ss es s wit h in te nt to di st rib ut e po wde r an d crac k co cai ne to ot he r pe rs on s.

“ A de fen da nt m ay be co nv ic te d fo r ev en a m in or ro le in a co ns pi racy, so lo ng as th e

go ve rn m en t pr ov es be y on d a reas on ab le do ub t th a t h e o r s he was a m em be r of th e

co ns pi racy.” Con way , 75 4 F .3d at 5 87 (qu ot at io n o m it te d)

.

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

.

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