Source: http://openjurist.org/484/f3d/267/united-states-v-wilson
Timestamp: 2013-12-08 18:20:52
Document Index: 686422486

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 841', '§ 924', '§ 922', '§ 841', '§ 924', '§ 924', '§ 841', '§ 841', '§ 1291']

484 F3d 267 United States v. Wilson | OpenJurist
484 F. 3d 267 - United States v. Wilson	Home484 f3d 267 united states v. wilson
484 F3d 267 United States v. Wilson 484 F.3d 267
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,v.Gregory Lamont WILSON, a/k/a Nice, Defendant-Appellant.United States of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,v.Edwin Lloyd Murray, a/k/a Gator, Defendant-Appellant.United States of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,v.Derrick Lenwood Powell, Defendant-Appellant.
No. 05-4435.
No. 05-4503.
No. 05-4837.
ARGUED: Ann N. Sagerson, Williams & Connolly, Washington, D.C., for Appellants. Martin Joseph Clarke, Assistant United States Attorney, Office of the United States Attorney, Baltimore, Maryland, for Appellee. ON BRIEF: Thomas J. Saunders, Baltimore, Maryland, for Appellant Gregory Lamont Wilson; Peter Dennis Ward, Baltimore, Maryland, for Appellant Edwin Lloyd Murray; Philip A. Sechler, Amer S. Ahmed, Williams & Connolly, Washington, D.C., for Appellant Derrick Lenwood Powell. Rod J. Rosenstein, United States Attorney, Baltimore, Maryland, for Appellee.
Affirmed by published opinion. Judge WILLIAMS wrote the opinion, in which Judge NIEMEYER and Judge GREGORY joined.
Gregory Lamont Wilson, Edwin Lloyd Murray, and Derrick Lenwood Powell appeal their convictions for conspiracy to distribute 5 or more kilograms of cocaine and 50 grams or more of cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C.A. § 841(a) (West 1999 & Supp.2006). Wilson also appeals his convictions under 18 U.S.C.A. § 924(c)(1)(A) (West 2000 & Supp.2006) and 18 U.S.C.A. § 922(g)(1) (West 2000) for unlawfully possessing a firearm on September 14, 2002. Finding no reversible error, we affirm.
On September 13, 2002, Baltimore County Police officers stopped a vehicle driven by Dieter Munz, a known drug dealer, for a minor traffic offense. Upon searching Munz's vehicle, the officers found and seized plastic baggies containing crack cocaine and marijuana. Based on other evidence found in the vehicle that linked Munz's residence at the time to 8832 Tamar Drive, Apartment 302, in Howard County, Maryland (Tamar Drive apartment), officers obtained a search warrant and executed it at that location the following day.
At the Tamar Drive apartment, the police found various items that indicated that the occupants of the house were involved in the drug trade. In the master bedroom, the police discovered what they believed to be a "drug owe sheet," which is sometimes used by drug distributers to keep track of the amount of drugs that have been provided to customers on consignment. The "drug owe sheet" was in an envelope addressed to Appellant Wilson's girlfriend. Also in the master bedroom, the police discovered a loaded .45 caliber pistol, paperwork in Munz's name, a traffic violation in Wilson's name, a prisoner property inventory in Wilson's name, and a package of photographs with Appellant Powell's name on the front, as well as $3000 in cash. In the second bedroom, police recovered paperwork in Appellant Murray's name, ammunition, and over $11,000 in cash.
Four days after the search, while conducting surveillance of the Tamar Drive apartment, the police observed Wilson and Murray removing furniture from the building. When the detectives entered the apartment, they found a jacket with $2500 in the pocket, which Wilson claimed belonged to him.
The police began to monitor Wilson's movements, and on January 7, 2003, officers followed Wilson and Michael White to a gas station. At the gas station, they observed Wilson take money from an individual; White then handed the individual a white object slightly larger than the size of a golf ball. Because police had observed Wilson and White going in and out of an apartment on Wheatley Drive in Baltimore County (Wheatley Drive apartment), they executed a search warrant at that location shortly thereafter. When police searched the apartment, Wilson, White, and another individual were present, but the apartment was barely furnished. In one bedroom, police discovered a digital scale with cocaine residue, $1900 in currency, and paperwork in Wilson's name. In a second bedroom, police discovered paperwork in White's name, a loaded .44 caliber handgun, and another digital scale with cocaine residue. In the kitchen, the police found pots and pans with crack cocaine residue and more paperwork in Wilson's name.
Around the time of the Wheatley Drive apartment search, Baltimore County police began using a confidential informant to make controlled cocaine purchases from Anderson Hicks, an indicted coconspirator who ultimately pleaded guilty and testified at trial, against Appellants. By following Hicks, police learned that his supply source was at an apartment building at 4402 Old Court Road, Randallstown, Maryland. On one occasion, Hicks was seen driving there in a vehicle owned by Derrick Powell. On January 24, 2003, police set up surveillance inside an apartment unit in the building. After instructing an informant to order crack cocaine from Hicks, police observed Hicks entering Apartment A (Old Court Road apartment), the same apartment that Wilson had entered earlier. At approximately the same time, a man was observed leaving the apartment and going to his vehicle. This man is believed to have been Powell. Shortly thereafter, the police began their raid to arrest Hicks and his supplier. Upon seeing the formations of the raid, Powell used his cell phone to warn the coconspirators in the apartment.
When the police entered the building, they heard people running from Apartment A. Wilson and Hicks had fled the apartment and forced their way into Apartment F, where Hicks was arrested. Wilson was arrested after he jumped from the balcony. Murray was found in Apartment A and arrested. In Apartment A, the police found approximately 186 grams of crack cocaine, 248 grams of powder cocaine, a digital scale, sandwich bags, pots, a spoon, and a knife, all containing drug residue. Police also discovered two handguns.
Shortly thereafter, in February 2003, Baltimore County police joined with federal task force officers in an effort to investigate the Wilson organization. On April 17, 2003, the investigators applied for and received authorization to wiretap cellular telephones used by Wilson, Murray, and others. These recorded conversations would become a central facet of the Government's case at trial.
On July 3, 2003, Wilson, Murray, Powell, and other coconspirators were indicted in the District of Maryland and charged with conspiracy to distribute 5 or more kilograms of cocaine and 50 grams or more of cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). Wilson was also charged with three counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and Murray with one count, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1). In addition, Wilson was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(g)(1). Finally, both Wilson and Murray were charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).
On January 20, 2004, the trial began with jury selection; the trial spanned 33 days and ended on February 23, 2004. At trial, the Government's case-in-chief relied on numerous witnesses, including coconspirators who had agreed to cooperate as well as Government investigators. A brief summary of the testimony most pertinent to this appeal is provided below.
One of the Government's key witnesses was Anderson Hicks, the same man who led police to the stash apartment on Old Court Road. Hicks, who was testifying pursuant to a state plea agreement, stated that Murray had supplied him with cocaine and crack cocaine. Hicks testified that in February, 2002, he picked up crack cocaine from one of the apartments in the complex on Old Court Road. When Hicks arrived, Wilson, Powell, and Murray were all present. Hicks was told that the apartment belonged to Powell, while Murray and Wilson lived together at the Tamar Drive apartment. Hicks returned to the Old Court Road apartment every few weeks to resupply. On one occasion later that year, Murray, told Hicks that he was too busy to sell to him so that Hicks should go to Wilson instead.
Hicks was arrested in July 2002. After his arrest, Murray and Wilson warned him to cease dealing for a while because the police would be looking at him closely. Regardless, Powell agreed to "take care" of Hicks by supplying him with crack cocaine on multiple occasions. (J.A. at 431.)1 Thus, until his arrest at the Randallstown apartment on January 24, 2003, Hicks testified that he was supplied by Murray, Wilson, and Powell.
Andre Clark also testified. Clark was a supplier to the conspiracy, and testified that he usually delivered an eighth or quarter kilogram of cocaine to Wilson and watched Wilson convert it into crack cocaine. Clark was eventually arrested while returning to Maryland from Georgia with a kilogram of cocaine, nine ounces of which was to be given to Wilson. The Government also called Mark Halley, who indicated that he supplied both Wilson and Murray with cocaine, and that Powell was occasionally with the men during their dealings.
The Government thereafter called Damon Thomas, who testified pursuant to a federal plea agreement. Thomas stated that he supplied fraudulent documents, such as pay stubs, employment verification letters, automobile tags, and identification documents to coconspirators. Thus, to make it appear that Wilson, Powell, and Murray were lawfully employed, Thomas provided them with fake pay stubs that allowed them to purchase vehicles and rent apartments. Thomas had also lived in one of the apartments at the complex on Old Court Road.
Finally, the Government called various law enforcement officers, including Detective Seabolt, who provided more testimony than any other Government witness. Seabolt testified about his role in the investigation of the conspiracy. Furthermore, he was called as an expert to decipher the intercepted communications that were recorded via wiretap. The communications were full of drug slang and street code, and the district court allowed Seabolt to testify — over the defense's objection — as an expert as to the meanings of various words used by the coconspirators. Seabolt was thus able to testify as a fact witness, as well as present to the jury what he believed to be the true meaning of various code words and slang used by Wilson, Murray, Powell, and others.
At the conclusion of the trial, the jury found the defendants guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a). Wilson was also found guilty of being in possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of crack cocaine. Murray was found guilty of being in possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of crack cocaine. Wilson was sentenced to 300 months' imprisonment; Murray was also sentenced to 300 months' imprisonment; Powell was sentenced to 120 months' imprisonment.
Appellants timely appealed. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C.A. § 1291 (West 2006).
Wilson, Murray, and Powell make a number of arguments on appeal. First, Appellants claim that the district court erred in allowing Seabolt to testify as an expert witness. Second, they contend that the district court erred in giving misleading jury instructions. Third, Appellants argue that the district court erred in not suppressing the wiretaps. Fourth, they contend that there was insufficient evidence to support a conviction for conspiracy. Finally, Wilson argues there was insufficient evidence to support his firearms convictions. We address these arguments2 in turn.
At trial, Appellants objected to the qualification of Seabolt as an expert "in the field of investigating drug trafficking in the Baltimore metropolitan region." (J.A. at 515.) On appeal, they contend that Seabolt's methodology for translating drug codes was neither sufficiently explained nor reliable.
We review for abuse of discretion the district court's decision to admit expert testimony under Federal Rule of Evidence 702. See, e.g., Kumho Tire Co. v. Carmichael, 526 U.S. 137, 152, 119 S.Ct. 1167, 143 L.Ed.2d 238 (1999). A "trial judge must have considerable leeway in deciding in a particular case how to go about determining whether particular expert testimony is reliable." Id. Thus, "Rule 702 grants the district judge the discretionary authority, reviewable for its abuse, to determine reliability in light of the particular facts and circumstances of the particular case." Id. at 158, 119 S.Ct. 1167.
The thrust of Appellants' argument is that Seabolt failed to explain adequately how his experience in the narcotics field supported the methodology used and the ultimate conclusions made concerning the coded language spoken in the recorded conversations. The Government, on the other hand, contends that "Seabolt was a highly experienced narcotics investigator who applied reasonable and reliable methods to help jurors identify and understand patterns of drug-related dialogue contained within seemingly convoluted and disjointed conversations." (Appellee's Br. at 14.)
Federal Rule of Evidence 702 serves as our guidepost. The rule provides:
The rule "requires that the [expert] testimony must be the product of reliable principles and methods that are reliably applied to the facts of the case." Fed. R.Evid. 702 advisory committee's note. But, "the test of reliability is flexible" and "the law grants a district court the same broad latitude when it decides how to determine reliability as it enjoys in respect to its ultimate reliability determination." Kumho Tire Co., 526 U.S. at 141-42, 119 S.Ct. 1167 (internal quotation marks omitted).
We have little trouble concluding that the district court did