Opinion ID: 749900
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sufficiency of the Evidence with Respect to the Federal

Text: Funding Element 40 Agostino also challenges the sufficiency of the evidence regarding the $10,000 funding element. Section 666 requires that the person bribed be an agent of an organization, government, or agency that receives in excess of $10,000 from the federal government within a one year period. See 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(2), (b). Under the statute, an agent is a person authorized to act on behalf of another person ... and ... includes a servant or employee, and a partner, director, officer, manager, and representative. Id. § 666(d)(1). If the Government produced any evidence from which a reasonable jury could conclude that Goetz was an agent of an organization that received the requisite federal funding, we will not disturb the verdict. See Hickok, 77 F.3d at 1002; Crowder, 36 F.3d at 695. 41 It is undisputed that INDOT receives more than $10,000 from the federal government in any one year period. Agostino argues, however, that Goetz was an agent solely of INDOT Toll Road Division and not an agent of INDOT. We reject this contention. The evidence presented to the jury was sufficient for a reasonable jury to conclude that as an agent of INDOT Toll Road Division, Goetz was also an agent of INDOT. 42 First, the Government produced evidence that the Toll Road Division is simply a subpart of INDOT, not an independent organization. Government Exhibit 14 is an organizational chart that clearly identifies the Toll Road Division as a subdivision of INDOT. Both the Commissioner of INDOT and the Interim Toll Road Division Manager testified that the Toll Road Division was a subdivision of INDOT. Additionally, Toll Road Division employees are counted as part of the INDOT workforce when INDOT establishes how many people it employs. 43 Second, the Government presented evidence that established INDOT exercises management authority over the Toll Road Division. The INDOT Commissioner conducts meetings with heads of the divisions within INDOT, including the Toll Road Division, every four to six weeks. There was also evidence to suggest that INDOT exercises control over Toll Road personnel decisions. In regard to the Gas City contract at issue in this case, the INDOT Commissioner testified that he was personally involved in the bid preparation for the fuel supplier on the Toll Road as were INDOT's legal staff, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Engineer, and Public Relations Officer. The Gas City contract, under which Goetz was responsible for selecting survey stations, is signed by the INDOT Commissioner. Additionally, several witnesses testified that the INDOT Commissioner gave directions, orders and advice regarding the implementation of the Gas City contract. 44 Third, the Toll Road Division receives support from other INDOT divisions. INDOT's Internal Affairs Division deals with problems at the Toll Road. The Toll Road Division goes to INDOT for labor management and labor relations advice and receives support from INDOT's Public Affairs and Procurement Divisions. 45 In sum, the Government produced sufficient evidence to establish that Goetz, as an employee of the Toll Road Division, was also an employee of INDOT and therefore an agent of INDOT under the statutory definition. Accord United States v. Moeller, 987 F.2d 1134 (5th Cir.1993) (finding that employees of Texas Federal Inspection Service (TFIS) were agents of Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) because TDA supervised TFIS, and TFIS performed discretionary functions for TDA and enforced regulations promulgated by TDA).