Opinion ID: 612831
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Phone Exchanges Between Alvarado and Acosta-Gallardo

Text: Alvarado testified that he kept two cell phones. One phone was for personal use. The other phone was his business phone, R. Vol. 3 at 188, which he changed every four to six weeks to avoid tracking by law enforcement. Id. at 185. Acosta-Gallardo's contact information was kept in Alvarado's business phone. Alvarado testified that between 2007 and 2009, he changed phones approximately fifteen to twenty times. He purchased his business phones from Wal-Mart. The phones were never registered in Alvarado's name. In order to be assigned a phone number, Alvarado would provide a zip code from Idaho, Colorado, or Wyoming so that his assigned phone number would correspond to that zip code. Alvarado never provided the zip code of the city where he actually lived. At trial, the government introduced the transcript of a text message that Alvarado received from Acosta-Gallardo on September 11, 2009. R., Vol. 3 at 192-93; R., Vol. 5 Ex. 123. The message, translated into English from Spanish, stated, Dude, there is a [Female] friend that is 18 years old if you want to meet her. R., Vol. 5, Ex. 123. Alvarado testified that amiga, or female [friend], meant that Acosta-Gallardo had one pound of methamphetamine. R., Vol. 3 at 192. The reference to 18 meant 18,000. Id. Thus, Alvarado testified that Acosta-Gallardo's message communicated the idea that he had a pound of meth for $18,000, and he want[ed] to know if I wanna, I wanna [sic] buy that from him. Id. Transcripts of several phone conversations that took place on September 12, 2009 were next introduced at trial. R., Vol. 5 at Exs. 124, 125, 126. The transcripts reflected both the conversations, all of which took place in Spanish, and their English translations. R., Vol. 3 at 189. The first phone conversation is dated September 12, 2009, and time-stamped 17:34:47 MDT-17:36:02 MDT. R., Vol. 5 Ex. 124. Alvarado testified that in this conversation, he and Acosta-Gallardo were coordinating the delivery of drugs mentioned in the September 11, 2009 text message. Alvarado testified that in this phone conversation, he was communicating to Acosta-Gallardo that he (Alvarado) was not yet at home. R., Vol. 3 at 194-95. The second phone conversation is also dated September 12, 2009, and is time-stamped 19:39:22 NDT-19:39:58 MDT. R., Vol. 5 Ex. 125. During this phone conversation, Alvarado contacted Acosta-Gallardo to tell him that he had just arrived home. R., Vol. 3 at 196. Acosta-Gallardo's response, as explained by Alvarado, indicated that Acosta-Gallardo was on his way to meet Alvarado. Id. The third phone call was similarly dated September 12, 2009, and time-stamped 20:07:58 MDT-20:08:36 MDT. R., Vol. 5 Ex. 126. Alvarado explained that this phone conversation took place a few minutes before Acosta-Gallardo arrived at Alvarado's home. R., Vol. 3 at 197-98. Alvarado explained that Acosta-Gallardo asked where to park, and Alvarado directed Acosta-Gallardo to the parking lot behind his apartment. Id. at 198. Alvarado testified that after these three phone conversations, Acosta-Gallardo delivered eight ounces of methamphetamine to him. Id. The drugs were advanced to him on credit. Id. Alvarado stored the drugs in one of the containers in his suitcase and eventually sold it to his customers, most of whom were in Wyoming. Id. at 198-99. The transcript of an additional phone conversation between Acosta-Gallardo and Alvarado, dated September 16, 2009, and time-stamped 11:22:26 MDT-11:29:20 MDT, was introduced into evidence by the government. R., Vol. 5 at Ex. 127. Alvarado initiated this phone call to Acosta-Gallardo and told him, it is pretty, I've been told that it truly rocks. R., Vol. 3 at 199-200; R., Vol. 5 Ex. 127 at page 2, line 8. Alvarado testified that his comment meant that the quality of the drugs he obtained from Acosta-Gallardo on September 12, 2009 was quite good. R., Vol. 3 at 199-200. Acosta-Gallardo responded (in Spanish), I told you, you were going to like it. Id. at 200-201; R., Vol. 5 Ex. 127 at page 2, line 11. Alvarado then communicated to Acosta-Gallardo, in code, that it would take him a few days to collect the money owed for the September 12, 2009 drug delivery. R., Vol. 3 at 202; R., Vol. 5 Ex. 127 at page 2, line 18. Alvarado testified that Acosta-Gallardo's response indicated that he was agreeable to that arrangement. Id. (discussing R., Vol. 5 at page 2, line 19). Alvarado testified that a week after the September 12, 2009 drug transaction, he paid Acosta-Gallardo $4,500, half of the amount due for the eight ounces of methamphetamine delivered. Id. at 224-25. Then, on October 12, 2009, a day before Alvarado was arrested, Alvarado paid Acosta-Gallardo the remaining $4,500 due for the September 12, 2009 delivery. Id.