Opinion ID: 340675
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Unconstitutional Vagueness of the Continuing Conspiracy Statute

Text: 5 Appellants Chandler and Cravero argue that the continuing criminal enterprise statute, 21 U.S.C. § 848(b)(2) (1970), which makes a crime any violation of the statute if 6 (2) such violation is a part of a continuing series of violations of this subchapter or subchapter II of this chapter 7 (A) which are undertaken by such person in concert with five or more other persons with respect to whom such person occupies a position of organizer, a supervisory position, or any other position of management, and 8 (B) from which such person obtains substantial income or resources(,) 9 is unconstitutionally vague in using the terms (1) a continuing series of violations, (2) a position or organizer, a supervisory position, or any other position of management, and (3) substantial income or resources. The Second and Sixth Circuits have upheld the statute against precisely this attack in United States v. Manfredi, 488 F.2d 588, 602-03 (2d Cir. 1973), cert. denied, 417 U.S. 936, 94 S.Ct. 2651, 41 L.Ed.2d 240 (1974), and United States v. Collier, 493 F.2d 327 (6th Cir.), cert. denied, 419 U.S. 831, 95 S.Ct. 56, 42 L.Ed.2d 57 (1974) (quoting Manfredi as the sole basis for its decision). 5 We agree with these decisions on the grounds stated in Manfredi : 10 The conduct reached is only that which the violator knows is wrongful and contrary to law. See Screws v. United States, 325 U.S. 91, 102, 65 S.Ct. 1031, 1035, 89 L.Ed. 1495 (1945). . . . 11 . . . Here . . . the statute might have been more artfully drawn, but no language has occurred or has been suggested to us that better expresses the congressional purpose. To sustain (appellant's) position would force us to hold that words cannot be devised to make it an offense to engage in the continuous sale and trafficking in heroin with a number of other people and with substantial sums of money changing hands; we feel that not to be the case and that, as applied to the conduct with which (appellant) was charged . . . the statute is not unconstitutionally vague. 12 488 F.2d at 602-03.