Opinion ID: 499510
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Appeal from Denial of Motion for Judgment of Acquittal

Text: 27 Based on Insufficient Evidence to Support a Conviction for the Use of a Communication Facility Section 843(b) of title 21 provides: 28 It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to use any communication facility in committing or in causing or facilitating the commission of any act or acts constituting a felony under any provision of this subchapter or subchapter II of this chapter. 29 21 U.S.C. Sec. 843(b) (1982). 30 To prove facilitation this court has required a showing that the use of the communication facility, a telephone in this case, makes the commission of the offense easier. United States v. Watson, 594 F.2d 1330, 1343 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 444 U.S. 840, 100 S.Ct. 78, 62 L.Ed.2d 51 (1979). The Government argues that when he telephoned, by reaching a busy signal defendant inferred that Ms. Royal (a known source) was at home; and he therefore immediately went to Ms. Royal's apartment where he obtained cocaine. The jury could have inferred that if he had not reached a busy signal, defendant would not have gone to Ms. Royal's apartment, and might have gone to other efforts to procure cocaine elsewhere. Therefore, the call facilitated the transaction by making it easier for him to get the cocaine, because he went directly to Ms. Royal's house and made the purchase. 31 Although prior cases in this area have generally involved telephone calls when there was some actual conversation with reference to drugs or arrangements for the possession of drugs, see United States v. McLernon, 746 F.2d 1098, 1106 (6th Cir.1984); United States v. Reese, 775 F.2d 1066, 1075 (9th Cir.1985); United States v. Phillips, 664 F.2d 971, 1032 (5th Cir. Unit B, Dec. 1981), cert. denied, 457 U.S. 1136, 102 S.Ct. 2965, 73 L.Ed.2d 1354 (1982), we conclude that the busy signal to a known source did facilitate the crime. Thus, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion.