Opinion ID: 400105
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Bethea

Text: 55 Count II alleged that all defendants had participated in the conduct of Delcher Moving & Storage, Inc. through a pattern of racketeering activity. Various acts of mail fraud were alleged as the pattern of racketeering activity. Thirty-five mailings allegedly made in furtherance of a scheme to defraud the government were identified in Count II. 56 As we have noted above, Bethea's only connection to any alleged scheme to defraud was his authorization of SITO on moves handled by Delcher. Because we hold that the evidence is insufficient to establish a scheme to defraud the United States with respect to charges for SITO, the government has failed to establish that Bethea engaged in any conduct which could be considered to have furthered a racketeering enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity. United States v. Phillips, 664 F.2d 971, 1014 (5th Cir. 1981). Therefore, we reverse Bethea's conviction on Count II.