Opinion ID: 739313
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Dallas Appellants

Text: 8 The evidence against Lied, Russell, and Dickinson (collectively the Dallas Appellants) consisted primarily of the testimony of Felipe Madrid, Jr., a co-conspirator, governmental informant, and owner of United Freight Service (UFS), the corporation through which the Dallas Appellants conducted their drug-trafficking activities. Madrid testified that in the summer of 1990 he met with Gonzalez, Gil, and Lied to plan what they were going to do with the proceeds of marijuana. According to Madrid, he served as an interpreter and middle man for the drug organization, wherein Gonzalez was the supplier and Lied was Gonzalez's original distributor in the Dallas area. Madrid testified that this organization began operating in the fall of 1990. 9 Madrid described the organization's standard procedure for handling a load of marijuana. The process began when Gonzalez arranged for Madrid to pick up marijuana from various locations in El Paso with his van. Madrid then took the marijuana to a stash house located on Dale Douglas Street in El Paso where it was weighed and repackaged in small boxes. The small boxes of marijuana were then placed in the van and transported to a warehouse on Rojas Street in El Paso. At the warehouse, Madrid placed the small boxes of marijuana inside larger boxes, filled the larger boxes with Styrofoam, and loaded an 18-wheeler with the larger boxes. Madrid then drove the 18-wheeler to one of two warehouses rented by the organization in the Dallas area. 10 More specifically, Madrid testified that on one occasion Gil gave him a three- to five-pound sample of marijuana that he took to Lied. 1 Madrid also testified that it was standard procedure for him to give a copy of the recorded weights of shipments of marijuana to Lied. Those weights were used to determine how much the particular load of marijuana was worth. In addition, the weights were relevant because Lied paid Madrid for his work at the rate of $15 per pound of marijuana that he hauled. Madrid testified that he had an ongoing discussion with Lied regarding the delivery of money to Gonzalez for marijuana. On at least a few occasions, Lied gave Madrid drug money that he subsequently delivered to Gonzalez. Moreover, on one occasion in which drug money was transferred, Madrid testified that he, Gonzalez, Gallegos, and Lied were all present. The amounts of these drug payments ranged from $150,000 to $700,000. 11 Dickinson was the freight manager for UFS. While it is undisputed that Dickinson handled a sizable amount of legitimate cargo hauled by UFS, Madrid testified that Dickinson also participated in the organization's drug-trafficking activities. For example, the organization's stash house on Dale Douglas was rented in Dickinson's name. Moreover, Madrid testified that Dickinson sometimes helped him weigh and repackage the marijuana at the stash house. Finally, Madrid testified that it was his belief that on several occasions Dickinson drove trucks that he knew were full of marijuana and picked up drug money. Finally, Madrid testified that Dickinson sometimes helped him count the money that they received for marijuana. 2 In this regard, in the fall of 1991, Dickinson and Madrid complained to each other about the infrequency and insufficient amounts of Lied's most recent payments. 12 Madrid testified that on one occasion in late December of 1991, he saw Russell at the organization's warehouse in Forney, Texas. Russell was talking to several of the organization's Dallas-based employees and was aware that Madrid was unloading marijuana. According to Madrid, Russell's appearance at the warehouse coincided with a change in management in the organization whereby Lied broke off his ties to the organization and Russell took over Lied's role as distributor in the Dallas area. Madrid testified that Russell paid him approximately $20,000 or $30,000 for transporting marijuana on one occasion. 13 Madrid's active participation in the organization involving the Dallas Appellants concluded in April 1992 when he was arrested and later convicted on an unrelated charge. Madrid testified that the organization owed him approximately $250,000 in back pay at the time of his arrest. Madrid told his ex-wife, Gloria Stitt, that any money that he was owed would come from Russell and that she could keep whatever she could procure for their children. 14 Stitt, a paid governmental informant, enlisted the aid of her brother, Henry Garcia, to procure some of the money owed Madrid by the organization. Garcia wrote Madrid a letter in which Garcia stated that El Indio wants me to ask what you want done with your cake.... Madrid testified that El Indio was Russell's nickname and that cake was code for money in the organization. Madrid subsequently sent Stitt to pick up the money from Garcia. Garcia gave Stitt a box containing large denominations of cash totaling $60,000. Stitt turned the box and the money over to the government, and at trial she testified consistently with Madrid about these events. 15 From such evidence, the jury could rationally have concluded beyond a reasonable doubt that each of the Dallas Appellants knowingly and voluntarily participated in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana. The foregoing evidence was also sufficient to sustain the convictions of Lied and Russell for engaging in a conspiracy to launder money. Specifically, Madrid testified that he received large sums of drug money from Lied and delivered those proceeds to Gonzalez. Furthermore, significant evidence was presented that Russell transferred $60,000 in drug proceeds to Garcia as backpay for the work Madrid had done on behalf of the organization. See United States v. Flores, 63 F.3d 1342, 1361 (5th Cir.1995), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 117 S.Ct. 87, 136 L.Ed.2d 43 (1996); United States v. Puig-Infante, 19 F.3d 929, 937-42 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 513 U.S. 864, 115 S.Ct. 180, 130 L.Ed.2d 115 (1994).