Opinion ID: 199221
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 36 Baltas further presses the claim that the evidence was insufficient to convict him on count 32, insisting that the trial court should have granted his motion for judgment of acquittal. We review these claims de novo, see United States v. Collazo-Aponte, 216 F.3d 163, 193 (1st Cir. 2000), unitarily applying the familiar sufficiency-of-the-evidence standard, see United States v. Hernandez, 218 F.3d 58, 64 n.4 (1st Cir. 2000) ('[C]hallenges to the sufficiency of the evidence and to the denial of the motion for judgment of acquittal raise a single issue' and thus we apply the traditional sufficiency of the evidence standard to these claims.) (quoting United States v. Morillo, 158 F.3d 18, 22 (1st Cir. 1998)). 37 Under this standard, we review all the evidence, direct and circumstantial, in the light most favorable to the prosecution, drawing all reasonable inferences consistent with the verdict, and avoiding credibility judgments, to determine whether a rational jury could have found the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. See, e.g., United States v. Marrero-Ortiz, 160 F.3d 768, 772 (1st Cir. 1998); United States v. Laboy-Delgado, 84 F.3d 22, 26 (1st Cir. 1996). It is immaterial that a possible rendition of the record could support a not guilty verdict; it is enough that a rational trier of fact could have construed the evidence to find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. See Hernandez, 218 F.3d at 64; Laboy-Delgado, 84 F.3d at 26-27. 38 The insufficiency of the evidence in this case, Baltas asserts, turns on one specific point, to wit: that there was no evidence that he conspired to possess heroin with intent to distribute and to distribute it. He protests that [t]he government's evidence, at best, proved that [he] joined a conspiracy to aid and abet a drug deal, but not to actually deal in drugs. According to Baltas, the evidence failed to show that he was involved in the selling or buying of the drugs. 39 'To prove a drug conspiracy charge under 21 U.S.C. § 846, the government is obliged to show that a conspiracy existed and that a particular defendant agreed to participate in it, intending to commit the underlying substantive offense.' Collazo-Aponte, 216 F.3d at 191 (quoting United States v. Sepulveda, 15 F.3d 1161, 1173 (1st Cir. 1993)). Thus, the government must show two kinds of intent: 'intent to agree and intent to commit the substantive offense.' Hernandez, 218 F.3d at 65 (quoting United States v. Gomez-Pabon, 911 F.2d 847, 852 (1st Cir. 1990)). It need not show, however, that a given defendant took part in all aspects of the conspiracy. Sepulveda, 15 F.3d at 1173. As the Supreme Court in Salinas v. United States, 522 U.S. 52, 65 (1997) explained: 40 A conspirator must intend to further an endeavor which, if completed, would satisfy all of the elements of a substantive criminal offense, but it suffices that he adopt the goal of furthering or facilitating the criminal endeavor. He may do so in any number of ways short of agreeing to undertake all of the acts necessary for the crime's completion. One can be a conspirator by agreeing to facilitate only some of the acts leading to the substantive offense. 41 The evidence established that Baltas actively participated in the preliminary discussions of the plan for the heroin transaction by encouraging Club member participation and suggesting ways in which to minimize the risk of exposure. He was well aware that the plan entailed the transportation of the heroin from one location to another. Furthermore, he played an active role in arranging for the provision of armed security for the deal. 42 Based on this evidence a reasonable jury was entitled to find, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Baltas agreed to participate in a conspiracy with the intent to distribute heroin. The fact that he may not have been personally involved in selling or buying the drugs is of no importance, for it is well settled that 'proof of direct participation in the sale of drugs is not required to convict in a drug conspiracy case.' Collazo-Aponte, 216 F.3d at 193 (quoting Marrero-Ortiz, 160 F.3d at 773). What is important is that he was cognizant that the heroin would be delivered from one place to another in the course of the distribution; such delivery alone constitutes distribution for purposes of the drug statute. 21 U.S.C. § 802(11) (defining distribute to mean deliver.); see also United States v. Ocampo-Guarin, 968 F.2d 1406, 1410 (1st Cir. 1992). Therefore, his conviction must be affirmed.