Opinion ID: 205447
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Insufficiency of evidence claim

Text: Defendant claims that the government failed to prove that he was a member of the racketeering enterprise charged in the indictment. We review de novo a claim of insufficient evidence, applying the same standards as the district court. United States v. Yanotti, 541 F.3d 112, 120-21 (2d Cir. 2008). To prevail, defendant must establish that no rational trier of fact could have found beyond a reasonable doubt the essential elements of the crime charged. See Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S 307, 319 (1979). We “may enter a judgment of acquittal only if the evidence that the defendant committed the crime alleged is nonexistent or so meager that no reasonable jury could find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt,” United States v. Guadagna, 183 F.3d 122, 130 (2d Cir. 1999) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted), and “must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, crediting every inference that could have been drawn in the government’s favor,” United States v. Payne, 591 F.3d 46, 59 (2d Cir. 2010). Following a review of the record, we are persuaded that the government offered more than sufficient admissible evidence to prove that (1) MS-13 was a racketeering enterprise, (2) Castro was a member of MS-13, and (3) the June 18, 2003 shootings took place as part of MS-13’s activities.