Opinion ID: 182689
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Elvis Guerrero

Text: In this case a sting operation set up by federal agents resulted in the arrests and indictments of Elvis Guerrero and two others for attempting to purchase cocaine. The government charged all three with conspiring to distribute cocaine and with attempting to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute. See 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1); 18 U.S.C. § 2. The government's case against Guerrero hinges almost exclusively on the testimony of a long-time government cooperator who had played an integral role in the sting. The government disclosed to Guerrero impeachment evidence that it considered discoverable under Brady. This evidence included information that the witness had been paid $5,000 for her work on the case, a redacted report of her criminal and probation record, and information indicating that she had worked for the government for many years. Not satisfied with the extent of the disclosure, Guerrero filed a motion to compel further discovery, requesting that the court order the government to produce all information in its possession, custody, or control, regarding the [witness], and identifying several categories of information. [2] The motion also explained generally how each category of evidence could contain useful impeachment evidence. The motion to compel was addressed at a final pretrial conference, during which the government maintained that it had reviewed the witness's voluminous file and had turned over all Brady material in its possession. Despite this representation, the district court granted the defendant's motion in its entirety, telling the government to give him everything. The court further ruled that, to the extent that the government had doubts about particular materials, it could ask the court to review those materials in camera. The government filed a motion for reconsideration, stating that it had supplemented its disclosure, turning over the CW's [(cooperating witness's)] criminal history; a detailed listing of payments the CW received in this case as well as in other investigations and/or cases over the past 17 years, reflecting both the years of payment and number of cases; information about the CW's immigration status; and four cooperation agreements between the Drug Enforcement Administration ('DEA') and the CW, including the cooperation agreement in force during this case and one currently in force as the CW continues to work with the DEA. The government maintained that no other material in its possession was discoverable under Brady. As in Prochilo's case, the prosecutors asked the court, if it were to deny reconsideration, to also exclude the witness from testifying so that an immediate appeal would lie. The district court denied the motion for reconsideration and excluded the witness.