Opinion ID: 2994260
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Propensity to commit the crime

Text: With regard to the first prong, whether the evidence from Motheral and Eutsey was directed toward establishing a matter in issue other than Denberg’s propensity to commit methamphetamine distribution, we are of the opinion that Denberg’s high danger argument is without merit. First and foremost, Denberg was charged with a specific intent crime (possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute) where the government was required to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Denberg possessed the more than 57 grams of methamphetamine seized on February 23, 1998, with the intent to distribute that methamphetamine. This court has long held that it is proper to use other acts evidence to establish intent. See United States v. Chaimson, 760 F.2d 798, 808 (7th Cir. 1985). See also United States v. Long, 86 F.3d 81, 84 (7th Cir. 1996) ([w]hen a defendant is charged with a specific intent crime, the government may present other acts evidence to prove intent); United States v. Harvey, 959 F.2d 1371, 1374 (7th Cir. 1992) (similar acts show intent); United States v. Neely, 980 F.2d 1074, 1088 (7th Cir. 1992). In particular, this court has held that proof of uncharged acts of drug trafficking are relevant and probative of whether [the defendant] had the intent to sell the narcotics in question. United States v. Allison, 120 F.3d 71, 75 (7th Cir. 1997), cert. denied, 118 S. Ct. 455 (1997); United States v. Hernandez, 84 F.3d 931, 935 (7th Cir. 1996) (evidence of other drug trafficking was relevant to show defendant’s intent to distribute the drugs he possessed). For example, in United States v. Lewis, 110 F.3d 417, 420 (7th Cir. 1997), the defendant was charged under 21 U.S.C. sec. 846 with being part of a drug trafficking conspiracy. This court held that the defendant was charged with a specific intent crime and the admission of the other crimes evidence for the limited purpose of proving knowledge and intent was proper. Id. In United States v. Tringali, 71 F.3d 1375, 1379 (7th Cir. 1995), this Court held that the admission of evidence of the defendant’s other drug trafficking specifically for the purpose of demonstrating the defendant’s knowledge and intent was proper. In this case, the evidence of Denberg’s prior drug trafficking activities demonstrated his knowledge, experience, ability, and intent to traffic in significant quantities of narcotics. The evidence was properly admitted under the first prong of the test.