Opinion ID: 619942
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: We review de novo Shetler's appeal from the district court's denial of his motion for acquittal. United States v. Sullivan, 522 F.3d 967, 974 (9th Cir.2008). We engage in a two-step process when considering a defendant's challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence: we first construe the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, and we then determine whether any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Nevils, 598 F.3d 1158, 1161 (9th Cir.2010) (quoting Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979)) (internal quotation marks omitted). Evidence is insufficient to sustain a conviction when, viewed in the light most favorable to the prosecution, it is so supportive of innocence that no rational juror could conclude that the government proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, or where mere speculation, rather than reasonable inference, supports the government's case. Id. at 1167. Although it is a close question, we conclude that the prosecution presented sufficient evidence to permit the jury to infer that one of the primary or principal uses to which Shetler put his property was the manufacture, distribution or use of methamphetamine for a purpose other than consumption by himself and those who shared his home. There was undisputed evidence that Shetler regularly manufactured methamphetamine, and that he often hosted gatherings in his garage. Because the gatherings were held in a garage in which methamphetamine was being manufactured, and because the garage was closed during the gatherings, the jury could have inferred that methamphetamine that Shetler manufactured was consumed at the gatherings. See Cavazos v. Smith, ___ U.S. ___, ___, 132 S.Ct. 2, 6, 181 L.Ed.2d 311, 316 (2011) (per curiam) ([A] reviewing court `faced with a record of historical facts that supports conflicting inferences must presumeeven if it does not affirmatively appear in the record that the trier of fact resolved any such conflicts in favor of the prosecution, and must defer to that resolution.') (quoting Jackson, 443 U.S. at 326, 99 S.Ct. 2781). Thus, the evidence was sufficient to allow the jury to find that Shetler's drug activities were not purely personal, but also included the supplying of drugs to persons who did not reside on his property. We therefore reject Shetler's sufficiency of the evidence challenge.