Opinion ID: 171619
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Sales during conspiracy time-frame

Text: Parker seeks to have three engine sales, which were not listed in the overt acts section of the indictment, excluded under Rule 404(b). The indictment charged Parker with conspiracy to make or use false statements in aircraft engine logbooks during the calendar years 2000 through 2002. The charged conspiracy covered the sale of unsafe airplane engines with accompanying false documentation, listing six overt acts, among others (R., Vol. 1 at 41 (indictment ¶ 9)), all in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 38(a)(3). Parker challenges three engines sold during the conspiracy time-frame to Messrs. Kardell [2] and Brown, and the Flemings, but not listed in the overt acts section. The government argues the transactions are intrinsic to the charged crimes and thus not subject to the Rule 404(b) limitation. We agree. Rule 404(b) limits evidence of `other' crimes, wrongs, or actsnot the crime in question. Similarly, [i]t is well settled that Rule 404(b) does not apply to other act evidence that is intrinsic to the crime charged. United States v. O'Brien, 131 F.3d 1428, 1432 (10th Cir. 1997); see also United States v. Arney, 248 F.3d 984, 992 (10th Cir.2001) (discussing Rule 404(b) as not applying to intrinsic evidence). Generally speaking, [i]ntrinsic evidence is directly connected to the factual circumstances of the crime and provides contextual or background information to the jury. Extrinsic evidence, on the other hand, is extraneous and is not intimately connected or blended with the factual circumstances of the charged offense. Thomas M. DiBiagio, Intrinsic and Extrinsic Evidence in Federal Criminal Trials: Is the Admission of Collateral Other-Crimes Evidence Disconnected to the Fundamental Right to a Fair Trial, 47 Syracuse L.Rev. 1229, 1231 (1997). Because Rule 404(b) only limits evidence of `other' crimesthose extrinsic to the charged crimeevidence of acts or events that are part of the crime itself, or evidence essential to the context of the crime, does not fall under the other crimes limitations of Rule 404(b). The three transactions within the charged conspiracy time-frame are intrinsic to the crime and substantiate the criminal conspiracy. They directly support the conspiracy charged, namely that Parker made or used false statements in connection with airplane parts and logbooks associated with the sales to Mr. Kardell, Mr. Brown, and the Flemings. These three sales provided direct proof of Parker's involvement with the crimes charged. The sales were not merely contextual, they supported elements of the charged crimes. Rule 404(b) only applies to evidence of `other' crimesthe transactions were part of the crimes charged, not some other crime. Accordingly, the district court did not err in admitting the transactions. [3]