Opinion ID: 460125
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Appellants' Conspiracy Convictions

Text: 24 When confronted with a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence on which an appellant has been convicted, our task is to determine whether, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, any rational trier of fact could have found that the essential elements of the crime were proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 2789, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979); United States v. Dahlstrom, 713 F.2d 1423, 1425 (9th Cir.1983). In reaching our determination, we draw all reasonable inferences favorable to the government. United States v. Multi-Management, Inc., 743 F.2d 1359, 1362 (9th Cir.1984). 25 The essential elements of conspiracy consist of an agreement to accomplish an illegal objective, coupled with one or more overt acts in furtherance of the illegal purpose and the requisite intent necessary to commit the underlying substantive offense. United States v. Becker, 720 F.2d 1033, 1035 (9th Cir.1983) (quoting United States v. Sangmeister, 685 F.2d 1124, 1126 (9th Cir.1982); United States v. Melchor-Lopez, 627 F.2d 886, 890 (9th Cir.1980) ). Although the government must show that at least two persons were involved in the conspiracy, id., it need show neither direct contact nor explicit agreement among all of the alleged conspirators. United States v. Abushi, 682 F.2d 1289, 1293 (9th Cir.1982). 26 Appellants argue that although the superseding indictment charged a conspiracy involving the Reeses and Kevin Morgan, the evidence at trial failed to establish that Morgan was part of the conspiracy. Appellants reason that in the absence of sufficient evidence connecting Morgan to the conspiracy, the offense, as charged, was not established by the evidence. 27 Appellants' contention simply misconceives the nature of the conspiracy with which they were charged, as well as the applicable law. The superseding indictment charges that the objects of the conspiracy were accomplished when 28 [d]efendant THOMAS Tootie REESE obtained cocaine and heroin and caused the cocaine and heroin to be distributed ... Defendant LINDA REESE transported and distributed cocaine and heroin for defendant THOMAS REESE. Defendant KEVIN MORGAN distributed cocaine obtained from defendant THOMAS REESE and introduced potential narcotics buyers to defendant THOMAS REESE. 29 Thus, appellants were charged with participation in a single conspiracy that included Kevin Morgan. However, whether there exists sufficient evidence in the record to connect Kevin Morgan to the charged conspiracy is an issue we need not determine. As we have previously held, the government's failure to connect an individual to a charged conspiracy is not a fatal variance. United States v. Kaiser, 660 F.2d 724, 730 (9th Cir.1981). Thus, even if the evidence in the record does not sufficiently connect Morgan to the conspiracy, the Reeses' convictions must be affirmed as long as there exists sufficient evidence to support their connections to the conspiracy. See United States v. Peterson, 549 F.2d 654, 657-58 (9th Cir.1977). 30 We conclude that the evidence in the record is sufficient to support the Reeses' conspiracy convictions. The evidence established that the Reeses jointly participated in arranging telephone communications between Thomas and agent Greene. In one instance, Linda Reese recorded Greene's telephone number so that further narcotics transactions could be made. Linda Reese also participated directly in the delivery of narcotics on September 27, during which she called Thomas, who, at her request, delivered a scale to weigh the cocaine. Moreover, Linda Reese participated in the delivery of narcotics by Thomas on the day of their arrests. 31 The record also discloses Linda Reese's presence during several meetings between Thomas and the agents at which narcotics transactions were discussed. In addition, she was present with Thomas on September 15, 1983, when he delivered narcotics to the agents. While mere proximity to the scene of illicit activity is, without more, insufficient to infer a nexus to a conspiracy, a defendant's presence may nevertheless be probative of that nexus when viewed in the context of other evidence. See United States v. Perez, 658 F.2d 654, 660 (9th Cir.1981). In light of the evidence of Linda Reese's direct involvement in a scheme to possess and distribute narcotics, her presence at the meetings and transactions in question is highly probative of her connection to the charged conspiracy. Viewing all the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, we conclude that a rational trier of fact could have found Linda Reese guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the essential elements of conspiracy, regardless of Morgan's role in the venture. It follows a fortiori that there was more than sufficient evidence to support Thomas Reese's conspiracy conviction.