Opinion ID: 4503119
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: mdlea

Text: Before addressing the defendants’ appellate claims, we give some background about the MDLEA. The Constitution empowers Congress “[t]o define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations.” U.S. Const. Art. I, § 8, cl. 10. “The Supreme Court has interpreted that Clause to contain three distinct grants of power: to define and punish piracies, to define and punish felonies committed on the high seas, and to define and punish offenses against the law of nations.” United States v. Campbell, 743 F.3d 802, 805 (11th Cir. 2014). This MDLEA appeal involves a conviction for a felony offense defined by an act of Congress under the second grant of power. See id. Congress enacted the MDLEA to prohibit any person from “knowingly or intentionally . . . possess[ing] with intent to manufacture or distribute, a controlled substance” on board “a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States,” 46 U.S.C. § 70503(a)(1) and (e)(1), and from conspiring to do the same, id. § 70506(b). Specifically, § 70503(a)(1) provides that, “[w]hile on board a covered vessel, an individual may not knowingly or intentionally . . . possess with intent to 23 Case: 17-14294 Date Filed: 01/30/2020 Page: 24 of 97 manufacture or distribute, a controlled substance. Id. § 70503(a)(1) (emphasis added). The MDLEA defines a “covered vessel” to include, among other things, “a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.” Id. § 70503(e). In turn, the MDLEA defines a “vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States” to include, among other things, “a vessel without nationality.” Id. § 70502(c)(1)(A). In 1996, Congress amended the MDLEA to provide that “[j]urisdiction of the United States with respect to a vessel subject to this chapter is not an element of an offense.” Id. § 70504(a); see Campbell, 743 F.3d at 805. That section continues that “[j]urisdictional issues arising under this chapter are preliminary questions of law to be determined solely by the trial judge.” 46 U.S.C. § 70504(a). Congress made clear that the MDLEA “applies even though the act is committed outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.” Id. § 70503(b).