Opinion ID: 3020250
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Barnes also asserts that the evidence was insufficient to convict him on the firearms counts and the possession with intent to distribute count. This court will reverse a conviction for insufficient evidence only when we conclude that no reasonable juror could find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. See United States v. Behr, -3- 33 F.3d 1033, 1035 (8th Cir. 1994). We must review the evidence in the light most favorable to the government and accept all reasonable inferences supporting the verdict. See id. We have reviewed the record and find sufficient evidence to support the convictions on the firearms counts. At the time he was arrested, Barnes had both methamphetamine and a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol in the passenger compartment of his car. Teresa Vaughn testified that she observed him carrying a gun. She further testified that he carried a .22 caliber with him and had it on him most of the time. Mesha O'Neil also testified that she had seen Barnes carry a gun and identified an Intratec .22 as the gun she had seen him carry. Teresa Vaughn also testified that Barnes manufactured methamphetamine almost every day, twenty-four hours a day. There is more than sufficient evidence for the jury to find that Barnes carried a gun during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense. We similarly find sufficient evidence to support Barnes's conviction on the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine count. The evidence shows that Barnes possessed methamphetamine on July 10, 1996. Although Barnes was arrested in actual possession of only a small amount of methamphetamine, the evidence shows that Barnes led a large-scale conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine. See United States v. Buford, 108 F.3d 151, 154 (8th Cir. 1997). He also possessed a triplebeam scale that is used in the weighing and distribution of narcotics. We find the direct and circumstantial evidence more than sufficient to support Barnes's conviction on this count.