Opinion ID: 602407
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Ellen Jeanette Moreland

Text: 70 Johnny Holliman and Hynes Dedrick both testified about Moreland's agreement with Sterling to purchase kilograms of cocaine. Holliman testified that Sterling introduced him to Moreland in 1989. Tr. 1552. He testified that on three or four occasions Moreland picked up bags of cash from Sterling at his house, in order to buy kilograms of cocaine in Chicago. Tr. 1555. First Jeff McGee and then, after McGee's arrest, Hynes Dedrick made the Chicago to Milwaukee cocaine runs for Moreland and Sterling. Tr. 1556-61. Also he testified about Moreland's request for more money on one occasion and that he delivered an extra three thousand dollars to her. Tr. 1582-83. Sterling told Holliman that Moreland was supposed to use the money to buy two kilograms but she gave the cocaine to someone else. Tr. 1584. 71 Hynes Dedrick testified that in 1987 he began selling cocaine which Moreland fronted, i.e. gave to him on credit. Tr. 964. He picked up about three and a half grams, known as an eightball, of cocaine and, after selling it, he paid Moreland approximately two hundred dollars. About six months into the arrangement, he began getting half kilogram quantities to sell. Tr. 967. In the spring of 1989, Moreland and Jeff McGee began buying cocaine from Moreland's source in Chicago for Sterling. Tr. 976. That summer, after McGee was arrested, Moreland asked Dedrick to make the Chicago to Milwaukee run. When Dedrick returned from Chicago, he contacted Sterling at a number supplied to him by Moreland. Tr. 982. He delivered three kilograms to Sterling. A few days later, Moreland paged Dedrick to set up another deal. Tr. 989. He picked up about forty-seven thousand dollars in a brown paper bag from Sterling's house, took it to Chicago, and bought two and one half kilograms of cocaine. Tr. 991. 72 Moreland contacted him about a possible problem with the cocaine, and he met Sterling at her house to discuss it. The cocaine had been recut; although Dedrick claimed not to have done it, he did not get paid for this run. Tr. 994-95. On the third run, Dedrick picked up twenty thousand dollars from an unindicted coconspirator and nineteen from Sterling. Again, Dedrick bought two and one half kilograms of cocaine in Chicago and brought it back to Sterling who recut it. At Sterling's direction, Dedrick took a package of four ounces for Moreland. Tr. 999. On the fourth and last time, in August of 1989, Dedrick picked up about thirty-seven thousand dollars from Sterling, bought two and one half kilograms in Chicago, and delivered it to Sterling. This time, Sterling fronted him three ounces, which Dedrick cut into five. Tr. 1003. He sold two before he was arrested for possession. When he asked Sterling to put up his bail money, Sterling told him he could not afford to because two kilograms which he had purchased had been taken from Moreland. Tr. 1005. In January of 1990, Dedrick talked to Sterling who told him that Moreland still was trying to repay him for the two kilograms. Tr. 1008. 73 Moreland's own statements during wiretapped phone calls reveal her conspiracy with Michael and Sterling. For example, she argues with Michael about his participation in a deal that resulted in a loss: 74 Moreland: .... Well, that day I got that money from Sterling. You ... was nowhere around. 75 Michael: I brought my money over here.... 76 Ex. 1342 T. She and Michael argued several times about the lost two kilograms, but she maintained a relatively peaceful relationship with Sterling and called on January 5, 1990 to see how Michael was doing and to see if Sterling had any luck retrieving the missing cocaine. Ex. 1072 T. 77 The evidence against Moreland comes almost entirely from the incriminating testimony of the informants. These in-court statements, subjected to intense cross examination by her lawyer, present no hearsay problem. Moreover, the district judge instructed the jury to consider the testimony of informants with caution and great care. Tr. 5507-08. A jury must make credibility decisions after hearing the testimony of witnesses; this jury clearly believed the informants, whose story was backed up by several wiretapped phone calls which reference the botched two kilogram deal. The evidence shows that, despite the trouble she faced after losing thousands of dollars of cocaine, she did not try to get away from the conspiracy. She continued to call Sterling and tried to make amends for the missing cocaine. 78 Moreland played a crucial role in the conspiracy to distribute cocaine, by supplying kilogram quantities from Chicago sources to Milwaukee. Strong evidence supports her cocaine distribution conspiracy with Sterling, Michael, Dedrick, McGee, and her Chicago suppliers. Even if the evidence did not support her participation in the broader conspiracy alleged in the indictment, Moreland suffered no prejudice from the joint trial. The evidence against her consisted mostly of informant testimony which she had the opportunity to challenge. As a major supplier of cocaine, she was directly responsible for a large portion of the total amount in the conspiracy. In addition, Dedrick testified that he carried a gun on at least one trip to collect the cocaine in Chicago. The use of weapons in a conspiracy to distribute drugs, especially at the actual transfer of cash and cocaine for which she was present at least twice, was reasonably foreseeable to her. Therefore, we will not reverse her conviction of count one.3. Sterling Turk, S Daniels 79 The record is replete with evidence of Sterling's drug trafficking activities. The only real question is whether the evidence supported his conviction of this conspiracy with each of these defendants or only a smaller or different drug trafficking conspiracy. Sterling makes much of the fact that the government did not prove that he was the head of the BOS. Every government informant testified that Sterling was not in the BOS. The trial judge stated, at Sterling's sentencing, that the government had not proven that he headed the BOS. This, however, is not dispositive of the issue. Sterling can be convicted of conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine with each of these defendants without running the BOS. The BOS is not even mentioned in count one of the indictment. The evidence directly links Sterling with every other appellant in the agreement to distribute drugs. In fact, strong evidence suggests that Sterling conspired with many other drug dealers who were not indicted in this case. 80 Sterling held the key position in the conspiracy, working with suppliers and distributors, staying in touch with everyone and working out problems as they arose. Sterling directed customers to Goines (e.g. Tr. Durrah Excerpt 22 4 ) and to the Palmer Street house. Tr. 1617. Holliman testified that a woman delivered guns to Sterling's house, which Holliman put in Sterling's bedroom. Tr. 1640. By talking almost incessantly on the telephone, Sterling exercised a kind of loose control over the conspiracy; he knew what was going on, who had what, who owed him money, who had been arrested and why. See, e.g. Ex. 1310 T (Sterling knew that Chicken's house, i.e. the Palmer Street house, had been raided, that there was no cocaine in the house (They clean.) and that there were guns in the house (They got some missiles in there.); Ex. 1190 T (Sterling talked about guns being seized from AD's house, Toucan's house and Marshall's house, and the police linking them to AD, Goines, and Sloan). He worried about the future of the conspiracy, about informants, and about his safety. See, e.g. Ex. 1024 T (Sterling lamented, And then Chicken, Tony Wrong, and Junebug and AD [are in danger of being, or have already been, arrested]. And them all the key names in the posse so the rest of them be broke. So they can't go. So all the chiefs is gone.... AD, when AD go, his posse won't come in no more. Junebug go, his posse won't come. Chicken go, his posse will be broke.); Ex. 1028 T (Sterling tells Goines that AD is bringing him his missile after they discuss Chicken getting shot). He complained about mistakes by coconspirators but also tried to keep everyone content. See, e.g. Ex. 1068 T (Sterling was angry with Moreland for being in debt to him for two kilograms; he held her responsible since he gave her the money and she was the one who was supposed to go and get the cocaine); Ex. 1422 T (Sterling told Gray that he will get him some money soon to make up for Gray's part in the kilogram seized from Spinks by the police). 81 Sterling seemed well aware of the encroaching police presence during January of 1990. On a number of occasions, he told a caller that his phone was wiretapped. While he continued to set up cocaine deals, he blamed the increasing police interest on the number of weapons seized. For instance, Sterling and Goines discussed the guns at White's house: 82 Sterling: The reason the Feds is sweating everybody is because, them guns, you know what I'm talking about? 83 Goines: Yeah. 84 Sterling: They sweating everybody because them guns, them guns, that ah, them guns that ah, was at AD and them's house. 85 Goines: Yeah. 86 Sterling: You know what I'm talking about?Goines: Yeah. 87 Ex. 1376 T. 88 Sterling emerged as the head of the drug trafficking conspiracy during the investigation and during the trial. The evidence of his involvement at every level is overwhelming. 4. Kenneth Mookie, Little Mook Smith 89 The evidence against Kenneth Smith consisted mostly of Hynes Dedrick's testimony that he gave Smith four ounces of cocaine and that Smith was in debt to Sterling. Dedrick testified in detail about the first occasion on which he purchased three kilograms of cocaine at the direction of Moreland and Sterling. Tr. 977-88. When he returned from Chicago to Milwaukee, he called Sterling to deliver the cocaine. Tr. 982. He accompanied an unindicted coconspirator to a house on Fond du Lac where Sterling, Michael, and another person were waiting. Tr. 983. After he observed Sterling recut and repackage the cocaine, he delivered some of the packages at Sterling's request (Tr. 985-86), including a package to Smith. The package was only four ounces because Smith was in debt. Tr. 986. He received about two thousand dollars from Smith which he delivered to Sterling. Tr. 987. On cross examination, Dedrick testified that Smith had called Sterling at the house while Sterling was recutting the cocaine, which prompted Sterling to set up the delivery down the street. Tr. 1178-79. That was Dedrick's only knowledge of Smith purchasing cocaine. Tr. 1184-85. 90 Richard Pounds testified that Smith came to a drug house door looking to buy an ounce, but Sloan was not there and Smith could not buy any cocaine. Tr. Pounds Excerpt 19. Later Pounds beat up Smith, over a dispute with Sloan, and stole some necklaces and rings from him. Tr. P. 230. Durrah testified that Smith came to a drug house, smoked some cocaine with Durrah and his cousin, and sold some to his cousin. Tr. Durrah Excerpt 38, 121-24. Johnny Holliman testified that Smith called Sterling's house and he gave Smith the number of the house on Fond du Lac, leading to the single Dedrick delivery. Tr. 1563. The government produced evidence that during the Palmer Street house search on January 12, 1990, police found a slip of paper bearing the name Mookie and a phone number. Sterling gave the same number to someone as Smith's number. Ex. 1022 T. 91 Smith's voice does not appear in any of the wiretapped conversations. The only other evidence concerning Smith consists of various conspirators discussing the possibility that he shot Michael or set Michael up somehow. See, e.g. Ex. 1144B T (Sterling told Sloan that he thinks Little Mook had something to do with Chicken getting shot); Ex. 1174 T (Sterling reiterated that Smith shot Michael). Because of this, other conversations concern retaliating against Smith. See, e.g. Ex. 1164 T (Sterling asked a friend to smash Smith both because he owes Sterling some money and because of his involvement with Michael's shooting. At the time, the friend is in jail, as are Sloan and Smith.); Ex. 1260 T (Michael and another man discuss smashing Little Mook). 92 The evidence cannot support Smith's conviction of conspiracy. The essence of a conspiracy is agreement. Even giving all inferences to the government, no substantial evidence shows an agreement to distribute cocaine between Smith and anyone else. Rather, the evidence shows a mere buyer-seller relationship between Smith and Sterling. No one else sells cocaine to Smith; Smith sells cocaine only to a relative of an informant, a deal totally unrelated to the conspiracy alleged in this case. Smith failed in an attempt to buy cocaine from Sloan's house--hardly the efficiency or cooperation associated with a conspiracy. No evidence of trust or any mutual benefit supports an inference of conspiracy from the simple sale of cocaine from Sterling to Smith. 5. Anthony Illinois Tony, IT Gray 93 Gray implicates himself during wiretapped conversations with Sterling a number of times. For instance, he discussed the six ounce deal with Sterling, even while Sterling was clearing up the timing of it with Henry. Twice on January 12, 1990, Gray called Sterling to check on the progress of the deal: 94 Gray: You get it? 95 .... 96 Sterling: Not yet. 97 .... 98 Gray: I fixed my car.... I got my car.... About damn, that's, how long it's gonna take? 99 Sterling: It shouldn't be too much longer. I just called there. 100 Gray: The same dude gonna do it? 101 Sterling: Yeah, I know he gonna do it.... 102 Ex. 1300 T. The information about the car being fixed is important because Gray drove Sterling to meet Lloyd, who drove them both to Henry's apartment that afternoon. Sterling later revealed, in a conversation with Goines, that the sole reason for switching cars was to evade detection by law enforcement officers. Ex. 1374-76 T. 103 Gray: What up S? 104 Sterling: Yeah, ah we still waiting. 105 .... 106 Gray: You didn't talk to her? 107 Sterling: Yeah, I talked to her. She went somewhere and paid some bills. 108 .... 109 Gray: How long? 110 Sterling: It shouldn't be too much longer. 111 Gray: God damn. I'm ready to go, man. 112 Ex. 1308 T. A few minutes later, as Sterling talks to Henry, he says, What cha callit working with me. IT. Henry responds, I know. Ex. 1314 T. While Sterling and Henry completed the transfer, Gray was arrested with Lloyd outside Henry's apartment. 113 In addition, Gray is linked to another cocaine purchase by Spinks' testimony. Spinks saw Sterling cutting up cocaine which had been delivered to Gray's house. She testified that Gray offered her his car to drive back to Chicago (Tr. 4569) and that she later learned from Sterling that the cocaine was in the trunk. Tr. 4576. The kilogram of cocaine that belonged to Sterling and Gray was seized by the police in Chicago during the search of the car. After Gray found out that Spinks gave a statement to the police, he called Sterling, complaining that throughout their conspiracy together there had been chronic problems. Ex. 1422 T (And every time I come down there, man, look how much money I done lost, I've lost everything S, coming up there with you man. God damn, everything, every time I, for the last, every time I fuck around, and do something big, I get fucked man, don't get nothing.... I have to come right back here broke....). This exclamation followed his specific complaint about Spinks' statement which implicated both Gray and Sterling in the Kankakee deal. Sterling tried to placate Gray by telling him that when Sterling collected some money from people who owed him, he would give some to Gray. Gray's own statements during this phone call show his financial interest in that seized cocaine. 114 In a wiretapped phone conversation on January 18, 1990, Gray reveals the longstanding nature of his drug dealing relationship with Sterling. They discussed the old days, with Gray reminiscing that things ran more smoothly when Sterling exerted greater control over the conspiracy: 115 Gray: ... When you was you, you know, years ago, when you was handling it and taking care of things, things was perfect man. A motherfucker could just about count on you. Other niggers came in with their ideas and they plan, and they shifted a lot of shit, you know what I'm saying? They just weakened everything. 116 .... 117 Sterling: Well, ... the whole, that's all they talked to me about was, gun, you know what I mean? 118 Gray: Yeah.... All that shit was unnecessary, that was brought down by niggers from the penitentiary. 119 Sterling: Yeah. 120 .... 121 Gray: Cause I remember ... the first time, when I came up here and I seen all them niggers. 122 Sterling: Yeah. 123 Gray: You know, toting and carrying. I said, What the fuck is this? 124 Sterling: Yeah. 125 Gray: .... It wasn't nothing like this before. 126 Ex. 1424 T. By his own words, Gray conspired to distribute cocaine with Sterling for years. He contributed toward the purchase of the kilogram from Kankakee and the six ounces from Henry. Gray occasionally complained about the retail distributors and about the way Sterling let himself be pushed around by Michael, Spinks, and Goines. Still, the government does not have to prove fondness among coconspirators. Substantial evidence supports Gray's conviction of count one. 6. Lloyd D. Daniels 127 Evidence of Lloyd's involvement with the conspiracy came mostly from Durrah's testimony and the phone calls between Lloyd and his brother Sterling. Twice he spoke to Sterling regarding transportation to Henry's house to buy six ounces: 128 Lloyd: You ready? This D. 129 Sterling: Not yet. 130 .... 131 Sterling: .... I went by there, he had a, 600, but I have to get it down for her, you know, she wanted that for on top. 132 Lloyd: Okay. So ah, ah, it's going to be today though right? 133 Sterling: Yeah. 134 Lloyd: Okay, I'll call you back, 2-3 hours? 135 Sterling: Yeah, about 2 or 3, as soon as he, I got a few other things now. 136 Lloyd: Okay.... 137 Ex. 1188 T. 138 Sterling: You going to be on point waiting? 139 Lloyd: Huh? 140 Sterling: You going to be, you going to be ready to move when I call? 141 Lloyd: Yeah. 142 Sterling: Okay, that's all I wanted to know. 143 .... 144 Lloyd: Okay, I'll be ready when you call. 145 Sterling: Okay, it could happen any minute. It might happen in five minutes, it might happen in an hour. 146 Lloyd: Okay, whatever. 147 Ex. 1296 T. That was the morning of January 12, the day of the Henry deal. Sterling showed up with Gray in Gray's car, whereupon Lloyd drove them both to Henry's. After Sterling's arrest, Lloyd spoke to Spinks about the fact that Sterling was dirty, i.e. carrying cocaine. Ex. 1326 T. The jury quite reasonably rejected Lloyd's testimony that he thought Sterling was arranging a ride over to Henry's house in order to have sex with her. 148 Another time, Sterling directed Lloyd to help him safeguard Goines' house: 149 Sterling: No, hey, D, run over here right quick, cause I gotta make run, I gotta bring somebody in the house over there, the police were in the house. 150 Lloyd: Over where? 151 Sterling: Over at Bernard's house. 152 Lloyd: Okay. 153 Sterling: I want to bring somebody over there, cause, you know, them hypes going to go in there, try to take something. 154 Lloyd: .... Okay, I'll be there. 155 Ex. 1274 T. Sterling and Lloyd discussed some details of the drug conspiracy, like the money dispute among Sterling, Michael, and Goines that developed in January of 1990. Ex. 1402 T. In addition, Durrah testified that Lloyd sold an eightball of cocaine to him on three or four occasions in 1989. Tr. Durrah Excerpt 38-39, 78-79. Although Lloyd denied it (Tr. 4893), the jury was free to accept the version of either man, according to their determination of the witnesses' credibility. On cross examination, Lloyd admitted that he told Sterling that he thought the informant among them was Goines. Tr. 4938. 156 Besides the tapes and the government witness testimony, the jury had additional information to weigh in determining Lloyd's guilt or innocence because he took the stand and tried to explain his presence outside Henry's house and his phone calls to Sterling. The jury, who believed and acquitted Lexandria Spinks, who also testified, convicted Lloyd, finding that he knew of and agreed to the conspiracy to purchase and distribute cocaine. Substantial evidence supports their determination. 7. Anthony A.D. White 157 White and Sloan were partners in drug trafficking at first and then maintained separate drug houses, according to the testimony of the informants. Tr. Pounds Excerpt 31, 36-38; Tr. Coleman Excerpt 8-9, 31-32. Pounds testified that White brought cocaine to the houses where he worked the door. Tr. P. 21. He testified that the cocaine was supplied through Sterling. Tr. P. 22-28. He further testified that in these drug houses, he saw handguns lying around, he knew White arranged for his sister to buy him a TEC-9, and that White carried a gun when he left the house. Tr. P. 49-51. Coleman testified that he bought a gun from one of the hypes and gave it to White. Tr. C. 27-28. 158 White talked to Sterling after the police seizure of some guns: 159 White: The Feds over at Toucan's house asking about you, LA, me. 160 .... 161 Sterling: Oh, what's at Toucan's house? Is that where that missile was at? 162 White: Yeah. 163 Sterling: Is that where them missiles was at? 164 White: Yeah. 165 Sterling: All them big missiles? 166 White: Yeah. 167 Sterling: I told you they were going to be tracked back there. 168 White: Yeah, they were asking him about where they came from. 169 Ex. 1268 T. On January 11, White and Michael discussed the deal between Hynes and Goines which led to their arrests. Both suspected that Hynes set up Goines and talked about Hynes' affiliation with Moreland who recently took money for two kilos and failed to deliver the cocaine. Ex. 1278 T. 170 The jury clearly believed the testimony of the informants who claimed to have worked the door in drug houses run by White and Sloan. White's own recorded words support their testimony regarding his involvement with weapons seized by the police and his affiliation with Sterling. 8. Leonard L.A. Walker 171 Walker bought several guns for the conspiracy; some of those guns were recovered from drug houses run by other defendants. He also provided a security deposit for one of the drug houses. In addition, Walker is recorded getting advice from his uncle Sterling about how he can evade identification during a handwriting exemplar for the government. He called Sterling because he was worried about the police seizure of some weapons he purchased: 172 Walker: .... You know that missile he got caught with? 173 Sterling: Yeah. 174 Walker: Yeah. They inquiring about that one and then remember that one I had got and then they said about some other ones that I had in, remember I bought? They asked our boy about it in Chi. 175 Sterling: Yeah. 176 Walker: .... And they told him that they gonna try to get in touch with me for questioning.... They talking 'bout filling out some forms so they can try to get an I ... um, signature. 177 Sterling: Oh, signature?.... Oh well, you know how that goes. (Laughs) You know how that go. 178 .... 179 Sterling: They'll try and question you. And I'd just tell them, No, I don't want to sign nothing..... It ain't that serious right now.... Cause didn't nobody get smoked with them. 180 Walker: No, they're talking about seven that ... I bought. 181 Ex. 1046 T. A few minutes later Walker called back to clarify:Walker: It's just the signature shit. They have the signature, that's what it is. 182 Sterling: So how can they tell you wrote the signature? 183 Walker: They probably, you know, the experts and shit. 184 .... 185 Sterling: But you can write different, can't you?.... 186 Walker: I'll just write with my other hand. 187 Sterling: Yeah. (Laughs) You can write with both hands? 188 Walker: I'm going to try. 189 Ex. 1048 T. Later, Walker discussed the whereabouts of several guns with Sterling, telling him that the police had the guns that Walker arranged for Sterling to get and that Sterling gave to others. Ex. 1388 T. Pounds testified that, besides purchasing guns, L.A. carried a .38 handgun, which Pounds observed on two or three occasions. Tr. Pounds Excerpt 56-57. 190 Walker called Spinks after Sterling was arrested to tell her that he had sent someone over to Sterling's house. Ex. 1330 T. Spinks testified that shortly thereafter Walker and some friends of his came to Sterling's house and removed a number of fur coats and leather coats, a watch, and pictures, including one of Sterling and Demetrius Lockett. Tr. 4697-99. This was in anticipation of a possible police raid on Sterling's house as a follow up to his arrest. 191 Not everyone in a drug trafficking conspiracy has to sell drugs. Walker provided a valuable service to the conspiracy; guns were almost as prevalent and as sought after as the cocaine. The jury heard substantial evidence of Walker's misguided willingness to contribute in any way to his uncle's success in distributing cocaine. 9. Debra Henry 192 Most of the evidence against Henry stems from the six ounce sale to Sterling. Over the course of several days in January, Henry and Sterling discussed the quality of the cocaine her unnamed supplier had delivered and how much she would be able to get, but they did not negotiate the price between them. 193 Sterling: ... [S]o I'm going to catch B later on tonight and we going to do it like we say we going to do it. 194 Henry: Okay. 195 Sterling: Did you get a call from him yet? 196 .... 197 Henry: You see, it will be smooth too.... 198 Ex. 1220 T. Additional evidence of their agreement comes from their speculation on future deals: 199 Henry: Yeah, cause then I ... then that way I can shoot for eight, ... 200 Sterling: Huh? 201 Henry: I said next time I can shoot for eight, next time ten. 202 Ex. 1160 T. They both wanted the best price from the supplier, but their partnership did not depend on the price: 203 Sterling: .... If I go depends on what I get, I'll pay you something on the bill. 204 Henry: Yeah.... You see, he wants seven. 205 Sterling: .... He wants seven, right? 206 Henry: .... That ain't bad though, is it? 207 Sterling: No, it ain't bad. 208 Henry: I'm trying to get him down to six.... 209 Ex. 1140 T. The only difficulty between them is their frustration with each other at being unable to coordinate the timing of the deal. 210 Henry: Damn. This man sitting here waiting. 211 Sterling: He's still waiting? 212 .... 213 Henry: Yeah, he gone! 214 Sterling: He gone? 215 Henry: Ah huh, he said he wanted to bring that shit, but he said, if you ain't got what you supposed to have. You had all day. You supposed to do that. 216 Sterling: I know, I'm waiting to catch him. 217 Henry: That's fucked up. I told you he ain't going to be running back and forth.... So he ready to get the money, bring the shit. 218 .... 219 Henry: Get your shit together. 220 Sterling: Okay. 221 Henry: I thought you had some of the money already. 222 Sterling: .... [W]hatchacallit is holding the end, B. 223 Ex. 1272 T. Later that night, after Sterling met the supplier and dropped off some money, Henry called to tell him how well the meeting went: 224 Henry: That motherfucker likes you, you know that. 225 Sterling: He do? 226 Henry: Yeah.... [H]e like you, he said he straight up, I said I told you, I said, he straight up.... 227 .... 228 Sterling: That was him? 229 Henry: Yeah. 230 Sterling: He looked different. 231 Henry: No, that was.... Okay, he was in the other room. 232 Sterling: Oh, oh, oh, okay. 233 Henry: You know what I'm sayin.... You didn't see him. 234 .... 235 Sterling: That was his buddy? 236 Henry: Yes. 237 Ex. 1288 T. 238 The government presented substantial evidence of a cooperative relationship between Sterling and Henry, with no apparent negotiation of terms or opportunistic behavior. Henry knew that Sterling needed to gather money from several sources, including Goines and Gray, before he could buy the cocaine. On January 12, she called Sterling to say that she had it: 239 Sterling: Okay, what, what, he just left? 240 Henry: Yeah. 241 Sterling: They hard though? 242 .... 243 Henry: Yeah, he said it's great. 244 Sterling: Okay, with just six. Okay, cause I told whatchacallit, ten. 245 .... 246 Henry: If I can get the other dude to ... then see if I can get the ten for you tomorrow. 247 Sterling: No, I'll come and get that now. Cause somebody waitin. I'm on my way. 248 Ex. 1316 T. That afternoon, Sterling entered her apartment and exited in possession of six ounces of cocaine recovered during his arrest. 249 The evidence supports the jury's conclusion that this was not an arms length transaction or a mere buyer/seller relationship. Goines revealed a previous transaction in remarks to Spinks after Sterling's arrest. Henry was enthusiastic about future deals and considered it a good sign that her supplier felt comfortable about Sterling. The only reason Henry did not remain a source of supply for the conspiracy was Sterling's arrest and the indictment shortly afterward. 10. Timothy Taylor 250 Taylor lived and worked in the Palmer Street house, Michael's drug house. Tr. 1589-90, 1593. He sold cocaine from the Palmer Street house from November of 1989 to February of 1990 when he was arrested there. As a worker at this house, he conspired to sell cocaine with Michael, Eppenger, and Holliman. When the house was raided by police, he called Sterling's house and talked to Goines. He described what happened, although Goines already knew or guessed most of it: 251 Goines: What happened man? 252 Taylor: Man, they ran up in there man. 253 Goines: Who.... it was the Feds, wasn't it? ... 254 Taylor: Yeah. 255 Goines: Who they was lookin for? 256 Taylor: Well, they asked about ... S. 257 Goines: Yeah. 258 Taylor: Yeah. They didn't ask about Chicken though.... 259 Goines: Ah, they got that bullshit, didn't they? 260 Taylor: Yeah, they got that motherfucker, they got the bullshit. 261 Ex. 1318 T. Next Taylor told Goines that they found a gun on him, to which Goines replied, [T]he little one? Taylor said yes and they discussed his luck in avoiding being held without bail. Then Goines put Sterling on the phone to discuss the raid with Taylor: 262 Sterling: Hey, when they came in, they asked for me? 263 Taylor: They did. 264 .... 265 Taylor: You know, and he said, I'm gonna make you a deal, you know, hey you know anybody named Turk? 266 Sterling: Yeah. 267 Taylor: I said, hell no, I don't know anybody named Turk ... 268 .... 269 Sterling: Yeah. 270 Ex. 1318 T. When Goines' house was raided, Sterling called the Palmer Street house, reached Taylor, and they agreed that Taylor might go to Goines' house to protect it from being ripped off by the hypes: 271 Sterling: Hey Tim man, you know they slamming B in the B house man? 272 Taylor: Yeah, I know. 273 Sterling: I know it but ... I want to go there and, you know, I don't want to talk on the phone, you know. Where you at? 274 Taylor: At home. 275 .... 276 Sterling: Yeah, what you doing? 277 Taylor: Not much. 278 .... 279 Sterling: Hey but I might a catch you man, if it's down to an emergency to lay there too. 280 Taylor: Alright. 281 Sterling: Cause you ain't got no warrants or nothing, ain't you? To lay there, so nobody can come in there, okay? 282 Taylor: Alright. 283 Ex. 1276 T. Michael was recorded setting up a drug deal with Taylor: 284 Michael: Little J on his way over there. 285 Taylor: Alright. 286 Michael: He want same thing, with it, the last he was short. Go on and give him a G extra, alright? 287 Taylor: Alright. 288 Ex. 1208 T. Substantial evidence supported Taylor's conviction of conspiring to distribute cocaine. 11. Danny Juice Eppenger 289 Holliman and Pounds both identified Eppenger as a worker at the Palmer Street house and a member of Michael's posse. Tr. 1572, 1580, 1593; Tr. Pounds Excerpt 76. Eppenger lived at and sold cocaine from the Palmer Street house with Taylor and Holliman. Holliman testified that there were house guns at the Palmer Street house, used to prevent trouble. Tr. 1628-30. For instance, a revolver was under the couch and a .22 was on the window sill. In addition, Eppenger was arrested at the Palmer Street house during the police raid. Cocaine, cutting agent, and related paraphernalia were seized from the house. 290 While Eppenger never incriminated himself in recorded telephone conversations, the government presented substantial evidence that he conspired to distribute cocaine. The jury accepted the testimony of the informants, supported by the direct evidence of his arrest during the raid. 12. Michael Chicken Daniels 291 Michael arranged for Holliman, Eppenger, and Taylor to sell cocaine from the Palmer Street house. In January, Michael is taped twice setting up deals with Taylor, as discussed above. It was well known that the drug house on Palmer Street was Michael's house. See, e.g., Tr. 1568. He contributed to kilogram quantity purchases arranged by Sterling, including, by his own words, the deal gone awry with Moreland. See, e.g., Ex. 1342 T. Hynes Dedrick's testimony supports the inference that Michael was involved in the purchases from Chicago arranged by Moreland. Tr. 983. 292 In December of 1989, Sterling put someone named Pete in touch with Michael in order to trade a nine millimeter Uzi for a quarter. In the same conversation, Michael told Sterling that he gave D two grams which Sterling promised to replace. Ex. 1000 T. The next day, Sterling told Michael that he gave D the money. Ex. 1002 T. 293 Hynes Dedrick testified that, in January of 1990 while he was cooperating with the DEA, he met Sterling and Michael at Sterling's house to set up a three ounce controlled buy from Goines. Tr. 1009. Michael had a gun under the pillow on which he was lying. 294 Substantial evidence supports the jury's verdict that Michael conspired to distribute cocaine. His close association with Sterling gave him access to every level of the distribution process, from the major purchases to the street level sales to hypes. 13. Jimmy Junebug Sloan 295 Sloan operated several drug houses, first in a partnership with White and then on his own. Pounds testified that he worked the door at houses run by Sloan. Tr. Pounds Excerpt 18-19. He testified that Sloan brought the cocaine to the houses where he worked. Tr. P. 21. Coleman also testified that he sold cocaine for Sloan. Tr. Coleman Excerpt 7. He testified that the majority of the money paid by hypes to those working the door at the drug houses went to A.D. and Junebug. Tr. C. 45. Sterling supplied the cocaine sold in the houses. Tr. P. 22-28. Dedrick testified that he delivered half a kilogram of cocaine to Sloan, at Sterling's direction. Tr. 987. 296 Sloan enjoyed a close and trusted relationship with Sterling. They discussed Sterling's appreciation that he could count on Sloan. Ex. 1044 T (Sterling--That's one thing I can say about you, when you get your ends, you do me right.). When Sloan talked to Sterling after being arrested on January 11, 1990, they talked about an arrangement which would allow Sloan to stay in the conspiracy: 297 Sloan: Why don't you give my girl some ends man, she can put 'em in my account man, until we can start getting that money back man. 298 Sterling: Okay, what we gotta do, though, let's wait ... cause I got just enough to, you know, cause IT gave me eight, right? 299 Sloan: Yeah. 300 .... 301 Sloan: Man, I'm just going to go in here man, and call them shots from in there, in the jail spot man. 302 Sterling: Yeah.... After whatchacallit make that move, now if you want me to work, you know what I mean? 303 Sloan: Yeah. 304 Sterling: .... You want me to work, I can handle it, you know what I mean? 305 Sloan: Yeah, Regina. 306 Sterling: Huh? 307 Sloan: Yeah, through her.... Tell him to give you half of em, man, you know they got to give me about, about, about, about twenty-eight man. 308 Sterling: But I'm talking about if you want me to work, I'll work too, you know what I mean? 309 Sloan: Yeah. 310 Ex. 1268 T. 311 The government presented substantial evidence that Sloan participated in the drug trafficking conspiracy. His own words bear witness to his conspiracy with Sterling; the informants supplied additional information about his management of drug houses. 312 The jury's verdict that each appellant conspired to distribute drugs is supported by substantial evidence, except in the case of Kenneth Smith. There is also exculpatory evidence in the record. For example, Sterling told Goines he did not know anything about any guns (Ex. 1376 T); Gray told Sterling that he never offered Spinks the Cadillac (Ex. 1422 T). It is the jury's role to weigh the evidence and make credibility determinations. The government's evidence, reviewed with deference to the jury's findings, supports the conviction of twelve of the thirteen appellants of the count one conspiracy to distribute cocaine. 313 Moreover, the evidence supports the existence of the one large conspiracy described in count one. Not every coconspirator must participate in, or even know the details of, every aspect of the conspiracy. It is enough for the government to prove that each knew of the agreement to distribute cocaine and joined that agreement. In this case, the jury could have reasonably inferred that the appellants knew their success in selling cocaine depended on the success of the other coconspirators. For example, Henry knew that cocaine sales to Sterling depended on the cooperation of his capital-funding partners; Taylor knew that Sterling supplied the cocaine and Michael supplied some customers to the house where he worked. Between the wiretapped conversations and the government witness testimony, the jury had ample evidence of prolonged cooperation and a common purpose among the twelve appellants. 314 The appellants argue that the jury instructions on conspiracy were erroneous because the district court omitted from the proffered instruction the statement that only the words and acts of the particular defendant may be used to determine whether he joined the conspiracy. Instead the court instructed the jury, in part, that [t]he government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt ... that the defendant was aware of the common purpose and was a willing participant. Tr. 5537-38. The defendants raised the issue of the conspiracy instruction's adequacy in a timely manner and submitted alternative instructions to the trial court. Tr. 5433-43. 315 The district court chose not to give the suggested instruction from United States v. Martinez de Ortiz, 907 F.2d 629, 635 (7th Cir.1990) (en banc), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 1029, 111 S.Ct. 684, 112 L.Ed.2d 676 (1991). In that case, we stated our position on the proper use of coconspirator statements and the confusing effect of a pattern instruction which restricts the jury's consideration to the acts and statements of a particular defendant. Id. at 633-35. As a matter of substantive law, membership in a conspiracy depends on the accused's own acts and words. United States v. Torres, 965 F.2d 303, 308 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 113 S.Ct. 237, 121 L.Ed.2d 172 (1992). Coconspirator statements determined to be admissible by the trial judge may be considered by the jury to decide what the defendant did and said, or to help ... understand the defendant's acts and words. de Ortiz, 907 F.2d at 635. In addition, after a jury's determination that a defendant did join the conspiracy, the coconspirator statements may be considered to decide any remaining questions. United States v. Nichols, 910 F.2d 419, 421 (7th Cir.1990). 316 The issue of excluding the only the acts and statements phrase from conspiracy jury instructions has been considered several times by this court since de Ortiz. While we have approved a district court's rejection of the former pattern instruction found inadequate by de Ortiz (see United States v. Rossy, 953 F.2d 321, 323 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 112 S.Ct. 1240, 117 L.Ed.2d 473 (1992); United States v. Nichols, 910 F.2d 419, 421 (7th Cir.1990)), we have also expressed concern that trial judges provide sufficient guidance to the jury on this complex aspect of conspiracy law. See United States v. Collins, 966 F.2d 1214, 1224 (7th Cir.1992); United States v. Martinez de Ortiz, 907 F.2d at 635 (7th Cir.1990) (A judge ought to help the jury understand the difference between the use of the evidence to decide whether the accused joined and the conditional relevance of the evidence for other purposes.). In this case, the government offered in its proposed instructions the paragraph from de Ortiz. Tr. 5436. The district court certainly did not have to accept this suggested explanation of the use of coconspirator statements. United States v. Collins, 966 F.2d 1214, 1224 (7th Cir.1992) ([T]he precise wording of jury instructions is a matter left to the discretion of the district court.) The conspiracy instructions given, however, did not provide specific guidance on the important legal principle at stake. 317 A court of review should 'proceed cautiously when asked to set aside a jury's verdict ... on the ground that the instructions contained erroneous or confusing passages.'  Timmerman v. Modern Industries, Inc., 960 F.2d 692, 696 (7th Cir.1992) (citations omitted). We review the instructions in their entirety, not in isolation, and we will not find reversible error absent prejudicial effect on the substantial rights of the parties. Vaughn v. Willis, 853 F.2d 1372, 1376 (7th Cir.1988). Our determination is based on a review of the record as a whole. Where we are convinced that the evidence in support of the verdict is so strong that, absent the erroneous instruction, the same verdict would be reached, the error is harmless. In this case, the combination of the willing participant instruction (Tr. 5538) with the preliminary instruction requiring separate consideration to each defendant (Tr. 5503) and the warning to consider the testimony of informants with caution and great care (Tr. 5507-08) indicated to the jury that they should focus on whether the defendants' acts and words showed a willingness to join the conspiracy. Moreover, the substantial evidence discussed above, much of it the defendants' own statements linking them to the conspiracy or other evidence not dependent on out-of-court coconspirator statements, convinces us that the jury would have reached the same verdict, had they received more complete guidance on the use of coconspirator statements. Therefore, the omission of a specific instruction on the proper use of coconspirator statements was a harmless error. See United States v. Collins, 966 F.2d 1214, 1224 (7th Cir.1992); United States v. Zapata, 871 F.2d 616, 622-23 (7th Cir.1989). District courts could avoid the need for this line of review by carefully instructing juries on this confusing but important issue, guided by the analysis in de Ortiz.