Opinion ID: 3003404
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Alvarez first claims that the government presented insufficient evidence that she knew she was transporting drugs. She faces an uphill battle. When reviewing a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence, we examine that evidence in the light most favorable to the government and will uphold the jury’s verdict so long as “any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.” United States v. Hicks, 368 F.3d 801, 804-05 (7th Cir. 2004) (quotations omitted); see also United States v. Moses, 513 F.3d 727, 733 (7th Cir. 2008). The defendant’s “heavy” burden when challenging a conviction for insufficiency of the evidence is “nearly insurmountable.” Moses, 513 F.3d at 733 (quotations omitted); see also United States v. Melendez, 401 F.3d 851, 854 (7th Cir. 2005) (“Sufficiency of the evidence challenges rarely succeed because we owe great deference to the jury’s verdict.”). We must determine, then, whether the record contains evidence from which a jury could have found that Alvarez conspired to distribute narcotics. On this charge, the government was required to prove that Alvarez knowingly and intentionally joined an agreement with at least one other person to distribute a controlled substance. See 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 846; see also United States v. Longstreet, 567 F.3d 911, 918 (7th Cir. 2009). A conspiracy 10 Nos. 07-3964, 07-4060 & 08-1141 under § 846 requires “ ‘substantial evidence that the defendant knew of the illegal objective of the conspiracy and agreed to participate.’ ” Longstreet, 567 F.3d at 91819 (quoting United States v. Rollins, 544 F.3d 820, 835 (7th Cir. 2008)). But drug type and quantity are not elements of conspiracy; to sustain a conviction, Alvarez need not have known the specific drug as long as she was aware that a controlled substance was involved. See United States v. Gougis, 432 F.3d 735, 745 (7th Cir. 2005); United States v. Carrera, 259 F.3d 818, 830 (7th Cir. 2001). Contrary to Alvarez’s assertions, the government presented plenty of evidence that she knew of the illegal objective of this conspiracy. Baltista and his wife Hernandez expressly stated that Alvarez knew of Baltista’s drug business; both of them had discussed it with her. Hernandez testified that Alvarez hand-delivered cash proceeds to Lupillo’s girlfriend and said that she was not afraid to get stopped by police. And then there was Alvarez’s final trip to Chicago, which was suspicious to say the least. Baltista testified that he informed her of the trip’s singular purpose: to retrieve drugs. Her new passenger, Enano, claimed that she created a cover story in the event that the two of them were pulled over. She left her keys in the ignition while Lupillo took her car, and Hernandez and Enano both testified that Alvarez knew she was returning to Indianapolis with illegal drugs in her trunk. Enano overheard Alvarez ask Lupillo if the “stuff” was in her car, and Alvarez purportedly told Hernandez that she dropped off a man who removed “some kind of drugs.” This is more than enough evidence for a jury to conclude that Alvarez was guilty of the charged conspiracy. Nos. 07-3964, 07-4060 & 08-1141 11 In her brief, Alvarez often refers to the evidence as “incredible” or “inconsistent,” and she notes that much of the testimony regarding her knowledge of the drugs came exclusively from her co-conspirators. She misapprehends our review on appeal. Our task is not to evaluate the witnesses’ credibility or to resolve minor discrepancies; that is exclusively the jury’s domain. See Rollins, 544 F.3d at 835; United States v. Pagan, 196 F.3d 884, 889 (7th Cir. 1999) (“The extent to which [a witness’s] personal failings and motivations may have influenced his testimony was for the jury to decide.”). Rather, we must simply ensure that the government produced evidence from which a jury could have found Alvarez guilty, and we are satisfied that it did so.