Opinion ID: 14712
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Sufficiency of the evidence establishing a conspiracy

Text: 61 Circumstantial evidence may establish the existence of a conspiracy, as well as an individual's voluntary participation in it, and [c]ircumstances altogether inconclusive, if separately considered, may, by their number and joint operation ... be sufficient to constitute conclusive proof. United States v. Roberts, 913 F.2d 211, 218 (5th Cir.1990) (internal quotation marks omitted). Therefore, we have consistently held that the jury may infer the existence of a conspiracy from the presence, association, and concerted action of the defendant with others. United States v. Gonzales, 121 F.3d 928, 935 (5th Cir.1997), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 118 S.Ct. 726, 139 L.Ed.2d 664 (1998), and cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 118 S.Ct. 1084, 140 L.Ed.2d 141 (1998). To be convicted of engaging in a criminal conspiracy, an individual need not know all the details of the unlawful enterprise or know the exact number or identity of all the co-conspirators, so long as he knowingly participates in some fashion in the larger objectives of the conspiracy. United States v. Westbrook, 119 F.3d 1176, 1189 (5th Cir.1997), cert. denied sub nom., --- U.S. ----, 118 S.Ct. 1059, 140 L.Ed.2d 121 (1998), and cert. denied sub nom., --- U.S. ----, 118 S.Ct. 1060, 140 L.Ed.2d 121 (1998); see also United States v. Fernandez-Roque, 703 F.2d 808, 814-15 (5th Cir.1983). Furthermore, a conviction may be sustained solely on the basis of the testimony of a coconspirator--even a coconspirator who testifies on the basis of a plea bargain or promise of leniency--so long as that testimony is not incredible as a matter of law--that is, so long as it does not defy the laws of nature or relate to matters that the witness could not have observed. See Bermea, 30 F.3d at 1552. 62 In this case, the record contains evidence more than ample to support the jury's conclusion that Garcia Abrego engaged in a conspiracy that had as its objects the violation of federal narcotics and money laundering laws. The testimony of numerous coconspirators establishes that Garcia Abrego cast a conspiratorial net that was far-reaching and encompassed a large number of individuals who aided in his drug trafficking enterprise. Outlined below is the testimony that established the general framework of Garcia Abrego's organization. 63 Carlos Resendez testified that he engaged in the drug trafficking business with Garcia Abrego beginning in 1976 and later went to work for him in that business full time, continuing until his arrest in April 1994. Resendez testified that Garcia Abrego met directly with Luis Medrano, Oscar Malherbe, and Sergio Checo Gomez regarding the narcotics trafficking business. He also testified that Garcia Abrego was Medrano and Malherbe's boss, as well as the head of the entire drug organization. Francisco Perez testified that he began moving drugs for Garcia Abrego in 1980 and continued to do so until his arrest in August 1993. Agent Claudio DeLaO testified that, during conversations with Luis Medrano, Medrano referred to Garcia Abrego as El Jefe and Patron, both Spanish words signifying substantial authority. In a recorded statement, Medrano also stated that he went to work for El Jefe after Casimiro Espinoza, Medrano's former employer in the drug trafficking business, was killed. According to the testimony of a number of Garcia Abrego's coconspirators, including Carlos Rodriguez, Tomas Gringo Sanchez supervised cocaine distribution for Garcia Abrego's group in the New York area until he was killed. 64 The individuals who worked directly with Garcia Abrego, along with Sanchez, arranged for the transportation of drugs and proceeds from their sale in the United States through a number of other individuals. Tony Ortiz testified that he transported cocaine into the United States at the direction of Luis Medrano. Francisco Segura testified that he originally worked for Tony Ortiz and was later ordered by Medrano and Malherbe to collect drug debts in New York. Carlos Rodriguez testified that he began trafficking cocaine at the direction of Medrano and Malherbe in 1986 and that they dictated the Colombian cartel with whom he was allowed to do business. William Allen Hoffman testified that he delivered ten to twenty loads of cocaine for Medrano and that, when he delivered loads to New York, his contact person there was Sanchez. Jaime Rivas testified that he transported cocaine from Harlingen to Houston for Luis Medrano and that he met with Medrano regarding the transportation of cocaine up to two or three times per week. Rivas also testified that Elias El Profe Garcia and Hilario Gonzalez were involved in arranging transportation of cocaine for the group. Tony Ortiz testified that Juan Ibarra worked for Sanchez receiving cocaine and arranging for the shipment of drug proceeds back down south to Houston. Horace Vega, who testified that he moved money for the group and acted as a confidential informant for the FBI, testified that Ibarra replaced Sanchez as the point man for the group's operations in New York after Sanchez was killed. 65 A number of coconspirators testified that Garcia Abrego utilized several individuals to manage the proceeds of his drug trafficking enterprise. Francisco Perez testified that Fernando Herrerra was in charge of managing Garcia Abrego's drug proceeds. Perez also testified that Garcia Abrego instructed Ricardo Aguirre, who the documentary evidence indicated was listed as a beneficial owner on several of the investment accounts in which Garcia Abrego placed his drug proceeds, to move $25 million from Mexico to the United States during the time period that Garcia Abrego was hiding in Chicago as a result of increased pressure and property seizures by Mexican authorities. Additionally, a number of witnesses testified that Garcia Abrego's group employed a number of pilots, hit men, and body guards. 66 Garcia Abrego himself told federal law enforcement officials during an interview that he began trafficking marijuana in 1979 and switched to cocaine in 1987. He stated that he moved between 800 and 1000 pounds of marijuana and 100 kilograms of cocaine per month. He also stated that he progressed to moving loads of cocaine ranging from 150 to 200 kilograms. He told federal law enforcement agents that he moved narcotics across the U.S./Mexico border with the assistance of Mexican judicial police, who would inform him when he could safely move a load across the border. 67 Clearly the jury was presented with sufficient evidence for it to rationally conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy of which Garcia Abrego knew and in which he participated existed. Furthermore, sufficient evidence existed for the jury to rationally conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that each of the substantive drug offenses charged was committed in furtherance of the conspiracy. 68