Opinion ID: 707629
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Estimation of Drug Quantities

Text: 21 The district court found that roughly seventeen kilograms of cocaine were attributable to Vought. This amount of cocaine results in a base offense level of 34 under the Guidelines. Vought claims that, as to four of the figures upon which the seventeen-kilogram total was based, the district court's findings were inadequate and not supported by the evidence. We review the district court's factual findings of drug quantity for clear error, United States v. Vaandering, 50 F.3d 696, 704 (9th Cir.1995), and we affirm the court's calculation. 22 First, Vought challenges the court's adoption of paragraph 19 of the Presentence Report (PSR). That paragraph summarized the trial testimony of Rodney and Kelly Heuth and credited them with selling a total of three kilograms of cocaine as part of the conspiracy between May and July 1991. This figure is well supported by the evidence and the district court did not err by adopting it. Rodney testified to selling between two and three kilograms and Kelly testified that the amount was three to four kilograms, but at least three. Rodney also testified that it was Kelly who, along with Vought, kept track of the drugs and money. 23 Second, Vought objects to the court's adoption of PSR p 24. That paragraph attributed to James Bennett the purchase of 16 ounces of cocaine. The court did not err by accepting that figure. Polly Smith testified that Bennett returned from one drug buy in Anchorage with five ounces, or whatever $15,000 bought. On a second buying trip, Bennett took another $15,000 and, on his return, was arrested with eleven ounces of cocaine. The 16-ounce figure appears to be a highly conservative estimate, and the district court did not err by adopting it. 24 Vought's third objection relates to paragraphs 36 and 39 of the PSR. Paragraph 39 calculated the amount of cocaine sold by Steve Mitchell to Maurer between March and June 1993 as 78 ounces. Paragraph 36 calculated the amount of cocaine sold by Mitchell to Vought and Maurer between December 1992 and February 1993 as 38 ounces (reduced to 35 ounces by the district court). Vought argues that the 35 ounces of cocaine in paragraph 36 was counted twice because the same 35 ounces were included in the 78 ounces in paragraph 39. The district court did not err by adding both the 35-ounce and 78-ounce figures into his total. The PSR makes clear that paragraphs 36 and 39 cover drug transactions during two different, non-overlapping time periods. 25 Fourth, Vought objects to the district court's adoption of PSR p 49, which attributed an 18-ounce purchase of cocaine to Maurer. Vought argues that the court should have accepted Maurer's pretrial statement, which described a 15-ounce transaction, rather than her trial testimony, which included the 18-ounce figure. The district court did not err by accepting the amount to which Maurer testified at trial. That testimony was given under oath, when Maurer was subject to cross-examination. Her pretrial statement, on the other hand, does not bear such indicia of reliability.