Opinion ID: 566443
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Sufficiency of the Evidence-Count Three

Text: 43 According to defendant, the evidence is insufficient on count three, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine, 18 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 846. We review the evidence and its reasonable inferences in the light most favorable to the government to determine whether any rational trier of fact could have found the elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 2789, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979). 44 Defendant acknowledges that Kevin Volk testified concerning the consignment arrangement he had with defendant to sell cocaine. See Appellant's Brief at 27; rec. supp. vol. V at 481-84. Another drug dealer, Leslie Lynn Ricks testified concerning defendant's efforts to sell him cocaine. Rec. supp. vol. VI at 750-54. Finally, defendant confessed to purchasing quantities of cocaine from his MDMA supplier. Id. supp. vol. III at 77. Although defendant claimed that the cocaine was for his personal use, he also indicated that sometimes he sold to close personal friends. Id. 45 According to defendant, the evidence is insufficient because 46 There is no evidence of any sale of cocaine outside the alleged conspiracy, and no evidence of any ability to distribute any significant quantity of the drug, and no evidence of any agreement to distribute cocaine between Raymer and Volk 47 Appellant's Brief at 28. On the first point, the only two parties named in count three were defendant and Jeffrey Wynn Casale (who was acquitted), yet Volk testified to distributing cocaine supplied by defendant to Cama Coats and Terry Frammel, among others. Moreover, for a sufficiency analysis, it makes no difference whether the defendant sold only to close friends. The federal drug laws do not admit a close friend exception. Concerning the second point, defendant distributed cocaine to Volk and it must be remembered that defendant's picture, posing over a pound of suspected cocaine, was admitted into evidence. The evidence is sufficient to sustain the conviction on count three. 48