Opinion ID: 517661
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: factual background and district court proceedings

Text: 3 Charles H. Grier and Isaac Harper were among twelve defendants charged with drug violations in a 37-count indictment and tried before a jury with three other co-defendants. The indictments resulted from an extensive drug-trafficking investigation of another co-conspirator, Anthony F. Pipito (Pipito). The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in coordination with other law enforcement agencies, conducted the investigation. As part of the investigation, a court-authorized wire tap monitored conversations on Pipito's telephone at his Jackson Street apartment and on an extension of that telephone at Pipito's Prospect Avenue condominium from October 25, 1984, to November 30, 1984. Both residences were located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A pen register device recorded the telephone number called as well as the time of outgoing numbers called. The pen register also recorded the telephone numbers of the outgoing calls. The pen register malfunctioned and failed to record the telephone numbers of the outgoing calls from October 25, 1984, through October 29, 1984. In addition, a trap and trace mechanism recorded the originating numbers of incoming calls. Surveillance was also conducted with hidden microphones. 1 4 The wire tap and electronic surveillance disclosed that Pipito left Milwaukee for Florida on November 16, 1984, and returned on November 23, 1984. His co-conspirator Joseph Basile returned by car the following morning with a load of cocaine, which he delivered to Pipito. Pipito packaged the cocaine immediately. 5 Pursuant to a search warrant, Pipito's Prospect Avenue condominium was searched by law enforcement authorities a week later during the evening of November 30, 1984. Approximately five and three-quarter pounds (2,636.81 grams) of cocaine was found in his condominium's basement storage locker. The cocaine was packaged in separate bags and varied in purity from 72 percent to 90 percent. Substances used to dilute (cut) the drugs were also found in a storage locker. 6 At trial Pipito's 23-year-old son, Anthony M. Pipito (Anthony Jr. or Pipito Jr.), testified concerning his father's cocaine business. 2 Prior to his testimony at this trial, Anthony Jr. pled guilty to participating in Pipito's drug conspiracy, was convicted, and was serving a two-year sentence. Anthony Jr. stated that he moved into Pipito's Jackson Street apartment with his father and his father's girlfriend (co-conspirator Gail Shill) on April 17, 1984, after his release from a halfway house for a prior non-drug conviction. Anthony Jr. moved to a condominium on Prospect Avenue on or about September 4, 1984, his father joined him in October 1984, and both continued to reside at this address through November 1984. 7 Anthony Jr. also testified about the organization, nature and scope of his father's drug conspiracy. He stated that he received and handled telephone orders for cocaine for his father, counted money, assisted in testing the drug's purity and conveyed money from time to time to a safety deposit box. Pipito's cocaine sources were two Colombians living in Florida. During the period between April and November 1984, Pipito took frequent trips to Florida to obtain drugs. Anthony Jr. testified that in April 1984 Pipito and Gail Schill were selling about five kilos (approximately 20 pounds) of cocaine per month. He also testified that as of November 1984, Pipito's total cocaine sales increased to three to four kilos a week, with individual sales ranging from one-eighth of an ounce to one-quarter of a pound. The thriving nature of Pipito's drug conspiracy in November 1984 was also reflected in a November 4, 1984, recorded telephone conversation between Grier and Pipito in which Pipito stated that he had a beeper, a statement from which the jury could infer that the magnitude of his drug business had increased to such a degree that he now needed a beeper to serve his cocaine business. 8 With respect to Grier's involvement in the conspiracy, the government introduced recordings of 12 intercepted telephone conversations between Grier and/or his wife (Beverly) and Pipito. Nine of these phone calls were identified through the trap and trace procedure as originating from Beverly Grier's phone or through the pen register as outgoing calls from the Pipito condominium to Grier's phone. The intercepted telephone calls included a series of three calls made on October 29, 1984, with Grier asking Pipito if he could bring him a couple of beers, and Pipito agreeing to make the delivery. During these three calls Pipito referred to Grier as Chuck, and in one of the telephone conversations Pipito confirmed Grier's address with Bev (Grier's wife). At trial the manager of Grier's apartment complex identified Grier and testified that Grier had lived at the address recited in the telephone conversation with his wife, Beverly. During a November 2, 1984, phone call, Pipito asked Grier whether he wanted a deuce. Grier again responded Yea, a couple of beers. And later that same day Pipito called Charles Grier and referred to him as Charles, Grier's true name. In recorded telephone conversations between Grier and Pipito on November 4, November 8, and November 12, 1984, arrangements were made for Grier to stop by for a couple of beers. 9 Based upon the context of the time and other recorded conversations, it is clear that Grier used the term beers as a code word for drugs. As we recently noted in United States v. Vega, 860 F.2d 779, 795 (7th Cir.1988): [C]ode words [are] always used by drug conspirators when they realize, as they do in today's drug culture, that their telephone conversations are frequently intercepted. Similarly, in United States v. Alvarez, 860 F.2d 801, 813-15 (7th Cir.1988), we addressed the question of code language for drugs in rejecting a contention that the evidence was insufficient to convict because the defendant's telephone conversations made no reference to narcotics. We relied on testimony from an experienced DEA undercover detective concerning the use of code words: 10 Agent Arroyo testified that narcotics conspirators used code words as a matter of course in transacting their illicit business. For example, the words 'girl, white, shirt--those are about the most common ones that are used [to mean cocaine].' Agent Arroyo then went on to testify that '[y]ou can tell [that a word is a drug reference] by putting the word that they are talking about into the context of the whole telephone call conversation.' As he further testified: 11 '[I]f it is a person with a business, let's just say a grocery store owner, if I was talking to him on the telephone and I wanted to order some cocaine, he might say, Do you want to buy one onion, referring to onion being white and that being cocaine. 12 If I wanted to buy some, let's say, heroin, he would say, Do you want to buy one avocado, being dark, being the heroin.' 13 Thus, where an Italian-cuisine restauranteur was conducting a narcotics transaction on the telephone with one of the appellants, the restauranteur testified that his use of the words 'food' and 'spaghetti' were code words for cocaine. 14 Alvarez, 860 F.2d at 813-14 (citations omitted). We then went on to apply this analysis to specific conversations of the involved defendant, Gustavo Holguin, including these two: 15 Concerning evidence offered directly against Mr. Holguin, the government introduced a transcript of a conversation between Mr. Holguin and Rudy in which Mr. Holguin informed Rudy that '[t]oday I couldn't get but two boxes of filters, you know?' The government contends that the reasonable inference of the code words 'boxes' and 'filters' is cocaine. Support for the government's position is found in the same conversation. For instance, Mr. Holguin told Rudy that a future shipment of 'boxes' will cost 'around eight and a half.' At trial, Agent Arroyo testified that if the price of cocaine was $38,000, the seller 'could either say to me, It's 38. He could say to me, It's 800. He could say to me, It's 8, and I would understand that that one kilo is going to cost me $38,000.' 16 In another conversation between Mr. Holguin and Rudy, Mr. Holguin said, 'I'll make a special flight and bring you a sample so you can see it, analyze it.' Rudy responded, '[g]o on then, but send me something to mix with this, so that together they come out.' We think that a reasonable jury could easily have inferred from this conversation that Rudy was disappointed with the quality of cocaine that previously had been supplied by Mr. Holguin. Accordingly, Mr. Holguin was sending Rudy a sample of purportedly better quality cocaine. It also suggests that Rudy wanted some substance to mix with the inferior cocaine to make it more salable. 17 Id. at 814 (citations and footnote omitted). 18 Grier telephoned Pipito on November 24, 1984, shortly after Pipito's return from Florida and asked Pipito, How was your trip? Pipito said that his trip was good and asked Grier if he wanted to stop by, to which Grier replied that he was thirsty as hell and could use about four beers. An FBI agent testified that approximately 40 minutes later that same evening he saw a black male leave Pipito's condominium complex and enter a Cadillac parked in front of the entrance. 3 The Cadillac was registered to Charles Grier. The agent attempted to follow the vehicle, but lost the car in traffic near Grier's residence. The next day (November 25, 1984) the FBI intercepted a phone call between Gail Schill and Pipito during which Pipito confirmed that he fronted stuff to Larry, Chuck and Darryl and referred to Chuck as a black. 4 19 Additional evidence of Grier's involvement in the conspiracy was obtained in a search warrant investigation of Grier's apartment during the evening of November 30, 1984. In that search a dial-o-gram scale, a plate, and a straight-edge razor were seized, each of which had a white powdery substance or residue on them. 5 20 Further evidence relating to Grier's participation in the enterprise was Pipito Jr.'s testimony that he drove Gail Schill to an apartment building in the vicinity of the Grier apartment at Pipito's direction, and while they (Pipito Jr. and Schill) were at the apartment, he observed Schill and a person he described as an older black man known as Chuck using cocaine. 21 The evidence of Harper's involvement in the conspiracy includes a number of recorded telephone conversations between Harper and/or his wife and Pipito. These conversations were couched in evasive language, obviously to avoid the mention of cocaine. United States v. Giangrosso, 779 F.2d 376, 382 (7th Cir.1986). The first such recorded conversation occurred on October 31, 1984, wherein Pipito asked Harper if he could see Harper, and Harper replied to Pipito, Why you got somethin'? Pipito responded, Sure, and Harper stated that he could bring one and save the trip. On November 6, 1984, Harper called Pipito and, among other things, told Pipito that things are just slow. During the same conversation Pipito asked Harper if he wanted Pipito to bring him anything, to which Harper replied, Just one. Pipito phoned Harper later in the day and spoke to Mrs. Harper. She stated that he [Harper] was not there. Pipito replied that he wanted me to bring something, but I don't know if I should bring it or not because it's ... pretty much powder. Mrs. Harper then stated that Pipito didn't even have to worry about it then. Pipito told her that something would be coming to Pipito on Friday. Mrs. Harper informed Pipito that he could stop by the Harper residence, and Pipito agreed to do so. Again on November 8, 1984, Pipito called Harper once more, and Harper replied that he was waiting for Pipito. Pipito then queried Harper concerning whether Harper wanted a full quarter, to which Harper confirmed he did. On November 26, 1984, shortly after Pipito's return from Florida, Harper, in a phone conversation with Pipito, stated that he was starvin' to death. Thereafter, Pipito agreed to bring a couple of things to show Harper. During the same conversation Harper complained about Pipito's not contacting him sooner. Harper said that Pipito was supposed to contact [him at] the time you got it back. Pipito responded that he didn't get back till late Friday night, that he didn't have nothing here until Saturday morning, and that he had tried to call Harper on Saturday. 22 Additional evidence of Harper's involvement in the conspiracy was obtained in a November 30, 1984, search of Harper's residence authorized by a warrant. At trial, an FBI agent testified that upon entry into the Harper residence, Harper and a woman identified as Mrs. Harper were sitting on the couch, were handed a copy of the search warrant and informed that a search of the premises was going to be conducted. Harper was asked where he kept it or the cocaine. At this time Mr. and Mrs. Harper were allowed ... to discuss the issue privately. Thereafter, Harper walked into the kitchen, took out a Country Time lemonade can and handed it to the search agents. Inside the lemonade can were plastic bags containing a white powdery substance. A DEA chemist identified and testified that the total contents of all of the plastic bags in the lemonade can were 35.46 grams (approximately 1 1/4 ounces) of 49 percent pure cocaine. 6 The search of the Harper residence also yielded a scale with traces of cocaine upon it, a second scale (a dial-o-gram model), a plate with traces of cocaine, two loaded revolvers, and one unloaded revolver. 7 An FBI agent testified that a piece of paper was also found in Harper's apartment reflecting handwritten notes listing the phrases eight Ball, 8 one G, one hundred cash, names and other numbers. 23 Further evidence against Harper included Anthony Jr.'s testimony that Pipito once told Anthony Jr. that Pipito had to see someone named Isaac on business. Anthony Jr. recalled driving his dad's car to a residence in the vicinity of Harper's apartment, but could not recall the specific address. Anthony Jr. testified that, while at Isaac's residence, his father had him count approximately $2,000 in cash that Isaac had given Pipito, an amount that corresponded with the average price for an ounce of cocaine. Finally, during the search of co-defendant Jackson's residence, a page of a notebook was found containing the name Harper followed by the telephone number of the Harper residence. 9 24 The trial took place September 16-29, 1986, and the jury found Grier and Harper guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. Sec. 846, utilization of a communications facility (telephone) in furtherance of the conspiracy in violation of 21 U.S.C. Sec. 843(b), and of possession of cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. Sec. 844(a). Both Grier and Harper were sentenced to a total of four years' imprisonment followed by four years' probation. The jury found Grier and Harper not guilty of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.II. ISSUES PRESENTED 25 Grier and Harper's appeal of their conspiracy and use of a communication facility convictions and Harper's appeal of his possession of cocaine conviction challenge the jury's verdicts on the following grounds: (1) that the district court committed reversible error in denying Grier's motion to compel production of various materials applicable to the operation of the pen register; (2) that the evidence was insufficient to convict either defendant of participation in a single conspiracy with Pipito and others, to convict either defendant of use of a communication facility in furtherance of the conspiracy and to convict Harper of possession of cocaine; (3) that the district court erred in failing to instruct the jury concerning multiple conspiracies; and (4) that evidence obtained from the search of Harper's residence should have been suppressed as the fruits of a search illegal under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3109.