Opinion ID: 707319
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 3 Cancio-German claims there was insufficient evidence that he knowingly possessed the 193.7 pounds of marihuana hidden in the bed of the truck he drove into the United States. Because Cancio-German failed to move for a judgment of acquittal at the conclusion of the government's case and at the close of all the evidence, we review his argument that the evidence was insufficient for plain error, to prevent a miscarriage of justice. United States v. Winslow, 962 F.2d 845, 850 (9th Cir.1992) (as amended). 4 The evidence is sufficient to support Cancio-German's conviction if, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, a rational jury could have found Cancio-German guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Hegwood, 977 F.2d 492, 497 (9th Cir.1992), cert. denied, 113 S.Ct. 2348 (1993). 5 As appellant was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, the jury could properly infer that he knew about the marijuana. United States v. Davila-Escovedo, 36 F.3d 840, 843 (9th Cir.1994) (959 pounds of marihuana hidden in front cargo area of truck), cert. denied, 115 S.Ct. 953 (1995); see also United States v. Sanchez-Robles, 927 F.2d 1070, 1076 (9th Cir.1991) (43 pounds of cocaine and 417 pounds of marihuana hidden in van); United States v. Murrieta-Bejarano, 552 F.2d 1323, 1324 (9th Cir.1977) (138 pounds of marihuana hidden under truck bed). The large amount of marihuana involved also supports an inference that Cancio-German knowingly possessed the narcotics. Davila-Escovedo, 36 F.3d at 843; United States v. Barbosa, 906 F.2d 1366, 1368 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 961 (1990). 6 In addition, Cancio-German gave conflicting statements to authorities. He first told Customs Inspector Hill that the truck belonged to his father, who had just purchased it, and that Cancio-German had gone to Mexico to pick it up. The truck was actually registered to a woman who lived in northern California. Later, he told Customs Agent Tucker that he was going to purchase the truck and that someone had set him up by putting the marihuana in the vehicle. According to FBI Special Agent Roman's testimony at trial, two months after his arrest Cancio-German told Agent Roman that Jose Orozco had asked Cancio-German to cross another vehicle a few days after April 7, 1994, and Cancio-German had agreed. Cancio-German testified that he was crossing the truck as a favor for Orozco, and denied that he agreed to cross any other vehicles. Cancio-German denied making some of his statements to the customs officials, and explained the others as the product of his nervousness. The jury could have discredited Cancio-German's testimony at trial, given his contradictory accounts, and thus could have concluded that he knew there were drugs in the vehicle. See Barbosa, 906 F.2d at 1368-69. 7 We hold that it would not be a miscarriage of justice for the jury to conclude that Cancio-German knew the truck contained marihuana when he drove it into the United States.