Opinion ID: 550869
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 23 Garcia challenges the sufficiency of the evidence under both counts of his conviction. The evidence is sufficient if a rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt. When reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence to support a conviction, the facts and all reasonable inferences therefrom will be viewed in the light most favorable to the court's findings. United States v. Rodriguez-Mireles, 896 F.2d 890, 892 (5th Cir.1990).
24 To sustain a conviction for a conspiracy to violate the narcotics laws, the government must show that (1) a conspiracy existed, (2) the defendant knew of the conspiracy, and (3) the defendant voluntarily participated in the conspiracy. United States v. Kaufman, 858 F.2d 994, 999 (5th Cir.1988). To prove the existence of the conspiracy, the government must prove by substantial evidence that two or more persons agreed to violate the narcotics laws; however, this agreement may be shown by circumstantial evidence such as the conduct of the alleged participants or evidence of a scheme. United States v. Morgan, 835 F.2d 79, 82 (5th Cir.1987). A defendant's knowledge of an illegal agreement and his participation in the scheme may be inferred from the circumstances. Id. A conviction will not be reversed for lack of evidence that the defendant was acquainted with or knew all of the coconspirators, or lack of evidence that he knew each detail of the conspiracy, or because he became a member of the conspiracy after its inception, or played only a minor role in the overall scheme. United States v. Vergara, 687 F.2d 57, 61 (5th Cir.1982) (citations omitted). 25 Garcia asserted that he believed Pacheco gave him the money because the Bronco contained electronics to be smuggled into Mexico for sale. However, the district court specifically accepted the informant's testimony as true, which it was entitled to do as the arbiter of fact. See United States v. Jones, 839 F.2d 1041, 1048 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 486 U.S. 1024, 108 S.Ct. 1999, 100 L.Ed.2d 230 (1988). The court was entitled to conclude that he knew marijuana was in the vehicle, and that he was given $200 to safeguard it. Thus, a conspiracy clearly existed between Pacheco and Garcia without regard to whether Pacheco and Juarez-Fierro also conspired. Although Garcia's role in this endeavor was minor and he might not have known all the participants or details of the scheme, this does not affect the finding that there was a conspiracy in which he participated. 26 Alternatively, the district court based Garcia's conviction on a finding of deliberate ignorance and conscious avoidance of the truth as to the nature of this transaction. Because the proof supports the court's findings on conspiracy, we need not reach this alternative ground.
27 To sustain a conviction for possession with intent to distribute, the government must show that the defendant (1) knowingly (2) possessed contraband (3) with the intent to distribute it. United States v. Villasenor, 894 F.2d 1422, 1426 (5th Cir.1990). Possession of contraband may be either actual or constructive, and may be proven by either direct or circumstantial evidence. Vergara, 687 F.2d at 61. Constructive possession exists when the defendant has ownership, dominion and control over the contraband itself, or dominion and control over the vehicle in which it was concealed. United States v. Richardson, 848 F.2d 509, 512 (5th Cir.1988). Knowledge of the presence of contraband may ordinarily be inferred from the exercise of control over the vehicle in which it is concealed, but we also look for additional factors and circumstances evidencing a consciousness of guilt on the part of the defendant. Id. at 513. Finally, the intent to distribute a controlled substance may generally be inferred solely from possession of a large amount of the substance. United States v. Romero-Reyna, 867 F.2d 834, 836 (5th Cir.1989). 28 The district court accepted the fact that Garcia knew or was told the Bronco contained marijuana. That he knew of the marijuana also allows the inference of an intent to distribute, as that marijuana added up to over two hundred pounds. However, the evidence in itself was insufficient to support a finding that Garcia possessed this contraband. Garcia never actually possessed the marijuana. Neither did he exercise constructive possession over it. The marijuana was not his, he never saw it, and he had no power to control its movement or subsequent distribution. Nor did he have dominion or control over the Bronco in which it was concealed or the lot on which the Bronco was parked. Pacheco did not leave him the keys to the vehicle. Government surveillance did not establish that Garcia was ever in or around the Bronco. Once parked in the apartment lot, which did not belong to Garcia, it was never moved prior to its seizure by authorities. These facts present no substantial evidence of possession, actual or constructive. 29 However, Garcia's conviction on the substantive possession offense must be viewed in light of his participation in the conspiracy. [E]ach conspirator may be held criminally culpable for substantive offenses committed by the conspiracy of which he is a member while he is a member. United States v. Basey, 816 F.2d 980, 997 (5th Cir.1987). A party to a conspiracy may be held responsible for a substantive offense committed by a coconspirator in furtherance of the conspiracy, even if that party does not participate in or have any knowledge of the substantive offense. Pinkerton v. United States, 328 U.S. 640, 647, 66 S.Ct. 1180, 1184, 90 L.Ed. 1489 (1946). Thus, a defendant is deemed guilty of substantive acts committed in furtherance of the conspiracy by any of his criminal partners once the conspiracy and the defendant's knowing participation therein has been established beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Sullivan, 578 F.2d 121, 122-23 (5th Cir.1978). This principle has been repeatedly applied by this circuit in cases involving drug conspiracies and substantive drug violations. United States v. Michel, 588 F.2d 986, 999 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 444 U.S. 825, 100 S.Ct. 47, 62 L.Ed.2d 32 (1979). 30 It was not disputed at Garcia's trial that the marijuana belonged to and was knowingly possessed by Pacheco with the intent to distribute it. We have affirmed the district court's conviction of Garcia for his role in the conspiracy with Pacheco. Based on Pinkerton and its progeny in this circuit, Garcia's conviction for the substantive possession offense must also be affirmed. The evidence is sufficient to support a finding of each element of the substantive offense by Garcia or by his coconspirator, Pacheco.