Opinion ID: 597179
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Quantity Determinations and Sentencing

Text: 34 The defendants contend the district court erroneously relied on speculation and hearsay in determining the quantity of marijuana involved in the offense. They argue the testimony of the government witnesses was admitted guessing and approximation as to the frequency and quantity of the shipments. The witnesses were involved with other drug conspiracies during the same time period and were personally involved in extensive drug usage, possibly confusing the witnesses' recollections. Further, the witnesses in some instances relied on the testimony of others not involved in the proceedings. 35 As the Government points out, the district court based its quantity determinations on testimony from the specific recollection of witnesses who were subject to cross-examination. The witnesses testified on the basis of first-hand observation, personal recollections, and in Volner's case from written records for 1989. Volner testified that he was present when loads had been weighed, and Kannaday testified that he was paid based on the weight he transported. The district court's determination was thus not based on hearsay.
36 Although we hold the district court's determination of quantity was not based on hearsay, we must still address the defendants' concerns about the speculative nature of the evidence. Contrary to the defendants' assertion that they are entitled to a jury determination of quantity, the Eighth Circuit clearly holds that the quantity of drugs involved in an illegal transaction is relevant only to the sentence that will be imposed and is not part of the offense, and thus need not be decided by the jury. United States v. Wood, 834 F.2d 1382, 1390 (8th Cir.1987). A district court's decision on the amount of drugs for which a defendant is to be held accountable is a finding of fact that must be accepted by a court of appeals unless clearly erroneous. United States v. Walton, 908 F.2d 1289, 1301 (6th Cir.), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 990, 111 S.Ct. 273, 112 L.Ed.2d 229 (1990). 37 The witnesses' testimony often was vague as to the number of deliveries and quantities of marijuana. The district court gave no explanation as to how it arrived at the figure of 22,000 pounds, so it is difficult to determine on appeal if the district court committed a clear error. While the witnesses' vagueness perhaps did not rise to the level of unreliability of the government witnesses in United States v. Simmons, 964 F.2d 763 (8th Cir.1992), the computation remains questionable. 38 The defendants contend the Government presented substantial evidence only regarding the three seizures involving Jones, Leeper and George Roberts. The net weight of Jones' seizure was 419 pounds and that of Leeper's seizure was 149.6 pounds. The gross weight of George Roberts' seizure was 321 pounds, and thus the total proved net weight would be roughly 850 pounds. Michael Roberts argues that in determining the amount of marijuana involved in the conspiracy, the prosecutor failed to establish clearly the dates and amounts of the transactions. He argues that from Volner's and Kannaday's testimony, only the following amounts can be established: 39 Summer 1984 60 pounds One month later 80 December 1984 350 After June 1985 200 March 1986 125 October 1986 20 April 1988 300 April 28, 1988 321 February 1989 700 July 1989 600 October 1989 220 December 20, 1989 250 October 1990 250 December 12, 1990 480 December 17, 1990 150 ----- 4,106 pounds (1,866 kilograms) 40 Because the district court did not provide a description of how it reached the quantity of 22,000 pounds, we are unable to review whether the determination was clearly erroneous. We remand the case for specific findings and reconsideration on the issue of the quantity of drugs and the appropriateness of the sentences.
41 Alexander, Jones and George Roberts contend the district court inaccurately determined the quantity of drugs foreseeable by them in the course of the conspiracy. Alexander argues the Government's evidence merely showed he was present with Michael Roberts at Volner's home in January of 1985, when Kannaday delivered money to Robert Henry in El Paso, and when Henry delivered marijuana to Kannaday in New Mexico in 1987 or 1988. Kannaday understood Alexander was no longer involved with Roberts' organization in 1988, although Alexander was arrested with Michael Roberts in St. Louis in December of 1990. In addition to these facts, however, the evidence also showed that in 1985, Alexander, while armed, accompanied Michael Roberts to collect a payment from Volner and on at least two occasions when marijuana was brought to Volner. In a recorded telephone conversation, Michael Roberts told Volner that he would send Rodney to Leeper's to collect a payment. Alexander also received money from Kannaday in Michael Roberts' name. Faced with this evidence, the district court did not clearly err in finding the entire quantity of drugs, as determined on remand, to be foreseeable to Alexander. 42 Jones argues that his involvement in the conspiracy began, at the earliest, in July of 1989 and no evidence exists to establish the foreseeability to him of quantities of marijuana delivered prior to that date. Nevertheless, once he began his involvement, he transported large sums of money from Volner to Michael Roberts and thus reasonably could have foreseen that large quantities were delivered prior to his entry into the conspiracy. Further, he is Alexander's step-father, and the evidence suggests they shared a residence. As with Alexander, the district court did not err in finding Jones responsible for the entire quantity of drugs, as that quantity may be redetermined on remand. 43 George Roberts argues he is accountable only for the marijuana distributed from the time of his entry into the conspiracy sometime in 1987 until his arrest on April 28, 1988. Volner could not establish clearly either the dates of the deliveries or the quantities delivered during this period. Roberts contends that for sentencing purposes, the district court should have considered only the 300 pounds of marijuana Volner testified he received in April of 1988 and the 321 pounds seized after George Roberts' arrest, or a total of 282 kilograms. The Government argues that George Roberts was accountable for at least 2,700 pounds of marijuana he delivered to Volner in addition to the 321 pounds seized subsequent to his arrest, or 3,021 pounds (1,373 kilograms). The district court held Roberts accountable for 5,000 pounds, but failed to explain the basis of its finding. Because we are thus unable to decide whether this finding was supportable, we remand for a redetermination of the quantity of drugs foreseeable to George Roberts.