Opinion ID: 754069
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 14 We will find that there was sufficient evidence to support the convictions of Paul and Britton if any reasonable trier of fact could have found that the evidence presented at trial established the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. See United States v. Alix, 86 F.3d 429, 435 (5th Cir.1996). Moreover, we review challenges to the sufficiency of evidence in the light most favorable to the Government. See Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 62 S.Ct. 457, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942); United States v. Ivy, 973 F.2d 1184, 1188 (5th Cir.1992); United States v. Lechuga, 888 F.2d 1472, 1476 (5th Cir.1989). 15 To establish a drug conspiracy under 21 U.S.C. § 846 or § 963, the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt (1) an agreement between two or more persons to violate the narcotics laws, (2) that each alleged conspirator knew of the conspiracy and intended to join it, and (3) that each alleged conspirator did participate voluntarily in the conspiracy. United States v. Inocencio, 40 F.3d 716, 725 (5th Cir.1994) (21 U.S.C. § 846); United States v. Puig-Infante, 19 F.3d 929, 936 (5th Cir.1994) (21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 936). The jury may infer any element of this offense from circumstantial evidence. Lechuga, 888 F.2d at 1476. Thus, [a]n agreement may be inferred from concert of action, [v]oluntary participation may be inferred from a collocation of circumstances, and [k]nowledge may be inferred from surrounding circumstances. Id. at 1476-77 (citation and quotation marks omitted). Once the Government has produced evidence of a conspiracy, substantial evidence is needed to connect an individual to that conspiracy. United States v. Maletesta, 590 F.2d 1379, 1381 (5th Cir.1979). Proof of the mere presence of the defendant at a scene of criminal activity and his association with the other defendants is insufficient to support a criminal conviction. United States v. Carrillo-Morales, 27 F.3d 1054, 1065 (5th Cir.1994). However, [a] jury may find knowledgeable, voluntary participation from presence when the presence is such that it would be unreasonable for anyone other than a knowledgeable participant to be present. United States v. Cruz-Valdez, 773 F.2d 1541, 1546 (11th Cir.1985) (en banc) (cited in United States v. Henry, 849 F.2d 1534, 1536 (5th Cir.1988)).
Paul 16 Paul argues that he was not a part of the conspiracy because he would not comply with Adam's request that he pick up the cocaine and deliver the money. Paul further argues that his actions thwarted the conspiracy and evidence his unwillingness to join the conspiracy. However, we conclude that the evidence presented by the Government was sufficient to support Paul's convictions for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. 17 In the taped telephone conversations, Mike gave Adam the telephone number and room number of Paul's hotel room at the French Quarter Courtyard Inn. When Adam called that number, Paul answered the telephone, discussed delivery of the cocaine, and obtained detailed directions to the ship's berth. Paul was then observed by Customs agents leaving the French Quarter hotel and traveling by taxi to the Days Inn on Williams Boulevard. Paul then called Adam at the public telephone near the ship's berth and told Adam that he would call back in about 45 minutes. Paul was subsequently arrested at his Days Inn motel room and found to be in possession of approximately $10,000 in cash and an address book containing directions to the ship's berth. It is reasonable for the jury to have concluded from this evidence that Paul agreed with Mike to possess the cocaine and that he voluntarily participated in the conspiracy by traveling to New Orleans, obtaining $10,000 in cash to pay Adam, and attempting to make arrangements to pick up the cocaine from Adam's ship. Although he did not actually pick up the cocaine, his actions do not indicate that he refused to participate in the conspiracy or that he thwarted the conspiracy. Therefore, we affirm Paul's conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Britton 18 The evidence is also sufficient to support Britton's conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Britton traveled to New Orleans on the same night that he went to Adam's ship. Britton called Adam shortly after arriving in New Orleans, identified himself as P, and told Adam he would arrive at the ship in half an hour. Mike also called Adam, told him to deal with P instead of Harry and told Adam that P would arrive in a taxi. A short time later, Britton arrived at the ship in a taxi and handed a suitcase to Adam. Adam placed the substitute cocaine in the suitcase and handed it back to Britton. Britton took the suitcase loaded with substitute cocaine from Adam and drove away in the taxi. It was reasonable for the jury to conclude that the evidence presented by the Government established that Britton agreed with Mike to possess cocaine with intent to distribute and that he voluntarily participated in the conspiracy through the above actions. Therefore, we affirm Britton's conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
19 To establish a conspiracy to import, the Government must prove that Paul and Britton agreed to import the cocaine into the United States and knowingly and voluntarily participated in the agreement. United States v. Obregon, 893 F.2d 1307, 1311 (11th Cir.1990). Such an agreement may be proved by circumstantial evidence. Id. The government provides sufficient proof of knowledge by demonstrating the conspirator knew of the essential purpose of the conspiracy, even if he may not have known all of the relevant details. Id. A conviction for the crime of importation of [a controlled substance] requires proof that the defendant knowingly played a role in bringing [the controlled substance] from a foreign country into the United States. United States v. Diaz-Carreon, 915 F.2d 951, 953 (5th Cir.1990). 20 We have never before decided whether facts of the type present in this case constitute evidence sufficient to support a conviction for conspiracy to import a controlled substance into the United States. In a case involving much more probative evidence, the First Circuit determined that such evidence was sufficient to support a conviction for conspiracy to import a controlled substance. United States v. Rengifo, 858 F.2d 800, 806-09 (1st Cir.1988). In Rengifo, the appellants argued that there was insufficient evidence to support their convictions for conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States. Based on information from an informant that a vessel which had just arrived from Columbia was carrying cocaine, police set up surveillance of the vessel. Id. at 802-03. Police observed two men drive to the dock area several times. Id. at 802. Police also observed a second car drive to the dock area. Id. A few days later in the early morning, government agents observed two men darkly dressed move toward the bow of the vessel. Id. They were met by a crewman from the ship who handed them two duffel bags in exchange for a large white plastic bag. Id. at 802-03. The two men then ran to another area of the dock. Id. at 803. Agents pursued the men and found them lying on their stomachs, crawling down an incline toward an opening in a fence. Id. About six feet away from the men, agents found two duffle bags containing over 55 kilograms of cocaine. Id. Agents later discovered a white plastic bag on the vessel containing $89,610. Id. 21 Agents had previously observed a second automobile drive to the vessel and then drive to the Howard Johnson Inn. Id. at 802. After agents arrested the two men at the vessel, they checked the Howard Johnson Inn room register and found a room registered to a Gonzalez. Id. They stationed agents at both doors to the room, called the room, and stated in Spanish that there had been problems at the vessel and told the men to leave the area. Id. Within a few seconds, the door opened and the men started to leave the hotel room. Id. Agents entered the room and arrested the three men in the room. Id. In the room, agents found a rental receipt for the rental car observed near the dock on the day the vessel arrived. Id. They also found two pieces of papers with letters in what appeared to be code which was later matched to codes on the packages of cocaine seized at the dock. Id. Agents also found another key to room 204. Id. at 803. In that room, agents found one piece of paper with a telephone number and 106 written on it and one piece of paper with a sketch of the dock area and the vessel. Id. 22 The First Circuit determined that the evidence was sufficient to support the convictions for conspiracy to import cocaine of the two men who were found crawling on their stomachs at the dock area within six feet of the two duffle bags containing the cocaine. Id. at 806-07. The First Circuit also determined that there was sufficient evidence to support the convictions of two of the men arrested in the hotel room because they were observed conducting surveillance of the ship area and circling the parking lot of the hotel apparently attempting to determining whether government agents were watching their activities. Id. at 807-08. They were also present in the hotel room when agents called and attempted to leave when they learned the other two men had been arrested at the vessel. Id. at 807-08. Further, Room 204 was registered to one of the men and contained a map of the dock area and the ship. Id. at 807. The court determined that there was sufficient evidence to support the convictions of two of the men arrested in the hotel room. Id. at 807-09. 23 In contrast to the detailed and illuminating facts of the Rengifo case, the evidence is not sufficient to support either defendants' conviction for conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States. The evidence established that Mike contacted Paul and Britton concerning delivery of the cocaine after the vessel carrying the cocaine reached the United States. However, despite Paul's possession of $10,000 and directions to the ship and Britton's actually going to the vessel, the evidence did not clearly establish that Paul and Britton agreed to participate in and played a role in bringing the cocaine into the United States. There is no proof that either defendant was even aware of the shipment's existence until Mike called them to retrieve it. Therefore, we reverse the defendants' convictions on this count.