Opinion ID: 213826
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Alverio's Firearm Conviction

Text: Citing 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A), Alverio argues that the government had to prove that he 1) committed a drug trafficking crime; 2) knowingly possessed a firearm; and 3) possessed the firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime. He insists that the evidence was insufficient to convince a rational jury beyond a reasonable doubt that [he] possessed the Glock `in furtherance of' a drug trafficking crime. He was indicted, however, for aiding and abetting in the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, which requires proof that he knew to a practical certainty that Gómez would possess the gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and that he took some step to facilitate the possession. See, e.g., United States v. Medina-Román, 376 F.3d 1, 6 (1st Cir.2004). Consequently, we need only consider that part of his argument that also applies to an aiding-and-abetting convictionnamely, his claim that the evidence was insufficient to sustain his firearm conviction because the government failed to show that the possession of the firearm was in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. To support this contention, Alverio points to Rodríguez's testimony at trial that Alverio specifically told Rodríguez he did not want Rodríguez to verify the drugs in his vehicle, that Alverio said Gómez did not want the transaction to take place in Alverio's car, and that Alverio proposed that they go to Rodríguez's car instead. If the gun had been possessed in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime, Alverio claims, Alverio and Gómez would not have wanted Rodríguez to verify the drugs in his own car. Alverio's argument is meritless because a gun need not be present at the moment that drugs are verified, or at the moment that money or drugs change hands, in order to be possessed in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Possession of a firearm to protect drugs or sales proceeds can constitute possession in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States v. Marin, 523 F.3d 24, 27 (1st Cir.2008). Here, a rational factfinder could conclude that Gómez had the gun to protect the cocaine on the way to the transaction and the money that the defendants expected to receive$3,300 for each of the six eighthson the way back from the transaction. The evidence would have been sufficient to support the conclusion that the gun was possessed in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime regardless of where the transaction occurred. Thus, we will not overturn the verdict on Alverio's gun count.