Opinion ID: 173713
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Count 1 of the indictment charged defendant with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, methamphetamine and cocaine. In finding defendant guilty on this count, the jury also found that the offense involved 680.4 grams of methamphetamine. The court calculated defendant’s sentence based on that finding. Defendant concedes that there was sufficient -10- evidence of his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He argues, however, that (1) there was insufficient evidence to conclude that he conspired to distribute methamphetamine, and (2) there was insufficient evidence to support the jury’s precise finding of 680.4 grams of methamphetamine. The standard of review is de novo, with the evidence viewed in the light most favorable to the government. United States v. Curtis, 344 F.3d 1057, 1069-70 (10th Cir. 2003). “Furthermore, our review is deferential to the jury’s fact-finding, and we must sustain [defendant’s] conviction if any rational juror could have found him guilty.” United States v. Cardinas Garcia, 596 F.3d 788, 794 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 130 S. Ct. 3299 (2010). “In order to obtain a conspiracy conviction the government must show [1] that two or more persons agreed to violate the law, [2] that the Defendant knew at least the essential objectives of the conspiracy, [3] that the Defendant knowingly and voluntarily became a part of it, and [4] that the alleged coconspirators were interdependent.” United States v. Flores, 149 F.3d 1272, 1277 (10th Cir. 1998) (alteration and quotation omitted). The record contains evidence of defendant’s involvement in a conspiracy involving methamphetamine as well as cocaine. An officer testified that defendant told police that he knew Leonardo was involved with drugs. Defendant admitted at trial that he helped Leonardo get certain cell phones, which the evidence showed were used in connection with -11- selling methamphetamine and cocaine. Defendant, Leonardo, and Pelón together rented Leonardo’s apartment, from which Leonardo sold both cocaine and methamphetamine. Leonardo and defendant did all the talking with the landlord, but put the rental under Pelón’s name. Defendant paid the deposit on the apartment—$800 in cash out of the $1,200 he had in his pocket. Orozco testified that the methamphetamine business was Leonardo’s, while the cocaine business was defendant’s, but she also testified that defendant visited the apartment almost every day and that he would drive Leonardo around town. She stated that Leonardo acknowledged owing defendant money, even though Leonardo never handled any money for the cocaine transactions. She never saw Leonardo give defendant money—but Leonardo would have a large amount of cash from methamphetamine sales, then defendant would visit the apartment, and after the visit, Leonardo would have no cash. Another conspirator, Jordan Ivey, testified that she was giving Leonardo $1,000 a day for methamphetamine, but Leonardo never had any large amounts of money. Finally, on November 20, 2007, the police trailed defendant’s gold Impala from Leonardo’s apartment to a Wal-Mart store. Another witness (the sister of a conspirator) described how her sister asked her to meet the Sanchez brothers that night at the Wal-Mart. The sister and an ex-boyfriend asked the witness to sign for a $1,100 money order at the Wal-Mart and give the brothers the money. Ivey confirmed that the money order represented proceeds from methamphetamine -12- sales. Viewing all of this evidence in the light most favorable to the government, as we must, we conclude that the evidence was sufficient to support the conviction on Count 1. We also conclude that there was sufficient evidence for the jury to assess the amount of methamphetamine at 680.4 grams. Contrary to defendant’s argument, the number was not simply “made up,” Aplt. Br. at 26. At 16 ounces per pound, and 28.35 grams to the ounce (rounded up slightly from the most precise figure, which stretches several places to the right of the decimal), 680.4 grams is one and one-half pounds of methamphetamine. Orozco testified that she accompanied Leonardo to purchase methamphetamine on two occasions. She estimated the amount of methamphetamine she transported for him on the first occasion to be about a half-pound, and she estimated that he had twice that amount on the second occasion. Although defendant argues that her estimates were vague, it was the jury’s job to weigh her credibility and determine whether they believed her. See Cardinas Garcia, 596 F.3d at 794 (“We accept at face value the jury’s credibility determinations and its balancing of conflicting evidence.”).