Opinion ID: 10
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Jig is Up

Text: In October 2004, government agents seized fifty-three kilograms of cocaine from Clas's residence along with drug ledgers from Pinales's store. The ledgers showed numerous entries for Marko/Prieto, revealing that he generally received three to five kilograms at a time, often delivered on consignment, and that he owed up to $ 120,000 in the summer of 2004. Around this time, Rodríguez began to cooperate with the government pursuant to a plea agreement. On February 23, 2005, government agents showed Rodríguez an array of several photographs and asked him to identify anyone that he knew. Rodríguez pointed to a photo of Mitchell and said, That's Prieto, although he did not know Mitchell's actual name. Later, Mitchell was arrested and, in July 2005, indicted by a grand jury. He was charged, along with thirteen co-defendants, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, more than five kilograms of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846. At Mitchell's jury trial, Rodríguez testified, among other things, that Pinales, Pena, Clas, and Rodríguez only referred to one customer as Prieto/Marko. Rodríguez identified that person as Mitchell. The government also introduced the wiretapped calls, including the Prieto calls now challenged on appeal. Mitchell made a timely objection to the admission of the Prieto calls under Petrozziello, 548 F.2d 20, asserting that there was insufficient evidence, independent of the co-conspirator statements themselves, to establish that he was Prieto and therefore a member of the conspiracy. [5] The district court disagreed and admitted the statements. Mitchell was convicted after a four-day trial and now appeals.