Opinion ID: 470998
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 174 Odoner challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his conviction on one count of conspiring to distribute cocaine. Odoner claims that the government never introduced proof of any direct contact between Odoner and either Anthony or Larry Peters. It is well-established that 175 [t]he appellant mounting an evidentiary sufficiency challenge bears 'a heavy burden.' United States v. Garcia, 562 F.2d 411, 414 (7th Cir.1977), and thus '[o]nly when the record contains no evidence, regardless of how it is weighed, from which the jury could find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, may an appellate court overturn the verdict.' Brandom v. United States, 431 F.2d 1391, 1400 (7th Cir.1970), cert. denied, 400 U.S. 1022, 91 S.Ct. 586, 27 L.Ed.2d 634 (1971). Moreover, it is not for this court to reconsider questions of the weight of the evidence or credibility of witnesses, Glasser, 315 U.S. at 80, 62 S.Ct. at 469 [86 L.Ed. 680 (1942)]. 176 United States v. Moore, 764 F.2d 476, 478 (7th Cir.1985) (quoting United States v. Redwine, 715 F.2d 315, 319 (7th Cir.1983)). 177 Odoner correctly states that mere association with conspirators is not sufficient to establish involvement in a conspiracy. Instead, the government must prove that Odoner knew of the conspiracy to distribute cocaine and that Odoner in some way joined the conspiracy. See United States v. Percival, 756 F.2d 600, 610-11 (7th Cir.1985); United States v. Herrera, 757 F.2d 144, 149 (7th Cir.1985). Reviewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, Percival, 756 F.2d at 610, there was sufficient evidence to support the jury verdict. 178 The testimony of five of the government's witnesses establishes that Odoner played several different roles in the conspiracy. Two witnesses, Mark Gernetzke and Randy Hill, testified that for several years Odoner delivered cocaine ordered from Anthony Peters to them. George Gama told the jury that he went to Odoner's home with Anthony Peters to pick up cocaine he had bought from Peters. Anthony Peters told him at the time that cocaine was stored at Odoner's home. Michael Schroeder's testimony corroborates this, as Schroeder testified he also picked up cocaine at Odoner's home with Larry Peters. Schroeder furthermore testified that he rejected Larry Peters' offer to go to Florida and that Larry told him that Odoner travelled to Florida several times to pick up cocaine for $10,000 a trip. The government introduced hotel and airline records indicating that Odoner travelled from Milwaukee to Miami. In addition, Michael Dale stated that he delivered cocaine with Anthony Peters to Odoner. 179 This testimony belies Odoner's claim that there was no proof of any contact between Odoner and the Peters brothers and that the evidence failed to prove Odoner's guilt. If the jury found these witnesses credible, their testimony establishes that Odoner not only acted as a delivery boy for the conspiracy but also stored the cocaine in his home and went to Florida to buy the cocaine for subsequent distribution in Milwaukee. The evidence was sufficient to establish that Odoner knew of the conspiracy and voluntarily participated in it.