Opinion ID: 198984
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Colon-Miranda's Sufficiency of Evidence Claims

Text: 133 Colon-Miranda argues that there was insufficient evidence to establish the existence of a drug conspiracy, his participation in a drug conspiracy, or his participation in the Pacheco-Aponte or Cotto-Fuentes murders. 3 As we have already indicated, a sufficiency of the evidence claim is reviewed in [the] light most favorable to the verdict, taking into consideration all reasonable inferences. Scantleberry-Frank, 158 F.3d at 616. Here, even a cursory examination of the record demonstrates that appellant's arguments are disingenuous. 134 First, there is ample evidence in the record of the Count 1 drug conspiracy. Five co-conspirators described the Santiago-Lugo organization and its extensive drug processing, packaging, and distribution activities. These witnesses gave a detailed account of the quantity of drugs involved, and one drug ledger established that sales totaled $3.5 million for a single year. Second, the witnesses all testified that they worked with Colon-Miranda at various times during the conspiracy. In addition, Wilfredo Martinez-Matta testified that Colon-Miranda rented the Coral Beach mesa, and Ramos-Rodriguez described Colon-Miranda as a supervisor of the organization. Three other witnesses indicated that Colon-Miranda made armed deliveries of drugs to the distribution points. Third, the testimony of Hidalgo-Melendez, Wilfredo Martinez-Matta, and David Martinez-Matta contradicts Colon-Miranda's claim that he was not at the Pacheco-Aponte murder scene. Finally, ballistic evidence established that the firearm found by the police in Colon-Miranda's car was the firearm used to kill Cotto-Fuentes. 135