Opinion ID: 421694
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Sufficiency of the Evidence as to Residence

Text: 36 Count 3 of the indictment charged Yakobov with having violated 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(3), which makes it unlawful for an unlicensed person to receive in or transport into the state where he resides a firearm he has obtained outside the state. The indictment alleged that Yakobov violated that provision by causing guns to be transported from Florida to New York. Accordingly, the government was obligated to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Yakobov resided in the State of New York. 7 See Davis v. United States, 160 U.S. 469, 487, 16 S.Ct. 353, 358, 40 L.Ed. 499 (1895). 37 Although there was considerable evidence that the undercover agents met or talked with Yakobov in New York on several occasions, all meetings were held at the fruit store owned by Yakobov or at restaurants, and all telephone calls were to the store. There was no evidence as to where Yakobov resided. 8 The government argues that the jury could find that Yakobov resided in New York because of his ownership of a New York business and because it could infer that his presence in the store at 7:00 a.m. on one morning, March 2, and at 7:30 p.m. on one evening, March 23, meant that he worked long hours. 38 Even viewing the record in the light most favorable to the government and drawing all reasonable favorable inferences, Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 80, 62 S.Ct. 457, 469, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942), we cannot conclude that the evidence relied on by the government was sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Yakobov resided in New York. Since the government failed to prove an essential element of the offense charged in count 3, we reverse the conviction on that count. See Burks v. United States, 437 U.S. 1, 98 S.Ct. 2141, 57 L.Ed.2d 1 (1978).