Opinion ID: 683580
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admitting the statements of co-conspirators

Text: 25 Finally, Segura-Gallegos argues that the district court abused its discretion in admitting against him hearsay testimony regarding prior statements by Avila during the preparation for the cocaine deal, as well as the evidence that Avila sent an ounce of cocaine to Detective Morgan in Boise. He claims the statements and the evidence should not have been admitted against him because no conspiracy existed before October 4, when the actual deal was to take place. 26 Because Segura-Gallegos' counsel objected at trial, this court review[s] for an abuse of discretion the district court's decision to admit co-conspirator statements and for clear error the underlying factual determination that a conspiracy existed and that the statements were made in furtherance of that conspiracy. United States v. Arambula-Ruiz, 987 F.2d 599, 607 (9th Cir.1993). 27 Under Federal Rule of Evidence 801(d)(2)(E), a co-conspirator's statementduring the course and in furtherance of the conspiracy is not hearsay and is admissible against other members of the conspiracy. Before admitting a statement of a co-conspirator into evidence against a defendant, the government must establish by a preponderance of the evidence the existence of the conspiracy and of the defendant's connection to it, and show that the statement was made during and in furtherance of the conspiracy. 28 United States v. Crespo de Llano, 838 F.2d 1006, 1017 (9th Cir.1987) (citation omitted). 29 Here the government showed by a preponderance of the evidence the existence of a conspiracy prior to October 4. In his earlier conversations with Detective Morgan, Avila made repeated reference to his source for the cocaine as well as to other individuals. With the surveillance reports detailing Avila's trips to Anguiano's Eustace Street home and other addresses, this evidence established that it was more likely than not that a conspiracy existed. Finally, Avila's statements to Detective Morgan were made during the conspiracy and in furtherance of the drug transaction. 30 As to whether Avila's statements were properly admitted, it does not matter that there was no evidence of Segura-Gallegos' participation in the conspiracy before October 4. Statements of his co-conspirators are not hearsay even if they were made before Segura-Gallegos entered the conspiracy. United States v. Anderson, 532 F.2d 1218, 1230 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 839, 97 S.Ct. 111, 50 L.Ed.2d 107 (1976). See United States v. Murphy, 852 F.2d 1, 8 (1st Cir.), cert. denied, 489 U.S. 1022, 109 S.Ct. 1145, 103 L.Ed.2d 205 (1989); United States v. Badalamenti, 794 F.2d 821, 826-28 (2d Cir.1986). While statements of co-conspirators made prior to Segura-Gallegos' involvement are not admissible to show his participation, United States v. Gee, 695 F.2d 1165, 1169 (9th Cir.1983), here the statements did not refer to Segura-Gallegos and were not used for that purpose. 31 We find no clear error in the district court's finding that a conspiracy existed, and no abuse of discretion in the district court's admission of Segura-Gallegos' co-conspirators' statements. 32 We also find that the district court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the evidence that Avila mailed cocaine to Boise. That act was in furtherance of the conspiracy and was admissible in evidence against Segura-Gallegos as a member of the conspiracy. See Pinkerton v. United States, 328 U.S. 640, 647, 66 S.Ct. 1180, 1184, 90 L.Ed. 1489 (1946). 33 We AFFIRM Segura-Gallegos' conviction.