Opinion ID: 2912068
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: This case arises out of a two-year investigation into narcotics trafficking in Wayne County, Michigan. Around Christmas 2009, Freeman-Payne met co-conspirator Jose Rios at a home in Southwest Detroit. R. 419 (Trial Tr. Jose Rios at 60–62) (Page ID #2547–49). Rios had just returned from Sinaloa, Mexico in a white Ford F-150 with three kilograms of cocaine hidden in the transmission. Id. at 59, 62–63 (Page ID #2546, 2549–50). Freeman-Payne purchased one kilogram from Rios for $28,000, and the two exchanged phone numbers. Id. at 70, 77–78 (Page ID #2557, 2564–65). Shortly thereafter, Freeman-Payne introduced Rios to his friend, co-conspirator Alexis Rodgers, who purchased a half-kilogram of cocaine from Rios for approximately $14,000. Id. at 101 (Page ID #2588); R. 423 (Trial Tr. Alexis Rodgers at 28–32) (Page ID #3096–100). Rodgers soon needed more cocaine. R. 423 (Trial Tr. Alexis Rodgers at 41) (Page ID #3109). On January 31, 2010—in a wiretapped conversation—Rodgers called Freeman-Payne and asked about Rios. Id. at 41–44 (Page ID #3109–12). Freeman-Payne arranged another buy. On February 4, 2010, Rios met with Freeman-Payne and Alexis Rodgers, separately, at FreemanPayne’s cousin’s home. R. 419 (Trial Tr. Jose Rios at 79–81) (Page ID #2566–68). Rios had just returned from Mexico with another three kilograms of cocaine. Id. at 81 (Page ID #2568). Freeman-Payne bought two for $56,000. Id. at 82 (Page ID #2569). Later that day, Alexis Rodgers purchased the remaining kilogram for $28,000, and—after asking Freeman-Payne if he 2 No. 15-1794 United States v. Freeman-Payne could start reaching out directly to his cocaine source—Alexis asked Rios for his phone number. Id. at 82–84 (Page ID #2569–71); R. 423 (Trial Tr. Alexis Rodgers at 50–52) (Page ID #3118– 20). Rios continued transporting cocaine into Michigan. Freeman-Payne continued purchasing and dealing it. On February 19, 2010, Rios and three others—following FreemanPayne as he drove his own car—towed the white F-150 to Freeman-Payne’s aunt’s home in Detroit. R. 419 (Trial Tr. Jose Rios at 91–93) (Page ID #2578–80). Once again, there were three kilograms of cocaine in the truck’s transmission. Id. at 95 (Page ID #2582). After the men unpacked the drugs, Rios, Rios’s cousin, and Freeman-Payne sold them for $84,000, vacuumsealed their cash, and loaded the cash back in the F-150’s transmission. Id. at 94–98 (Page ID #2581–85). Rios soon began contemplating a supply increase. On March 25, 2010, about two weeks after Livonia Police secured permission to wiretap his phone, Rios called Freeman-Payne to ask if he could handle dealing twenty “guys” (their code name for kilograms of cocaine) per week. R. 421 (Trial Tr. John Walker at 33) (Page ID #2794); R. 546 (Gov’t Ex. 46b at 1–3) (Page ID #4332–34). Freeman-Payne replied: “I’m on it.” R. 546 (Gov’t Ex. 46b at 3) (Page ID #4334). But Rios’s plan did not come to fruition. On April 25, 2010, DEA agents stopped Rios in his F-150 in Monroe, Michigan. R. 417 (Trial Tr. Robert Ziskie at 69–72) (Page ID #2340–43). With the help of local law enforcement, they disassembled the truck and found six kilograms of cocaine inside. R. 417 (Trial Tr. Eric Marcotte at 17–24) (Page ID #2288–95). 3 No. 15-1794 United States v. Freeman-Payne The next morning, police officers searched two residences. One group of officers went to Freeman-Payne’s aunt’s home. R. 420 (Trial Tr. Nicholas Heinonen at 148–49, 152–53) (Page ID #2743–44, 2747–48). In a basement furnace room, police found digital scales, sandwich bags, a cutting agent, and 35.9 grams of cocaine. Id. at 155–64 (Page ID #2750–59); R. 430 (Stipulation) (Page ID #3273). In a different room, they found more plastic bags hidden in a thermos. R. 419 (Trial Tr. Michael Petrovich at 36–39) (Page ID #2523–26). Another group of officers searched a home in Belleville, Michigan. R. 422 (Trial Tr. Dale Labombard at 110–11) (Page ID #3029–30). There, they found a small amount of crack cocaine, marijuana, more digital scales, two cell phones, and Freeman-Payne. Id. at 114–29 (Page ID # 3033–48); R. 430 (Stipulation) (Page ID #3273).