Opinion ID: 203687
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Rodriguez contends that the evidence at trial was insufficient to convict him of the conspiracy charged in Criminal Case No. 02-391 and the weapons charges in Criminal Case No. 03-284. We review the district court's denial of a Rule 29 motion for judgment of acquittal under the de novo standard. United States v. Giambro, 544 F.3d 26, 29 (1st Cir.2008). In doing so, however, we view the evidence in the light most flattering to the jury's guilty verdict [and] assess whether a reasonable factfinder could have concluded that the defendant was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Lipscomb, 539 F.3d at 40. With respect to the conspiracy conviction, Rodriguez argues that relatively little evidence was presented at trial that linked him to the Conejos drug operations in Ponce and that the evidence presented showed that he played only a minor role. [6] To prove that Rodriguez was part of a drug conspiracy, the government was required to prove that a conspiracy existed, that [Rodriguez] had knowledge of it, and that [Rodriguez] participated voluntarily in it. United States v. Famania-Roche, 537 F.3d 71, 78 (1st Cir.2008). A conspiratorial agreement may be `express or tacit and may be proved by direct or circumstantial evidence.' Cruz-Rodriguez, 541 F.3d at 26 (quoting United States v. Gomez, 255 F.3d 31, 35 (1st Cir. 2001)). The underlying criminal activity of the conspiracy charged was a violation of § 841(a)(1), which involves manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing drugs, or possession with the intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense drugs. Rodriguez's co-defendant, Sigilfredo Rivera-Rubero, who became a government witness, testified that he first met Rodriguez during a drug transaction in 1996 or 1997 when he bought marijuana from Rodriguez. Rivera-Rubero testified that initially, in 1996 and 1997, Rodriguez sold him marijuana in the amount of thirty pounds every two weeks. Rivera-Rubero described the Conejos drug organization and identified its members, which included himself, Rivera, and others. He further testified that beginning in 1999, he had a business relationship with Rodriguez, selling drugs, and a social relationship with him. At that time, Rodriguez supplied cocaine, marijuana, and heroin to Rivera-Rubero, although Rivera-Rubero also had other suppliers. In addition, Rivera-Rubero testified that Rodriguez sold drugs to other members of the Conejos organization. Rodriguez's wife testified about Rodriguez's contacts with Rivera and that Rodriguez called Rivera Boss. It is not the role of the reviewing court to weigh the evidence; our role is merely to ensure that some evidence exists to support sufficiently the jury's determination. United States v. Liranzo, 385 F.3d 66, 70 (1st Cir.2004) (internal quotation marks omitted). The evidence is more than sufficient for a rational jury to find that Rodriguez was part of the Conejos drug trafficking conspiracy. Rodriguez's long drug-related relationships with Rivera-Rubero and Rivera, along with supplying drugs to other members of the Conejos organization, support a finding that he knowingly and voluntarily participated in the Conejos drug organization. Therefore, the evidence was sufficient to sustain his conspiracy conviction in Criminal Case No. 02-391. Rodriguez also argues that evidence is lacking to support his conviction on Count Five in Criminal Case No. 03-284, that he possessed a weapon in furtherance of a drug trafficking scheme in violation of § 924(c)(1), and aided and abetted Rivera in doing so, and on Count Seven, that he was a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of § 922(g)(1). [7] He argues that he was only a visitor at Rivera's apartment in Cataño where the guns were found. The government contends that the evidence proved that Rodriguez aided and abetted Rivera in possessing guns and also that Rodriguez was in constructive possession of the guns found in the apartment. Section 922(g)(1), charged in Count Five, requires that Rodriguez have had knowing possession of the guns. [8] Knowing possession under § 922(g)(1) can be established by proving that [Rodriguez] had constructive possession of [the guns]; that is, that he knowingly had the power and the intention at a given time of exercising dominion and control over a firearm, directly or through others. DeCologero, 530 F.3d at 67 (internal quotation marks omitted). In Count Seven, Rodriguez was charged with violation of § 924(c)(1) by possessing, in furtherance of drug trafficking, and aiding and abetting Rivera in possessing the two guns found at the Cataño apartment when they were arrested. To convict under § 924(c)(1), the government must prove possession of the guns and a significant nexus between the guns and the drug crime, meaning that the firearm facilitates or has the potential to facilitate the drug trafficking offense. [9] United States v. Roberson, 459 F.3d 39, 48 (1st Cir.2006), cert. denied, 549 U.S. 1214, 127 S.Ct. 1261, 167 L.Ed.2d 90 (2007). 18 U.S.C. § 2 provides that one who aids or abets another in commission of a crime is punishable as a principal. Constructive possession is shown if Rodriguez knowingly had the power and intention to exercise dominion and control over a firearm directly or through others. United States v. Sanchez-Badillo, 540 F.3d 24, 31 (1st Cir. 2008), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ____, 129 S.Ct. 953, ___ L.Ed.2d ____ (2009) (internal quotation marks omitted). Constructive possession can be joint, does not require actual ownership of the firearm, and can be established through circumstantial evidence. . . . DeCologero, 530 F.3d at 67. On the other hand, mere presence with or proximity to weapons or association with another who possesses a weapon are not enough to prove constructive possession. United States v. Duval, 496 F.3d 64, 78 (1st Cir.2007), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ____, 128 S.Ct. 952, 169 L.Ed.2d 783 & ___ U.S. ____, 128 S.Ct. 2499, 171 L.Ed.2d 790 (2008); United States v. McLean, 409 F.3d 492, 501 (1st Cir.2005). Instead, the government must show some action, some word, or some conduct that links the individual to the contraband and indicates that he had some stake in it, some power over it. McLean, 409 F.3d at 501 (internal quotation marks omitted). As the S.R.T. officers entered the Cantaño apartment, they saw Rodriguez walking from the area of the bedroom and saw Rivera standing in the bedroom doorway, holding a gun. Rivera closed and locked the bedroom door before the officers could enter. The officer in charge arranged his personnel around the closed and locked bedroom door and then kicked the door. Rivera did not respond immediately, but after several kicks, Rivera opened the door and was no longer holding the gun. The officers arrested Rivera and then entered the bedroom where they saw Rodriguez's crutch on the bed and found drugs, drug paraphernalia, money, and two loaded gunsone under a pillow and the other in a box under the bed. They also found clothes and cell phones. Based on that evidence, which is taken in the light most favorable to the guilty verdict, the jury could have found beyond a reasonable doubt that Rodriguez had been in the bedroom with Rivera and that Rivera was holding one of the loaded guns when the officers entered the apartment. Rodriguez, however, was only a temporary visitor at the apartment, where Rivera was living. He did not own the apartment or its contents, including the guns. The government does not contend that any of the clothes, cell phones, or other property found in the bedroom, other than the crutch, belonged to Rodriguez. The record includes no evidence that Rodriguez owned or actually possessed either gun. It is not necessary, however, for Rodriguez to have owned or physically possessed the guns to satisfy the possession requirements of § 922(g)(1) and § 924(c)(1) because possession may be constructive. While the evidence shows that Rodriguez was present in the bedroom with the guns and was near Rivera, who was seen holding a gun, evidence is lacking to link Rodriguez to the guns. In the absence of evidence that Rodriguez knowingly possessed the guns found in Rivera's bedroom, either actually or constructively, a reasonable jury could not have found him guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm as charged in Count Seven of Criminal Case No. 03-284. Therefore, Rodriguez's conviction and sentence on Count Seven are vacated. With respect to Count Five, Rodriguez was also charged with aiding and abetting Rivera to violate § 924(c)(1), possessing guns in furtherance of a drug crime. A defendant is guilty of aiding and abetting in a crime if the principal committed a crime, and the defendant consciously shared the principal's knowledge of the underlying criminal act, and intended to help the principal. United States v. Garcia-Carrasquillo, 483 F.3d 124, 130 (1st Cir.2007). Again, mere association with the principal or presence at the scene of the crime is insufficient, even with knowledge that the crime is to be committed. Id. Instead, to be guilty as an aider and abettor in violation of § 924(c)(1), the accomplice must both know, to a practical certainty, that the principal would possess a gun in furtherance of the drug crime and must also facilitate that possession. United States v. Medina-Roman, 376 F.3d 1, 4-5 (1st Cir.2004). Because Rivera was convicted of violating § 924(c)(1), which was not appealed, it is established that the principal committed the crime of possessing guns in furtherance of a drug crime. The evidence at trial supports an inference that Rodriguez knew Rivera was engaged in criminal activity related to drug trafficking; indeed, they had a long-standing relationship in the drug trafficking business. Evidence was introduced that Rodriguez knew that Rivera had guns at the Cataño apartment, which were involved in the drug business. Rodriguez was seen walking from the area of the bedroom, where Rivera was looking out of the door and holding a gun. Rodriguez's crutch was found on the bed in the bedroom. Officers found the guns hidden in the bedroom, along with drugs, money, and drug paraphernalia. The proximity of the guns and the drugs indicates a link between them. Witnesses also testified that Rivera was always armed. That evidence, taken in the proper light, could support a jury's conclusion that Rodriguez knew, to a practical certainty, that Rivera had a gun or guns and would use a gun to protect and defend his drug business. Cf. United States v. Spinney, 65 F.3d 231, 239 (1st Cir.1995) (finding insufficient evidence of knowledge to sustain aiding and abetting conviction under § 924(c)). The record offers no evidence, however, that Rodriguez facilitated Rivera in possessing or using the guns. For example, the record lacks evidence that Rodriguez bought or supplied the guns, arranged for their delivery, or assisted in any other respect in making the guns available for Rivera. See United States v. Luciano-Mosquera, 63 F.3d 1142, 1150-52 (1st Cir. 1995) (discussing evidence of knowledge and facilitation sufficient to sustain conviction of aiding and abetting violation of § 924(c)(1)). To sustain a conviction for aiding and abetting a violation of § 924(c)(1), the evidence must be sufficient to show both that the defendant knew, to a practical certainty, that the principal would possess a gun in furtherance of the drug crime and that the defendant facilitated that possession. Medina-Roman, 376 F.3d at 6. Because evidence of facilitation is lacking in this case, Rodriguez's conviction and sentence for violating § 924(c)(1), Count Five, are also vacated due to insufficient evidence.