Opinion ID: 423673
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 36 Sorrells and Bartley argue that the Government failed to prove by substantial evidence that they intended to join efforts to accomplish the unlawful end of possessing and transferring illegal firearms. To the contrary, they argue that the evidence is not inconsistent with a reasonable hypothesis of innocence because they believed the firearms had been properly registered by Uttall. Thus, it never occurred to the appellants that they were violating the law. 37 This court recently adopted a new standard for sufficiency of the evidence claims. The Government no longer needs to establish that every hypothesis of innocence be inconsistent with a verdict of guilty. Rather, the standard is whether a reasonable trier of fact could find that the evidence established guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Bell, 678 F.2d 547, 549 (5th Cir. Unit B 1982) (en banc), aff'd, --- U.S. ----, 103 S.Ct. 2398, 76 L.Ed.2d 638 (1983). 38 Evaluating the evidence adduced at trial in the light most favorable to the Government, we hold that the evidence is sufficient to sustain both Sorrells' and Bartley's conviction for conspiracy to deal in unlawful firearms as well as Sorrells' conviction for various substantive violations of the Firearms Act. See Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 80, 62 S.Ct. 457, 469, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942); United States v. Ramos, 666 F.2d 469, 475 (11th Cir.1982). To sustain the conspiracy convictions, the evidence must show beyond a reasonable doubt that a conspiracy existed, that Sorrells and Bartley knew of its existence, and that they willfully joined the conspiracy with the intent to advance or further some objective of the conspiracy. United States v. Bland, 653 F.2d 989, 996 (5th Cir.1981), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 1055, 102 S.Ct. 602, 70 L.Ed.2d 592 (1981); United States v. Malatesta, 590 F.2d 1379, 1381 (5th Cir.1979) (en banc), cert. denied, 444 U.S. 846, 100 S.Ct. 91, 62 L.Ed.2d 59 (1979). 39 The evidence sufficiently established the existence of Sorrells' and Bartley's knowledge of an agreement to deal in unregistered firearms. In a meeting, on January 16, 1981, co-conspirator Uttall introduced Sorrells to Peacock as one of his assistants in the conversion project. At this meeting, Sorrells sold Peacock a fully-automatic rifle for $300. From the early stages of Peacock's involvement with Uttall, Sorrells and Bartley were clearly aware of Peacock's intention to buy weapons for export. In numerous conversations with Peacock, Bartley discussed plans to manufacture silencers, noting that Uttall financed his work on the project and stressing that he wanted Peacock to front the money directly to him, rather than going through Uttall. At Uttall's shop, Sorrells explained to Peacock how to detonate a pipe bomb and offered to design and supply bombs at Peacock's request. Sorrells also stated that such devices could be constructed from materials purchased over the counter. In a January 21, 1981, telephone conversation, Sorrells informed Peacock that he was converting an RPB brand and a UZI firearm to fully-automatic. Sorrells further stated that he had worked with Bartley and Uttall on the conversion of the Charter Arms pistol. During this conversation, Sorrells also expressed his desire to deal directly with Peacock, thus avoiding Uttall as an intermediary. In the conversations with Peacock that followed, Sorrells further explained the conversion process and reported on his efforts to complete the assignment. 40 Sorrells' offer to design and provide bombs for whatever purposes Peacock desired undermines his assertion that he did not know the various items with which he dealt were unregistered. Similarly, Bartley's expression of concern that Uttall's phone might be tapped undermines any assertion of lack of knowledge of an illegal objective. Sorrells' and Bartley's claims of reliance on Uttall to register the weapons are belied by their efforts to circumvent Uttall and deal directly with Peacock. In sum, the record contains substantial evidence that an agreement existed between Uttall, Bartley, and Sorrells to deal in unlawful firearms. 41 As for the substantive offenses, we find the evidence sufficient to support Sorrells' conviction on eight counts of possessing, transferring, causing the transfer, and aiding and abetting the possessing and transferring of unregistered weapons. Counts X and XI charged Sorrells with possession and transfer of an unregistered Charter Arms firearm on or about January 19, 1981. The evidence reveals that on that date, Sorrells, Uttall, and Peacock met and discussed the Charter Arms firearm which had been converted to fully-automatic. Further, Sorrells testified that the Charter Arms pistol was in Uttall's car. This evidence supports the jury's conclusion that on or about January 19, 1981, Sorrells actually or constructively possessed the firearm, that he aided and abetted in causing its transfer to Peacock, and that he aided and abetted Uttall's possession of the firearm. 42 Counts XIV and XV charged Sorrells with possession and transfer of an unregistered RPB machine gun on January 22, 1981. At a meeting on this date, Sorrells explained how he had converted the RPB machine gun to fully automatic. Immediately after the meeting, Uttall removed an RPB firearm from his car and gave it to Peacock. Prior to this meeting, Sorrells had informed Peacock in a telephone conversation that he was converting an RPB machine gun to fully-automatic and that it should be available on January 22. Sorrells testified that he had worked on two RPB firearms, both of which had been in his possession and one of which was later converted into an assassination kit. This evidence similarly supports the jury's conclusion that Sorrells actually or constructively possessed the RPB machine gun on January 22, 1981, and that he aided and abetted its transfer to Peacock. 43 Counts XVI and XVII charged Sorrells with the possession and transfer of an unregistered RPB machine gun mounted in a briefcase. At the January 22 meeting, Sorrells told Peacock he would have no problem with the assassination kit because his tests disclosed that the firearm performed satisfactorily. Sorrells had earlier admitted in a telephone conversation that he had converted two RPB's to fully-automatic, and that one was to become part of an assassination kit. 44 With regard to the UZI machine gun, Uttall told Peacock on January 17, 1981, that Sorrells was converting an UZI to fully-automatic. On January 22, noting that the UZI was more difficult to convert than the RPB machine gun, Sorrells told Peacock that he had finished the conversion. At the January 30, meeting at the Ft. Lauderdale airport, Uttall and Peacock went to Uttall's car where Uttall transferred to Peacock an RPB machine gun, an UZI machine gun, two .22 caliber silencers, and several pistols. Again, we find that the evidence supports the jury's conclusion that Sorrells possessed, either actually or constructively, the RPB and UZI firearms, and that he aided and abetted their transfer to Peacock on January 30, 1981. 45 The February 5, meeting at the Ft. Lauderdale airport provides the basis for Count XIX charging Sorrells with possession of thirteen unregistered silencers and an unregistered sawed-off shotgun. Prior to Sorrells' arrest, he had been in the back seat of Goelet's car with numerous firearms, including the sawed-off shotgun, the silencers, and boxes of ammunition. Sufficient evidence exists to support Sorrells' conviction for possession of these firearms. 46 Sorrells' contention that the Government must prove actual knowledge of non-registration to prosecute successfully under 26 U.S.C.A. § 5861(d) is without merit. The statute prohibits the reception or possession of unregistered firearms; knowledge of non-registration is not required. United States v. Freed, 401 U.S. 601, 607, 91 S.Ct. 1112, 1117, 28 L.Ed.2d 356 (1971); United States v. Sedigh, 658 F.2d 1010, 1012 (5th Cir.1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 921, 102 S.Ct. 1279, 71 L.Ed.2d 462 (1982). To sustain a conviction for reception or possession of an unregistered firearm under § 5861(d), or unlawful transfer under § 5861(e), the prosecution need only prove knowledge that the instrument was a firearm. Freed, 401 U.S. at 607, 91 S.Ct. at 1117; United States v. Moschetta, 673 F.2d 96, 100 (5th Cir. Unit B 1982). 47 Because we find the evidence sufficient to support a conclusion that Sorrells and Bartley agreed to aid Uttall in the transfer of unregistered weapons, we sustain their convictions on the conspiracy count. With respect to the substantive counts challenged by Sorrells, abundant evidence warrants the conclusion that Sorrells actually and constructively possessed various instruments he knew to be firearms and aided and abetted Uttall in unlawfully transferring those automatic weapons.