Opinion ID: 418131
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Conducting the Enterprise's Affairs Through A Pattern of Racketeering Activity

Text: 61 Cauble contends that the government's proof demonstrated a nexus between the smuggling activity and the Cowboy Mafia, rather than Cauble Enterprises. Therefore, he contends, the evidence was insufficient to prove that he conducted Cauble Enterprises' affairs through acts of racketeering. 62 Because we have concluded that a reasonable jury might have believed that Cauble aided and abetted the commission of the charged racketeering acts, we inquire whether his position in Cauble Enterprises facilitated the commission of the acts and whether the acts affected Cauble Enterprises. Based on the evidence, a reasonable jury might have concluded that none of the acts of travel would have occurred but for Cauble's ability to dispatch the Cauble Enterprises airplane and to use Cauble Enterprises' assets to pay for commercial flights. Furthermore, a jury might reasonably have concluded that Cauble's position in Cauble Enterprises made it possible for him to make available the funds for loans, the ranches, and the other assets of the enterprise that the smugglers used. Therefore, the government's proof was sufficient to satisfy the requirement that the defendant's position in the enterprise facilitated the commission of the racketeering acts. 63 Finally, there is the question whether the racketeering acts affected the enterprise. In this case a reasonable juror might have concluded that the racketeering acts led directly to the successful smuggling ventures, which, in turn, led to the large cash deposits to Cauble Enterprises' account at Western State Bank. This is a sufficient effect to satisfy the test. We, therefore, conclude that the government successfully shouldered its burden of proving that Cauble conducted or participated in the conduct of the enterprise's affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity. 62