Opinion ID: 739313
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Oklahoma Appellants

Text: 16 The evidence to sustain convictions presented against Appellants Wallace and Pena-Rodriguez (collectively the Oklahoma Appellants) came primarily from the testimony of two co-conspirators and governmental informants, Clifford W. Mengers and Randall Bowers. Mengers testified that he was a professional truck driver and small-time drug dealer in Oklahoma. On one occasion, Wallace called Mengers and asked for his help in backing up a horse trailer near Wallace's garage. The horse trailer, which Mengers understood had come from El Paso, had Texas license plates and a hidden compartment that contained marijuana. Mengers testified that he observed Wallace and Jose Gomez remove marijuana from the trailer's hidden compartment. 3 17 Mengers also testified that Wallace told him on several occasions that Wallace was expecting to receive cocaine from a man named Arthur. Mengers testified that it was his understanding that Arthur was Appellant Pena-Rodriguez because Pena-Rodriguez was the only Arthur that Mengers knew. On one occasion, in fact, Mengers found several kilograms of cocaine in the trunk of Wallace's car, which was being stored in Mengers's garage. 18 Randall Bowers testified that in 1990, Jose Gomez and he drove a horse trailer containing 350 pounds of marijuana to Wallace's house. Bowers noted that both Wallace and Pena-Rodriguez helped Gomez and him unload the trailer. Bowers also testified that he delivered a load of marijuana to Pena-Rodriguez in early 1991. As compensation for his work, Pena-Rodriguez gave Bowers use of a fancy Chevrolet pickup truck known as the Boss. 19 The foregoing evidence was sufficient for a rational jury to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that Wallace and Pena-Rodriguez knowingly and voluntarily participated in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine.