Opinion ID: 16301
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sufficiency: Drug charges

Text: The defendants challenge the sufficiency of the evidence underlying their drug convictions. Viewing all evidence and any inferences that may be drawn from it in the light most favorable to the government, we must determine whether a rational trier of fact could have found that the evidence established guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. See United States v. Ivey, 949 F.2d 759, 756 (5th Cir. 1991).
Hipolito Gonzalez claimed that his brother's car was stolen from a fairground in Mexico earlier that evening and that he happened to spot it on the highway at 3 a.m. outside Laredo. He claims that he was giving chase to what he thought was his 7 brother's stolen Town Car. He argues that he was in front of the car when the police first spotted them because he was trying to catch a glimpse in his rear-view mirror of who might be driving the car. Once the Town Car had escaped, he led police on a chase through Laredo because they were pursuing him at such high speeds he was afraid that if he stopped suddenly the police cars would ram him from behind. While Hipolito Gonzalez’s story may provide a possible innocent explanation of some of the evidence, rational jurors could have found all the elements of the offenses beyond a reasonable doubt.
Gerardo Gonzalez argues that there was no evidence he was the driver of the Town Car. He claims that Rocha initially identified Hipolito as the driver. He also notes that no witness testified that he knew there was marijuana in the trunk. Nonetheless, the evidence is more than sufficient to support Gerardo Gonzalez’s conviction. First, there was the radio conversation involving “Gerry.” Second, Rocha testified that Gerardo was the driver of the Town Car. Third, the Town Car recovered from the mud was registered in his name. Fourth, the police found a muddy coat and a muddy two-way radio in Gerardo's parents' house in the Gonzalez compound. Fifth, Gerardo was 8 observed the morning after the chase bearing a white box containing a scale that agents testified was of the type commonly used in drug transactions. (Gerardo claims the scale belonged to his mother, who was bringing it to a daughter grappling with a weight-loss problem.) We conclude that the evidence was sufficient to support a finding that Gerardo Gonzalez knowingly conspired to and did in fact possess marijuana with intent to distribute.
Alberto Gonzalez argues that the mere presence of the two-way radio in his Suburban does not suffice to establish conspiracy; he also claims he was busy that night driving for his limousine service. The government's theory of the case was that Alberto Gonzalez was the smuggler conducting surveillance of the Hebbronville checkpoint. Because the two-way radio did not have the range to reach Hebbronville from Laredo, the government theorized that Alberto Gonzalez called in his reports on the cellular phone that was in his car. He spoke with René, who then relayed these communications on to Hipolito and Gerardo. In addition to the presence of the radio, Alberto's initial attempt to flee from the police supports a finding of guilt. And the fact that he was driving in the wee hours in the vicinity of the Hebbronville checkpointSSwhen we know that someone was updating his brother René on the status of the checkpoint at that timeSSis further support 9 for the jury verdict. This evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to the government, was sufficient to support Alberto's convictions.