Opinion ID: 810773
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Commencement of the ATF Investigation

Text: The ATF initially interacted with Defendant Blair on June 10, 2008, when a confidential informant introduced undercover ATF Agent Horst to Blair. Agent Horst had planned to purchase a firearm from Blair. The sale, however, did not take place that day because Blair was unable to obtain a firearm. Agent Horst and Blair agreed to meet another day to complete the sale. At Blair’s request, Horst gave Blair his telephone number. From June 11 to June 25, Agent Horst and Defendant Blair spoke numerous times and exchanged text messages about Blair selling firearms and drugs to Horst. On June 25, 2008, Blair met with Agent Horst and undercover ATF Agents Neal and Zayas, and sold them 446.6 grams of marijuana. Blair and the agents also discussed future drug and firearm transactions. After the meeting ended, Blair told Agent Horst that he would contact his 4 Case: 10-13161 Date Filed: 10/24/2012 Page: 5 of 41 supplier to obtain cocaine for Horst to purchase. In earlier conversations, Blair had mentioned that he owned a car-detailing business. Blair now stated that he could steal his customers’ cars to make money and could also break into his customers’ homes and steal any firearms found inside. The following day, June 26, 2008, ATF agents observed Defendant Blair meet Defendant Augustus. Later that day, Blair met with Agents Horst and Neal and sold them a firearm for $500.1 Blair and the two agents also discussed future drug and firearm transactions. Over the next few days, Defendant Blair and Agent Horst conversed over the telephone. On June 30, 2008, Blair met again with Agents Horst and Neal, and sold two firearms to them for $1200, plus a $60 broker fee. Blair mentioned that he had an automatic machine gun available for $1500. On July 15, 2008, Defendant Blair met Agents Horst and Neal to sell the machine gun. Blair, however, produced a different firearm, which had a lower street value than the machine gun. To make up the difference, Blair agreed to supply drugs or another firearm.