Opinion ID: 749900
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Sufficiency of the Evidence with Respect to Intent Element

Text: 36 It is undisputed that Agostino offered Goetz $4,000 in cash in July 1995. The issue centers around his intent in offering the cash payment. While the Government asserts that the payment was made in an attempt to influence or reward Goetz, the defense argues that Agostino was simply engaging in a test of Goetz's honesty. If there is any evidence from which a reasonable jury could have found that Agostino was attempting to influence or reward Goetz, then the verdict must stand. See Hickok, 77 F.3d at 1002. 37 The Government presented sufficient circumstantial evidence for a reasonable jury to conclude that Agostino corruptly offered the money to Goetz in an attempt to influence or reward him in connection with Toll Road business. The Government established that the money was passed at approximately the same time as Agostino, in violation of the contract, turned over to Gas City the responsibility for selecting the survey stations for fuel pricing on the Toll Road. Agostino also offered the money to Goetz shortly after he informed Goetz that Gas City would receive non-revenue passes for all of its fuel tankers. While not in violation of the contract, Gas City received these passes much earlier than Goetz had expected they would. The Government presented evidence that established that Goetz had objected and expressed surprise at these developments, and shortly thereafter, Agostino offered him $4,000 in cash for doing a good job. A reasonable jury could have found that this timing provided circumstantial evidence that Agostino offered Goetz the money with the requisite corrupt intent to establish a violation of § 666(a)(2). 38 The jury also has the choice to disbelieve the defendant's testimony regarding his intent. Agostino testified that he used his own money to test Goetz's honesty, did not discuss this test with anyone else, and performed this test without any consultation with the appropriate INDOT or Toll Road personnel. Yet Agostino gave Goetz a glowing annual review at approximately the same time he claimed to be having doubts about Goetz's trustworthiness. Agostino also did not document his suspicions until December 1995, nearly six months after the incident, but only two days after INDOT Toll Road Division was subpoenaed for documents involving the $4,000 payment and the benefits passed to Gas City around the time of the payment. A reasonable jury could have found, on the basis on this evidence, that Agostino's explanation was not credible and that the money was to influence or reward Goetz in connection with the Gas City transactions. 39