Opinion ID: 821120
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Woerner argues that the evidence adduced at trial is insufficient to support his convictions because no witness testified that Woerner was at his computer when the child pornography was downloaded, possessed or distributed. “A challenge to the sufficiency of evidence following a proper motion for acquittal is reviewed by this court de novo.” United States v. Winkler, 639 F.3d 692, 696 (5th Cir. 2011). Because Woerner raised his sufficiency challenge at the close of evidence, the standard of review is “whether a rational trier of fact could have found that the evidence established the essential elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt,” United States v. Moreland, 665 F.3d 137, 148–49 (5th Cir. 2011). In determining whether this standard is met, we “view the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict and drawing all reasonable inferences from the evidence to support the verdict.” United States v. Percel, 553 F.3d 903, 910 (5th Cir. 2008).
To prove its possession counts against Woerner, the government was required to show beyond a reasonable doubt that he (1) knowingly (2) possessed material containing an image of child pornography (3) that had been transported 9 Case: 11-41380 Document: 00512152043 Page: 10 Date Filed: 02/22/2013 No. 11-41380 in interstate or foreign commerce by any means, including by computer. 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B); Moreland, 665 F.3d at 149. At the close of evidence, Woerner moved for a directed verdict on the basis that the government “failed to prove each and every element of its necessary elements in regard to counts one through five.” On appeal, Woerner restricts his sufficiency challenge to the “knowing” and “possession” elements. Specifically, Woerner argues that the government cannot establish possession, much less knowing possession, because no witness testified that Woerner was at his computer when the child pornography was downloaded, possessed or distributed. The government may prove possession by showing that the defendant actually or constructively possessed material containing child pornography. Moreland, 665 F.3d at 149. “Actual possession means the defendant knowingly has direct physical control over a thing at a given time.” Id. “Constructive possession is the ownership, dominion or control over an illegal item itself or dominion or control over the premises in which the item is found.” Id. Where, as here, there is no evidence that the defendant had direct physical control over the images at issue, we proceed to a constructive possession analysis. See id. at 150; United States v. Terrell, 700 F.3d 755, 765 (5th Cir. 2012). Our “common sense, fact-specific approach” to determine constructive possession often hinges on whether the defendant had exclusive or shared control over the place in which the child pornography was found. Moreland, 665 F.3d at 150–52. “Dominion, control, and knowledge, in most cases, may be inferred if a defendant had exclusive possession of the place in which the contraband is found, but this inference cannot be sustained if the defendant shared joint occupancy of the place.” Id. If the place where the child pornography is found is shared by multiple users, the government must introduce some evidence, in addition to the evidence of shared use, to support a 10 Case: 11-41380 Document: 00512152043 Page: 11 Date Filed: 02/22/2013 No. 11-41380 reasonable jury inference that the defendant knew that the images existed and had the knowledge and ability to access and exercise dominion and control over them. Id. at 150–51. Woerner contends that neither of the places where the child pornography was found—his fantastikaktion account and Gigatribe shared folder—were under his exclusive use and control. As evidence of shared usage of his computer and email account, Woerner submits that both J.L., the minor who stayed over at his house, and Jeremiah Walker, his former roommate and the creator of the fantastikaktion account, both had access to Woerner’s computer and knew the login and password to his fantastikaktion account. The IP address linking the fantastikaktion and Gigatribe accounts to Woerner, he continues, could have belonged to any person who accessed his unsecured wireless internet. Assuming, arguendo, that neither the computer nor the email account was under Woerner’s exclusive use and control, we nonetheless reject Woerner’s sufficiency challenge because the government introduced considerable evidence from which the jury could have reasonably inferred that Woerner knew that the images existed and had the knowledge and ability to access and exercise dominion and control over them: • The IP address from which the child pornography was downloaded and distributed via the fantastikaktion and Gigatribe accounts was registered to the Ash street property where Woerner resided. Woerner’s neighbor testified that Woerner lived alone, and Woerner’s mailman testified that he did not deliver mail to any other person at that address during the relevant time period. • The profile picture associated with the Gigatribe account “sugardaddylv” from which the child pornography was distributed was of Woerner, and the profile contained other identifying information, such as Woerner’s relative age, ethnicity, background, and interests. • The fantastikaktion account, which contained child pornography and from which child pornography was distributed, was registered 11 Case: 11-41380 Document: 00512152043 Page: 12 Date Filed: 02/22/2013 No. 11-41380 in Woerner’s name. Although the account initially belonged to Jeremiah Walker, his former roommate, it was left to Woerner when Walker moved out in 2006, and Woerner subsequently changed the password so others would not have access. Emails sent from that account often included identifying photographs and information about his daily life, and were regularly signed “Mark.” Many emails sent between January and July 2010 contained child pornography and commentary from Woerner on the substance and quality of the images and videos, indicating that Woerner was aware of their illegal content and knowingly distributed them to others. • More than 90 videos and 1300 images of child pornography were found in Woerner’s fantastikaktion account alone, and their content was evident from their file names, undercutting any potential argument that they were downloaded by mistake. See United States v. Payne, 341 F.3d at 404 (holding that “the number of images in Payne’s possession, taken together with the suggestive titles of the photographs,” among other evidence, “support[ed] the jury’s inference that Payne knew he was receiving child pornography”). • J.L. testified that Woerner gave him a flash drive containing images of child pornography. According to J.L., Woerner told him that he should share the child pornography with other cadets at flight school, but acknowledged they would both get in trouble if he did, evidence that Woerner possessed the images and was aware of their illegal content. Reviewing this evidence in a light most favorable to the jury’s verdict, we conclude that it is more than sufficient to support Woerner’s convictions for possession of child pornography. We have affirmed child pornography possession convictions against sufficiency challenges where the evidence of knowing possession was less comprehensive than it is here. See, e.g., Terrell, 700 F.3d at 765; Winkler, 639 F.3d at 700; United States v. Goff, 155 F. App’x 773, 775–76 (5th Cir. 2005) (per curiam); United States v. Rios, 477 F. App’x 209, 210 (5th