Opinion ID: 510631
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Dworken

Text: 46 The nature of Dworken's attempt was a bit different from that of his customers. Dworken was one step up in the chain of distribution for the narcotics. He was the broker between Cunniff and the various purchasers/distributors. Dworken laid plans to transport, unload, inventory, and distribute much of the marijuana that was to go to his purchasers. He claimed to have located two storage facilities in Connecticut in which the drugs could be stored. He was the link between Cunniff and the buyers; the marijuana would be sold through him. 47 His intent cannot be disputed. He, more than any other defendant, was the central player in the negotiations with Cunniff. He recruited numerous individuals to be a part of the scheme, and mediated the negotiations between those individuals and the putative seller. There can be no doubt that his intent was to facilitate the sale of large quantities of marijuana. He inspected the drugs. He persuaded eight individuals to come to Maine to negotiate a deal for the load. He often reassured buyers when they became disenchanted with the deal. He offered to provide the warehousing for the drugs on route from Maine to their destinations. He organized the various distribution schemes for the twenty to twenty-six and a half tons of marijuana. After the negotiations in Maine, he continued to barter with Cunniff by telephone from New York, so that his buyers and Cunniff could come to a mutually desirable compromise. 48 These numerous very substantial steps strongly corroborate Dworken's intent to broker the deal. He did all that was in his power to attempt to realize his criminal design; the only reason it was not achieved was that negotiations among the other players eventually stalemated.