Opinion ID: 819878
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Chehuen Lopez

Text: Chehuen Lopez argues that the district court erred in applying the three-level “manager” or “supervisor” enhancement because his role in the conspiracy was that of a mere “dispatcher.” “[W]e have defined the terms ‘manager’ and ‘supervisor’ quite liberally, holding that a defendant can be subject to this enhancement for having managed or supervised only one other participant in the criminal conspiracy.” United States v. Lopez, 431 F.3d 313, 317-18 (8th Cir. 2005). Additionally, the -6- enhancement “‘may apply even if the management activity was limited to a single transaction.’” Id. at 318 (quoting United States v. Zimmer, 299 F.3d 710, 724 (8th Cir. 2002)). It is undisputed that Chehuen Lopez began acting as the contact person for the conspiracy in September 2010. As the contact person, Chehuen Lopez would take orders from customers and negotiate the place of delivery. He would then direct the conspiracy’s runner, whom, according to Leblonde, Chehuen Lopez had trained, to deliver the drugs and collect the money from the customer. Given this evidence, the district court’s finding that Chehuen Lopez was a manager or supervisor was not clearly erroneous. See United States v. Cole, 657 F.3d 685, 687-88 (8th Cir. 2011) (per curiam) (upholding enhancement where defendant “transported/and or directed the transportation” of drugs and directed a coconspirator to drive him from city to city to deliver drugs); Lopez, 431 F.3d at 316-18 (upholding enhancement where defendant asked his roommate to “serve as a lookout on one occasion”).