Opinion ID: 221597
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Sufficiency of the EvidenceMaldonado

Text: Maldonado also appeals the district court's refusal to grant his motion for judgment of acquittal on the count of conspiracy to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine. [8] To support this conviction, the Government was required to prove that (1) a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine existed; (2) Maldonado knew about the conspiracy; and (3) Maldonado knowingly became a part of the conspiracy. See Moran, 612 F.3d at 690. In addition, the government must demonstrate that the conspiracy involved the purported drug quantity, in this case at least fifty grams of actual methamphetamine. Id. Maldonado challenges the sufficiency of the evidence that he knowingly became part of a conspiracy, noting that mere association with individuals engaged in illegal conduct is not sufficient. He also challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the jury's determination that the conspiracy involved at least fifty grams of methamphetamine. We conclude that there was sufficient evidence to establish that Maldonado knowingly became a part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. [B]ecause the nature of conspiracy entails secrecy, the agreement and members' participation in [the conspiracy] must often be established by way of inference from the surrounding circumstances. United States v. Jiminez, 487 F.3d 1140, 1146 (8th Cir.2007) (alterations in original) (quoting United States v. Cabrera, 116 F.3d 1243, 1245 (8th Cir.1997)). The Government's evidence established that on two separate occasions on December 10, Maldonado and Garcia arrived in the same Dodge Dakota at the scene of a controlled drug buy and supplied Rodriguez with the methamphetamine that he then sold to a confidential informant. Further, Rodriguez's phone records showed that there were a total of twenty-five calls between him and Maldonado on December 10. Special Agent Hage provided expert testimony to the effect that the first person called by a drug supplier after a controlled buy is arranged is likely to be involved in the conspiracy. And Rodriguez's phone records showed that each time the DEA's confidential informant arranged a transaction with him, Rodriguez immediately called Maldonado. A reasonable jury could conclude beyond a reasonable doubt, based on this evidence, that Maldonado was engaged in a conspiracy with Garcia and Rodriguez to distribute methamphetamine. See United States v. Smith, 632 F.3d 1043, 1046 (8th Cir. 2011) (affirming a conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine based in part on cell phone records of numerous calls between the members of the conspiracy). Moreover, sufficient evidence supported the jury's drug quantity determination. Maldonado contends that in order to reach the 50 grams of methamphetamine alleged in the conspiracy count, the jury must have held him responsible for the 25.3 grams of methamphetamine distributed on December 2 as well as the 43.8 grams distributed on December 10. Maldonado argues that no direct evidence establishes that he was present at the December 2 transaction. However, a defendant in a conspiracy may be `held responsible for all reasonably foreseeable drug quantities that were in the scope of the criminal activity that he jointly undertook.' United States v. Littrell, 439 F.3d 875, 881 (8th Cir.2006) (quoting United States v. Jimenez-Villasenor, 270 F.3d 554, 561 (8th Cir.2001)). There was sufficient evidence for the jury to conclude that Garcia and Maldonado's conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine extended from December 10 at least as far back as December 2. The December 2 transaction took place in the parking lot of the apartment building where both Maldonado and Garcia resided, and to which the police had followed Garcia on November 24. See Meeks, 639 F.3d at 527-28 (relying on testimony that defendants were selling drugs out of the same apartment in affirming a conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine). Further, the evidence supported the inference that Rodriguez was part of the conspiracy, and Rodriguez's cell phone records established that there was a total of 279 calls between Rodriguez and Maldonado from November 27 to December 22. Indeed, the cell phone records showed that, just as on December 10, there were twenty-five phone calls between Rodriguez and Maldonado on December 2, providing further evidence that Maldonado was participating in the conspiracy at that point. See Smith, 632 F.3d at 1046. Accordingly, a reasonable jury could have concluded that Maldonado became part of the conspiracy at least as early as December 2, and the amount of methamphetamine distributed on that date properly is attributable to him. See Littrell, 439 F.3d at 881. The district court did not err in denying Maldonado's motion for judgment of acquittal.