Opinion ID: 173269
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Lopez-Medina's Testimony

Text: Lopez-Medina testified. He was born in Mexico but had lived or resided in the United States for 13, 14 years. (R. Supp. Vol. I, Doc. 181 at 23.) His only previous arrest was for a traffic ticket. He lived at the Layton residence with Lopez-Ahumado and a nephew for approximately eight months beginning in December 2004 or January 2005. The apartment had two bedrooms. Lopez-Ahumado and the nephew slept in the bedrooms; Lopez-Medina slept on the living room couch. Lopez-Ahumado and the nephew traveled frequently, buying and selling cars. Lopez-Medina began to suspect they were into something that was not good because people often visited the apartment looking for them. ( Id. at 26.) Lopez-Ahumado and the nephew were in the process of moving out at the time Lopez-Medina was arrested. Lopez-Medina denied the items found during the trash runs belonged to him. He was in the habit of picking up all the mail from the postal box at the curb of the Layton residence and placing it in a box inside the house for the other tenants to pick up. Kiesz spent a lot of time with Lopez-Ahumado and the nephew at the apartment. Lopez-Medina denied knowing Fowers: I don't know whether I've seen him, but he's gone to see [Lopez-Ahumado] so much that I may have seen him. ( Id. at 28.) Lopez-Medina testified he had been mistaken for Lopez-Ahumado [m]any, many times. ( Id. at 29.) The first time he saw the green pickup truck was when Lopez-Ahumado drove it while moving to the Clearfield apartment and he had never been inside or under the truck. He denied placing drugs inside the fuel tank and, asked if he was a drug dealer, answered, No, sir. I am a mechanic. ( Id. at 30.) On cross-examination, Lopez-Medina acknowledged he had his nickname (Gera) tattooed on his shoulder. He also acknowledged weighing 180 pounds in August 2005 and 203 pounds at the time of trial. This exchange then occurred: Q. How many years have you been here in the United States? A. Like 13 or 14 years. Q. You are illegally here, aren't you? A. Oh, yes. Q. Have you been breaking the law for 13 or 14 years? A. Well, I believe so. ( Id. at 31.) Lopez-Medina acknowledged Kiesz came to the Layton residence almost every day when Lopez-Ahumado and the nephew were there. Q. She used methamphetamine with you every day she was there? A. No, sir. Q. She exchanged sex for the methamphetamine that you gave her? A. No, sir, not with me. I don't know if it was with my brother. Q. You gave her methamphetamine? A. No. ( Id. at 32.) On re-direct Lopez-Medina explained he had gained weight following his arrest because he was incarcerated and was not allowed to exercise.