Opinion ID: 669625
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 2 Chernoff, Jackson and Puig argue that the evidence was insufficient to support their convictions. The defendants bear a heavy burden in attempting to overturn their convictions on this basis. In reviewing the evidence, we must draw all reasonable inferences in the government's favor, and we will reverse only if no rational jury could have found the defendants guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Gutierrez, 978 F.2d 1463, 1468 (7th Cir.1992); United States v. Curry, 977 F.2d 1042, 1053 (7th Cir.1992), cert. denied, 113 S.Ct. 1357 (1993). We will not reweigh the evidence or reevaluate the credibility of the witnesses. United States v. Van Wyhe, 965 F.2d 528, 531 (7th Cir.1992). Contrary to defendants' arguments here, then, the fact that inferences could have been drawn in the defendants' favor does not require a reversal of their convictions. 3 In order to prove the existence of a conspiracy, the government must establish that 1) the defendants agreed to accomplish an illegal objective; 2) the defendants performed at least one overt act in furtherance of the illegal objective; and 3) the conspirators intended to commit the substantive offense. United States v. Scarbrough, 990 F.2d 296, 299 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 114 S.Ct. 121 (1993). Because conspiracies are secretive by their very nature, evidence of a formal agreement is not required. Id. Instead, an agreement to conspire may be established by circumstantial evidence, including reasonable inferences drawn from the defendants' conduct and overt acts. Id. The intent element is satisfied by a showing that the defendant had the mental state that is required to establish the underlying offense. Id. at 301; United States v. Reiswitz, 941 F.2d 488, 495 (7th Cir.1991). The evidence linking the defendant to the conspiracy must be substantial. United States v. Durrive, 902 F.2d 1221, 1228 (7th Cir.1990).
4 The government presented the following evidence regarding Chernoff. Between April and June of 1989, 76 telephone calls were made from Chernoff's home using an MCI telephone code that had been issued to a Nebraska organization named Gallop. On June 12, 1989, Chernoff, who was in New York City, spoke by telephone with Bregantini, who was in Wisconsin. Bregantini provided Chernoff with five additional Gallop codes, and the two discussed the use of the codes. There was no evidence suggesting that Bregantini told Chernoff that use of the codes was authorized. In addition, the individual who installed Gallop's telephone system testified that the organization had removed the telephone line at issue because it was being used by unauthorized parties. During the June 12 call, Bregantini and Chernoff also referred obliquely to the collection of credit card numbers. 5 When Chernoff was questioned by the Secret Service about his use of the telephone codes on November 5, 1987, he denied that he had made the calls from his home, suggesting that they had been made by others. When confronted with a tape recording of his June 1989 conversation with Bregantini, Chernoff stated that he did not recall the conversation because at the time of the call he was taking medication that caused memory loss. 6 That evidence is sufficient to support both the conspiracy and the wire fraud convictions. Chernoff argues that his conspiracy conviction should be reversed because the government failed to prove that the defendants actually committed the substantive offenses upon which the conspiracy charge was based. We need not address that argument, however, because such proof is not necessary to establish a conspiracy. As we explained in United States v. Townsend, 924 F.2d 1385, 1399 (7th Cir.1991), the offense of conspiracy is complete at the time of agreement, whether or not its object is ever achieved.
7 The following evidence implicated Jackson in the conspiracy. During November 1988, Jackson did repair work on an apartment owned by his friend Jackie Jordan. On various days during that month, when Jackson had access to the apartment and Jordan was not at home, three deliveries of merchandise fraudulently obtained as part of the conspiracy were delivered to the apartment. At least one of the deliveries was of merchandise ordered from telephones (using unauthorized access codes) in Bregantini's clinic and Faries' cell block. There was also a note found in Faries' cell block indicating that at least some of the merchandise delivered to the apartment was for Bregantini. The merchandise was signed for in the name of C. Wilson, C. Willeaus, and C. Williams. In addition, Jackson picked up a fraudulently obtained computer from a computer retailer on December 30, 1988, representing himself to be P. Johnson. When interviewed by the secret service, Jackson denied ever having been to the computer store. Jackson was also linked to the pickup of several packages of illegally obtained merchandise from another apartment complex at the behest of Bregantini and Hernandez. 8 Sixteen telephone calls were placed from Bregantini's clinic to Jackson's daughter in Madison, Wisconsin. Jackson also used a credit card issued in the name of Francis Brenan (who had not applied for the card) to purchase items and obtain cash. In addition, various documents seized from Jackson's home and Faries' cell block linked Jackson to various addresses and credit card numbers used in the conspiracy. Jackson was also implicated by several intercepted phone conversations between himself and Bregantini or Faries. That evidence is clearly sufficient to support Jackson's conviction.
9 Puig received several shipments from Faries of fraudulently obtained merchandise and she also received $200 that was wired to her via Western Union from Bregantini. Although she concedes these facts, she argues that she thought she was receiving gifts from Faries and did not knowingly participate in the conspiracy. Yet the evidence was sufficient to support the jury's inference that she did know that the merchandise was fraudulently obtained. In December 1988, Puig received cookies addressed to her son that included a note signed by J.R., which was the name of the person on whose credit card they had been ordered. In February 1989, she received a television, stereo and speakers that had been fraudulently obtained. The shipment contained an invoice indicating that the items had been purchased by Kenneth Noel, the person on whose credit card the items were purchased. The $200, which Puig claims to have thought came from Faries, was sent from Wisconsin (by Bregantini) even though Faries was incarcerated in Florida. Puig also received a camcorder and cigars from Faries, although she failed to advise the secret service of either of those items when she was interviewed. The evidence also linked Puig to the pick-up of various additional shipments to various addresses, and her name was frequently noted in connection with the shipment of merchandise in the papers that were recovered from Faries' cell.