Opinion ID: 489490
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Denial of Nichols' Motion for Acquittal

Text: 27 Nichols argues that the government failed to present sufficient evidence to convict him of either conspiracy or theft of TECS information. In making this argument he focuses on the tapes and refers to them as the only evidence the government had. Unfortunately for Nichols however, the government had more evidence. Nichols accessed the TECS trap the same day Lea Ricard told Cook her Customs source was working on the request. Nichols told Lea Ricard that the car was seized and that the U.S. Attorney in Buffalo, New York, would have more information. Nichols told Ricard to make the check out to his wife, who cashed the check. His behavior at the Customs Internal Affairs interview permitted an inference that he had something to hide. And the jury could well have found his testimony at trial evasive, in conflict with other evidence, and lacking credibility. This evidence was more than sufficient to permit a rational trier of fact to find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. See United States v. Samalot-Perez, 767 F.2d 1, 4 (1st Cir.1985); United States v. Beltran, 761 F.2d 1, 6-7 (1st Cir.1985). 28