Opinion ID: 553323
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: unindicted acts

Text: 69 Roundy makes essentially two arguments with regard to the introduction into evidence of unindicted crimes in his case. On an initial level he challenges their admissibility, and the constitutionality thereof, and he further charges that the District Court improperly used them as predicates to support his RICO conviction. Roundy refers to instances of testimony regarding flights to Colombia and back that he allegedly piloted, as well as of his activities at Maierhoffer's fixed base operation and in Maine. Roundy entered and perfected a continuing objection to this testimony and the issue is properly before this court. We deal with his contentions in reverse order. 70 Roundy's argument that his conviction rests on uncharged predicate crimes relies in part on his claim that the predicates alleged to him merge at law. We have already dismissed his merger contention above, thus his own actions constitute two predicate offenses. From our preceding discussion regarding the sufficiency of the evidence supra, it is also clear that the evidence is adequate to show Roundy's agreement to the overall conspiracy, thus the predicate crimes of other conspirators can also serve as predicate acts for appellant's RICO conviction. In particular, we cite Lee Curry's Travel Act violation in connection with the August 3rd scheme which Roundy was shown to be closely tied to. In sum, there is clearly evidence of Roundy's agreement to at least two listed and indicted predicate acts. 24 71 Roundy also contests the admissibility of these uncharged crimes since they are not listed as predicate crimes in the indictment. The acts, such as his activities as a pilot, are clearly admissible nonetheless. In addition to predicate crimes, a RICO conspiracy charge requires proof of an enterprise, of the continuity of racketeering activity, and of the defendant's knowledge of, agreement to, and participation in the conspiracy. The evidence introduced showing Roundy to have piloted flights other than those charged as predicates, as well as his repeated presence at LeQuire's and Maierhoffer's, while not to be used as RICO predicates, are clearly relevant and admissible to proving RICO's other elements. See H.J., Inc. v. Northwestern Bell Telephone Co., 492 U.S. 229, 109 S.Ct. 2893, 2902, 106 L.Ed.2d 195 (1989) ([C]ontinuity may be established by showing that the predicate acts or offenses are part of an ongoing entity's regular way of doing business.); United States v. Finestone, 16 F.2d 583, 587 (11th Cir.), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 948, 108 S.Ct. 338, 98 L.Ed.2d 365 (1987) (Uncharged acts were admissible to prove the membership and participation in the RICO conspiracy.); United States v. Neapolitan, 791 F.2d 489, 501 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 940, 107 S.Ct. 422, 93 L.Ed.2d 372 (1986) (Acts not appearing in the indictment would be admissible as circumstantial evidence that Neapolitan was a member of a conspiracy.); United States v. Kaplan, 886 F.2d 536, 549 (2d Cir.1989), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 1127, 107 L.Ed.2d 1033 (1990) (Testimony concerning unindicted acts allowed to establish continuity). The trial judge in this case clearly instructed the jury to consider as predicates only those crimes so listed in the indictment, and that other evidence introduced was limited to finding of continuity or of the nature and scope of Roundy's agreement. 25 72 Lastly Roundy states that the use of the evidence regarding uncharged acts violated the procedural notice function fulfilled by a criminal indictment. This court has held that an indictment is sufficient if it sets forth the elements of the offense in a manner which fairly informs the defendant of the charges against him. United States v. Elkins, 885 F.2d 775, 782 (11th Cir.1989), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 1300, 108 L.Ed.2d 477 (1990), relying on Hamling v. United States, 418 U.S. 87, 117, 94 S.Ct. 2887, 2907, 41 L.Ed.2d 590 (1974). All the evidence complained of by Roundy is explicitly referred to in the indictment in sections other than that concerning predicate acts. Roundy's role as a pilot on numerous flights was clearly stated in the Overt Acts section. Appellant no doubt knew which witnesses were to testify against him and what their likely testimony might be. He can make no claim that he was prejudicially surprised or that he did not have fair notice of what the government intended to introduce against him. Despite Roundy's complaint, we hold that the indictment has sufficiently appris[ed] the defendant of what he must be prepared to meet. Russell v. United States, 369 U.S. 749, 763, 82 S.Ct. 1038, 1047, 8 L.Ed.2d 240 (1961).