Opinion ID: 487476
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Oscar Oqueli-Hernandez

Text: 36 Counsel for Oqueli also argues that much of the evidence adduced by the government at trial points toward actual knowledge or guilty conscience on the part of Oqueli rather than deliberate avoidance. 3 Once again, we agree. 37 The government relied on the following evidence to show conscious avoidance by Oqueli:1. Oqueli carried, not his, but Alvarado's suitcases through customs. 38 2. Oqueli used an invalid diplomatic passport to pass through customs. Oqueli had been General Consul to the United States from Honduras for one year but his diplomatic pass had expired. 39 3. Oqueli, along with his son Yuri and Katan, apparently abandoned Alvarado at the airport while Alvarado was being questioned and searched by customs. This was deemed by the government to be suspicious because Alvarado and Oqueli were close friends. 40 4. Oqueli failed to appear at the Marriot Hotel to retrieve his suitcases at Alvarado's request. However, Oqueli's sister arrived at the hotel, asked Alvarado for change, and without engaging him in any other conversation, left and made a phone call. The government claimed the sister was sent to conduct counter-surveillance on behalf of Oqueli. 41 5. Oqueli's peculiar method of retrieving his suitcase. Oqueli arrived at the airport in a taxi. It passed by Alvarado. Alvarado waved. Oqueli did not acknowledge. Oqueli exited the cab a short distance from Alvarado, motioned for him to remain where he was, then walked to a nearby telephone booth and made a telephone call. A telephone near Alvarado began to ring. Alvarado did not answer it. Oqueli hung up and walked hurriedly toward Alvarado. He picked up the suitcases, motioned for Alvarado to follow and walked hurriedly away. When DEA agents attempted to stop Oqueli, he resisted. 42 6. All of Alvarado's telephone calls attempting to set up a meeting to return the suitcases emphasized Alvarado's desire to relinquish the black suitcase to Oqueli. In one telephone call to Oqueli's son Yuri, Alvarado threatened to throw the black suitcase away unless Oqueli appeared. 43 7. Oqueli, in his post-arrest statement, claimed ownership of the black suitcase, but said he had loaned it to his friend before boarding the plane on a return trip. However, at trial he asserted the suitcase belonged to him and that its entire contents were his. 44 These facts, along with the facts relating to Alvarado, point to Oqueli's actual knowledge of the presence of cocaine in the black suitcase and tend to establish a consciousness of guilt. Because there is insufficient evidence for a trier of fact to reasonably conclude that Oqueli contrived to avoid learning of the cocaine, it was inappropriate for the district court to give the Jewell instruction. See Garzon, 688 F.2d at 609.