Opinion ID: 628327
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Monte's Radio Operating Skills

Text: 20 Monte contends that even if radio operating skills could be special skills under certain circumstances, he did not use special skills to perform his duties as radio operator in this offense. The district court found that Monte had special skills in operating radios, which he used in setting up the equipment and using the proper frequencies to reach Colombia. 21 The evidence on this issue included what Monte told an undercover agent about his qualifications. He said he had called Colombia so many times that he had become very familiar with the business, and he told the agent that he often drove to the beach where he used a radio to call Colombia. Other testimony described what Monte actually did in the course of the defendants' stay in Haiti. At sentencing, the district court contrasted merely talking on the radio with what Monte actually did in his role as the radio expert. (R. 8 at 16). Monte set up the radio involved in the offense with the help of two others. He produced a piece of paper with possible frequencies written on it. He complained about the lack of certain amplifiers and other equipment and said that he would bring these items the next time. He successfully operated the radio to speak with persons in Colombia on several occasions while the defendants made arrangements to receive the cocaine from Colombia. 22 Based on the evidence as a whole, the district court's finding is not clearly erroneous. Where the evidence has two possible interpretations, the district court's choice between them cannot be clearly erroneous. Anderson v. City of Bessemer City, 470 U.S. 564, 573-74, 105 S.Ct. 1504, 1511, 84 L.Ed.2d 518 (1985).