Opinion ID: 214071
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Admission of Christopher Evans's Testimony

Text: Moore next argues that the district court erred in admitting Evans's testimony. Although at trial he argued that the evidence was beyond the scope of the indictment and thus irrelevant, Moore now contends that the evidence was inadmissible under Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b). The government has maintained that the transaction was part of the conspiracy and has acknowledged that there was a variance between the indictment date and the proof at trial. A variance exists when the evidence proves facts that are materially different from those alleged in the indictment. United States v. Buchanan, 574 F.3d 554, 564 (8th Cir.2009) (internal quotations and citation omitted). Although a variance affects the defendant's Sixth Amendment right to adequate notice, the defendant suffers no prejudice if the indictment has fully and fairly apprised him of the charges. Id. at 565. When the date of the offense is not an element of the charge, we have held on many occasions that a variance between the indictment date and the proof at trial is not fatal so long as the acts charged were committed within the statute of limitations period, and prior to the return date of the indictment. United States v. Stuckey, 220 F.3d 976, 982 (8th Cir.2000) (gathering cases). We review de novo whether a variance exists and whether it prejudiced the defendant. Buchanan, 574 F.3d at 565. The indictment alleged that Moore engaged in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and cocaine [b]etween on or about June 1, 2005, and on or about March 31, 2007. For conviction, the government was required to prove that there was an agreement to distribute the drugs, that Moore knew of the agreement, and that he intentionally joined the agreement. See United States v. Chavez-Alvarez, 594 F.3d 1062, 1066 (8th Cir.2010) (stating the elements of drug distribution conspiracy). The alleged time frame of the conspiracy was not an element of the crime. See United States v. Ghant, 339 F.3d 660, 662 (8th Cir.2003) (Time is not a material element of a conspiracy charge.) (quoting United States v. Turner, 975 F.2d 490, 494 (8th Cir.1992)). Accordingly, the government was not required to prove the dates of the conspiracy, andeven though Evans's crack cocaine purchase occurred approximately one year after the dates allegedthe acts were committed within the statute of limitations period and prior to the return date of the indictment. Despite the difference between the time period alleged in the indictment and the proof at trial, we conclude that the indictment fully and fairly apprised Moore of the charge against him. [4] Moore thus suffered no prejudice and any variance constituted harmless error. The district court did not abuse its discretion in admitting Evans's testimony. See United States v. Mitchell, 613 F.3d 862, 866 (8th Cir.2010) (standard of review). Rule 404(b) does not apply to Evans's testimony because it was not evidence of Moore's other crimes, wrongs, or acts. Rather, it constituted evidence plainly relevant to the existence of and Moore's participation in the conspiracy charged, and thus was properly admitted. See United States v. Stephenson, 924 F.2d 753, 763-64 (8th Cir.1991).