Opinion ID: 499444
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Aiding and abetting liability under 21 U.S.C. Sec. 848.

Text: 44 Ernest A. Benevento appeals his conviction on the continuing criminal enterprise charge in count six of the indictment. Benevento contends that the district court erred in instructing the jury that it could find him guilty of violating section 848 if it found that he aided and abetted Ernesto J. Benevento in the operation of a continuing criminal enterprise. Benevento acknowledges that the indictment charged him as a principal, as well as an accomplice, and he does not deny that the jury's instructions on direct liability under that section were correct. He argues, however, under Sandstrom v. Montana, 442 U.S. 510, 99 S.Ct. 2450, 61 L.Ed.2d 39 (1979), that where two instructions are given to the jury and one version is correct and the other erroneous and where it cannot be deduced which instruction the jury followed, the conviction must be reversed. See 442 U.S. at 526, 99 S.Ct. at 2460. 45 The government did not respond to Benevento's Sandstrom argument, and it appears from the government's brief that it all but concedes that Benevento could not have been found guilty directly under section 848--presumably because trial evidence did not sufficiently establish that he coordinated or managed five or more individuals in the conduct of the enterprise. See 21 U.S.C. Sec. 848(d). Nevertheless, the government argues that, under limited circumstances, aiding and abetting liability is appropriate in section 848 cases. The government acknowledges that mere employees of an enterprise may not be convicted under that section, but contends that an individual who provides substantial assistance to the criminal enterprise's principal and who acts in a managerial capacity while furthering the enterprise's activities, should be held liable as an aider and abettor, even if he could not be held liable as a principal. The government suggests that the evidence at trial demonstrated that Benevento engaged in managerial functions throughout J.E.M.'s drug operations and provided substantial assistance to Ernesto J. Benevento. The government points out that Benevento provided J.E.M. with the use of his Arizona home for the drug manufacturing laboratory, maintained detailed financial records for the enterprise on his computer at home, contributed substantial amounts of capital to fund the second drug venture and attempted to smuggle currency out of the United States for J.E.M. The government concludes that, in Benevento's case, aiding and abetting liability would be appropriate. 46 Recently, in a decision issued after oral argument in the instant appeal, this court determined that aiding and abetting liability, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2, is not available in prosecutions under section 848. See United States v. Amen, 831 F.2d 373, 381-82 (2d Cir.1987). In light of our decision in Amen, we conclude that the district court erred when it instructed the jury that it could convict Benevento under section 848 if it found that he aided and abetted Ernesto J. Benevento in operating a continuing criminal enterprise. Furthermore, because it appears that the evidence at trial was insufficient to convict Benevento as a principal under that section, we reverse his conviction on the continuing criminal enterprise charge in count six. See Amen, 831 F.2d at 382. 47