Opinion ID: 766255
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Count 1: Conspiracy with Ables

Text: 16 Count 1, which relates to conduct concluded on May 21, 1996, charged a conspiratorial relationship between Defendant and Ables to distribute and possess with intent to distribute powder cocaine. Defendant suggests there is no evidence proving that Ables was more than merely present at Defendant's home at the time of Defendant's arrest. Indeed, a defendant's mere presence in a home containing drugs or his mere proximity to drugs does not by itself demonstrate a drug conspiracy. See United States v. Peters, 15 F.3d 540, 544 (6th Cir. 1994). 17 Here, however, the evidence clearly demonstrates that Ables and Defendant worked together to achieve the common goal of violating drug laws. Pearce and Winesburgh both testified that Ables served as a lookout for Defendant during Defendant's drug transactions. Winesburgh testified that on May 21, 1996 he observed as Defendant asked Ables to get a set of triple beam scales, and to get tape to seal up a cocaine package from which Defendant took a sample, and watched Ables comply with Defendant's commands. Moreover, on the day of the arrest, agents found Ables with Defendant, and found two kilograms of cocaine by Ables and one by Defendant. Viewing this evidence in the light most favorable to the government, a rational trier of fact could conclude from the circumstances surrounding Ables'involvement that Ables and Defendant were co-conspirators. See United States v. Christian, 786 F.2d 203, 211 (6th Cir. 1986). Therefore, we find that the government produced sufficient evidence of Defendant's involvement in a drug conspiracy to support his conviction on Count 1. 18