Opinion ID: 609734
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Robert DeMarco Sr.

Text: 156 DeMarco Sr. challenges the court's determination that he is accountable for 4.25 kilograms of cocaine. This finding was based on the testimony of Callahan at the sentencing hearing that he distributed an average of a quarter kilogram of cocaine per month to DeMarco Sr. from January 1987 through February 1988. It is unclear whether Callahan was including in this average one or both of two initial one-kilogram sales to DeMarco Sr. But the district judge resolved that uncertainty by concluding that one of the kilograms was included in the average and the other was not. This conclusion was not clearly erroneous. Indeed, Callahan testified: 157 I would say the second full kilo was part of the average. But conservatively speaking, I would say you could exclude the first kilo and the average would still be quarter kilo a month. 158 Thus, the sum of 4.25 kilograms was derived by totalling the quarter kilogram sales over a thirteen-month period (which amounts to 3.25 kilograms), and then adding the additional one-kilogram sale. Although there were discrepancies in Callahan's testimony as to the quantities and dates of drug sales to DeMarco Sr., the court's choice from among supportable alternatives cannot be clearly erroneous. See McCarthy, 961 F.2d at 978. 159 DeMarco Sr. also argues that the court abused its discretion by failing to award him the reductions provided under section 3B1.2 to minor or minimal participants. The district court was justified in concluding that DeMarco Sr. was a major customer whose monthly purchases of quarter kilograms of cocaine for more than a year helped keep the conspiracy in operation. Indeed, as the government points out, only two of the defendants--Innamorati and Grady--had more cocaine attributed to them at sentencing than DeMarco Sr. We find no error in the court's refusal to grant a downward adjustment.