Opinion ID: 517671
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: SUFFICIENCY OF THE EVIDENCE. (Quitian and Dairo Rios)

Text: 22 Defendants Dairo Rios and Quitian contend that the evidence was insufficient to support their convictions and, therefore, that the district court erred in denying their motions for acquittal. 23 The defendants' convictions must be upheld if, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, there is substantial evidence to support the jury's verdict. United States v. Coronel Quintana, 752 F.2d 1284, 1292 (8th Cir.) cert. denied 474 U.S. 819, 106 S.Ct. 66, 88 L.Ed.2d 54 (1985); Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 80, 62 S.Ct. 457, 469, 86 L.Ed. 680, 700 (1942); United States v. Hudson, 717 F.2d 1211, 1213 (8th Cir.1983). In reviewing the jury's verdict, we give the government the benefit of all inferences that may reasonably be drawn from the evidence. Hudson, 717 F.2d at 1213; United States v. Richmond, 700 F.2d 1183, 1189 (8th Cir.1983); United States v. Cox, 580 F.2d 317, 323 (8th Cir.1978), cert. denied, 439 U.S. 1075, 99 S.Ct. 851, 59 L.Ed.2d 43 (1979). Moreover, it is unnecessary that the evidence exclude every reasonable hypotheses except guilt; rather, the evidence must simply be sufficient to convince the jury beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty. United States v. Bentley, 706 F.2d 1498, 1508 (8th Cir.1983), cert. denied, 467 U.S. 1209, 104 S.Ct. 2397, 81 L.Ed.2d 354 (1984); United States v. Richmond, 700 F.2d at 1189; United States v. Archambault, 670 F.2d 800, 801 (8th Cir.1982). Finally, the essential elements of the charge may be proven by circumstantial, as well as direct evidence. Holland v. United States, 348 U.S. 121, 140, 75 S.Ct. 127, 137, 99 L.Ed. 150, 160 (1954); Hudson, 717 F.2d at 1213; Richmond, 700 F.2d at 1189. Viewing the evidence under these standards, we believe that the district court did not err in denying the defendants' motions for judgment of acquittal. 24 The evidence and its reasonable inferences showed that Dairo Rios and Ochoa were partners in the cocaine trade who arranged for delivery of the 14 kilos to Minnesota in the car driven by Quitian and German Rios from New York. When Dairo Rios and Ochoa arrived in Minnesota by air, they rented the two cars and two telephones. 25 They told Bordonaro they were going to get the cocaine. They drove directly to the Skywood in Fridley and met only with Quitian near the New York car. Although Quitian asserts that it was German Rios who met with Ochoa and Dairo Rios, the identifying officer was cross-examined on this issue and the jury could have believed it had been Quitian. The officers were conducting a roving surveillance, so they did not see the actual transfer of the cocaine between cars at the Skywood. Ochoa then told Bordonaro by telephone that they had the cocaine. Dairo Rios and Ochoa came immediately back to Bloomington with the cocaine, which was promptly delivered to the undercover officer. Ochoa made statements indicating that the money would be returned to New York in the same car. 26 Further evidence indicating Quitian's involvement was found in the motel room he shared with German Rios, including the empty bindle, the razor blades, and the Hertz map marked with the location of Ochoa's hotel, and a piece of plastic matching the plastic in which the 14 kilograms was wrapped was found in a bag containing Quitian's wallet. 27 Quitian's home telephone bill showed calls from New York to Colombia during the critical days of August 22, 23 and 25, when Marin was in Colombia putting the deal together. The telephone tolls from Ochoa's hotel room showed no local calls except to Quitian's motel. The portable telephone records showed no local calls on August 31 except to Ochoa's hotel and to Quitian's motel. 28 Quitian relies upon the mere presence cases of United States v. Clemons, 503 F.2d 486 (8th Cir.1974); United States v. Frol, 518 F.2d 1134 (8th Cir.1975); and United States v. Robinson, 782 F.2d 128 (8th Cir.1986) to support his contention that the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction. None of these cases involved, as here, incriminating evidence such as a large amount of cocaine involving of necessity a large number of conspirators, nor an exclusive meeting such as that between Quitian and the procurers of cocaine at the exact time when the procurers had gone to get it, nor extensive countersurveillance, as performed by Quitian, nor telephone calls to Colombia during another critical time of the conspiracy, as were made from Quitian's home. 29 Dairo Rios raises two contentions. He contends that no evidence was presented at trial that he had participated in a transaction either by transporting, carrying, or possessing the black bag containing cocaine, or in any other manner. The cases in this circuit have clearly held that neither possession nor an actual sale by a defendant need be proved by the government on a charge of distributing or aiding and abetting the distribution of drugs. See United States v. Nelson, 563 F.2d 928, 928-931 (8th Cir.1977); United States v. Collins, 552 F.2d 243, 245-46 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 434 U.S. 870, 98 S.Ct. 214, 54 L.Ed.2d 149 (1977); and United States v. Pruitt, 487 F.2d 1241, 1245 (8th Cir.1973). 30 Dairo Rios also contends that the only direct evidence connecting him with cocaine was the testimony of Karen Bordonaro concerning an August 26, 1987, meeting in New York City at which he displayed a kilogram of cocaine. He points out that he took the stand and denied that the meeting ever occurred. The jury was entitled to credit Bordonaro rather than the defendant. When questions concerning a defendant's intent in a narcotics case turn on the credibility and demeanor of witnesses, it is peculiarly the province of the fact finder. United States v. Reeves, 730 F.2d 1189, 1195 (8th Cir.1984). The evidence recited above, together with the fact that Dairo Rios drove the rental car from the Skywood to the Marriott when it had the 14 kilos in its trunk were sufficient to convict him. 31 Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, there was substantial evidence to support the convictions of both Rios and Quitian.