Opinion ID: 596393
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Lady

Text: 70 Lady did not have the same degree of involvement in the conspiracy as did Kane and Reed. He did not become associated with the Lehder/Mejia/Reed endeavors until 1986, twelve years after the date alleged in the indictment, when Triplett, acting at the request of Mejia, asked Lady to help locate a ranch in Mexico. Lady was paid $1,000 per month and his job was to oversee day to day ranching operations. Drugs were not actually smuggled through the Mexican ranch because Mejia called off the operation. 71 Lady, however, did participate in the scheme to potentially smuggle drugs. In reviewing his claim, we must decide whether the government presented sufficient evidence from which a reasonable jury could conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that a conspiracy existed, that Lady knew about it and that he intentionally joined it. Cole, 755 F.2d at 764 (citing United States v. Maletesta, 590 F.2d 1379, 1381 (5th Cir.1979) (en banc)). Lady need not have knowledge of all of the details of the conspiracy or be aware of all of the participants or participate in every stage. Blumenthal v. United States, 332 U.S. 539, 558, 68 S.Ct. 248, 257, 92 L.Ed. 154 (1947). All that is required is that he intentionally joined the conspiracy. Cole, 755 F.2d at 764. 72 As previously noted, the government presented sufficient evidence to establish that a single conspiracy existed. The common goal was to import cocaine into the United States and the evidence suggested that this scheme was one operation. The evidence also supported the contention that Lady intentionally and knowingly participated in the illegal enterprise. 73 Triplett testified that he informed Lady of his intention to use the Mexican ranch as a waystation for illegal drugs. Lady was promised $100,000 if Triplett succeeded in smuggling drugs through Mexico. Lady delivered $3,200 to Torres to pay for a bin to store the cocaine. He also asked Torres for seeds to improve the runway. Triplett asked Lady to procure aviator fuel for the plane from Colombia. Although Lady did not procure the fuel, the request was further evidence that Lady knew about the conspiracy and intentionally joined it. Finally, Lady did not leave the ranch after learning of the conspiracy. He departed in May, 1987, several months after the drug operation through Mexico had been called off. Thus, the evidence was sufficient to establish a single conspiracy and Lady's participation in the scheme. 74