Opinion ID: 657102
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Quantity of Drugs Within Scope of Conspiracy

Text: 7 Ms. Williams' base offense level reflected 240 ounces of cocaine base to which Mr. Hutchinson had admitted possession. The amount was computed from his statements that he had traveled to Houston approximately once a week from May through December (approximately 30 times) to pick up between 8 and 10 ounces of cocaine base. The district court found Ms. Williams accountable for this conduct and sentenced her accordingly. 8 In sentencing a defendant for a drug-related offense, a judge must approximate the quantity of drugs relevant to the offense, U.S.S.G. 2D1.1 (n.12), including those amounts that were part of the same course of conduct or common scheme or plan as the offense of conviction. U.S.S.G. 1B1.3(a)(2); United States v. Barela, 973 F.2d 852, 855-56 (10th Cir.1992), cert. denied, 113 S.Ct. 1021 (1993). The inclusion of such amounts must be supported by a preponderance of the evidence. United States v. Reyes, 979 F.2d 1406, 1410 (10th Cir.1992). The district court may rely on government estimates in approximating related quantities, United States v. Sturmoski, 971 F.2d 452, 462 (10th Cir.1992), so long as the estimate possesses sufficient indicia of reliability to support its probable accuracy. U.S.S.G. 6A1.3(a). 9 Ms. Williams contends that she should not be held accountable for the 240 ounces of crack transported by Mr. Hutchinson from Houston and later distributed by him. She admits to involvement in only the planning and the consummation of the underlying transaction of January 23, 1992. The evidence, however, is to the contrary. Agent Simpson testified that when she asked Ms. Williams whether she had ever gone to Houston with Mr. Hutchinson, Ms. Williams replied that Mr. Hutchinson never went alone, clearly implying Ms. Williams awareness of Mr. Hutchinson's activities. III R. 237. Moreover, the record reveals Ms. Williams' active participation in drug transactions with Mr. Hutchinson dating from March 1991. III R. 167-76. Clearly, evidence of Ms. Williams' awareness of and active participation in the drug conspiracy adequately supports the district court's finding that the transportation and distribution of cocaine by Mr. Hutchinson prior to December 19, 1991, formed part of a continuous course of conduct for which Ms. Williams was accountable. See United States v. Ruth, 946 F.2d 110, 112-13 (10th Cir.1991); United States v. Sanders, 929 F.2d 1466, 1475 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 112 S.Ct. 143 (1991). 10 We also find no error in the court's estimate of 240 ounces of crack being possessed and distributed by Mr. Hutchinson and Ms. Williams prior to the offense for which they were convicted. This estimate was based on figures which codefendant Hutchinson supplied himself. This certainly evidences the requisite indicia of reliability to support its probable accuracy. U.S.S.G. 6A1.3(a); United States v. Cook, 949 F.2d 289, 296 (10th Cir.1991) (relying on amounts specified in testimony of codefendant); see United States v. Laster, 958 F.2d 315, 318 (10th Cir.1992) (relying on amounts specified in ledger kept by defendant); United States v. Ross, 920 F.2d 1530, 1538 (10th Cir.1990) (same); United States v. Harris, 903 F.2d 770, 778 (10th Cir.1990) (same). 11