Opinion ID: 784866
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sufficiency of Evidence as to Conspiracy Count (Cintrón-Caraballo, Vega-Cosme, Vega-Colón)

Text: 174 Vega-Cosme and Vega-Colón argue that the evidence is insufficient to tie them to the charged conspiracy. We reject this claim. 175 The government presented overwhelming evidence of Vega-Cosme's participation in the conspiracy. Government witnesses testified that Vega-Cosme had a series of agreements with other members of the conspiracy to maximize drug revenue. He negotiated with the Chacho gang on behalf of the drug points to end the warfare that was interfering with drug sales, met with Negrón-Maldonado to coordinate the colors of crack capsule caps to avoid competition between the points, and arranged the opening of his own drug point on Laguna Street with Soto Ramírez. Although Vega-Cosme correctly notes that there is no evidence that Soto-Ramírez acted as his supplier, the government did present testimony that Vega-Cosme supplied narcotics to Soto-Ramírez, along with ammunition used in shootings of rival gang members in 1992 and 1993. 176 The record also shows sufficient evidence of the participation of Vega-Cosme's son, Miguel Vega-Colón. Vega-Colón packaged crack cocaine, heroin, and marijuana for his father's point. He also stood armed guard at the Callejón Nueve drug point, which was owned by Rodríguez-López. Both of those activities were in furtherance of the conspiracy. Moreover, based on Vega-Colón's presence at meetings between Vega-Cosme and Soto-Ramírez, a reasonable jury could have concluded that he joined the conspiracy knowingly and voluntarily. 177 Vega-Cosme and Vega-Colón also argue that their convictions are based on unreliable testimony from co-conspirators who had clear incentives to testify untruthfully. In assessing the sufficiency of evidence, credibility determinations must be resolved in favor of the verdict. United States v. Guerra-Garcia, 336 F.3d 19, 22 (1st Cir.2003). Credibility judgments are the province of the jury, not of this court. 178 Cintrón-Caraballo also makes an insufficiency of evidence argument. He argues that the district court erred in admitting certain expert testimony and Rule 404(b) bad act evidence, and contends that without this evidence, the only evidence tying him to the conspiracy is the uncorroborated testimony of co-conspirators. This argument fails. The contested evidence was properly admitted. See Part III.B(f)-(g). Moreover, even if Cintrón-Caraballo's conviction rested only on co-conspirator testimony, the jury was entitled to credit such testimony and convict him on that basis. See United States v. Torres-Galindo, 206 F.3d 136, 140 (1st Cir.2000). 179