Opinion ID: 709030
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Accountability for 213 Kilograms of Cocaine

Text: 145 Carlton Darden 15 contends that the District Court erred by finding that he was accountable for at least 213 kilograms of cocaine. 16 The particular 213 kilograms of cocaine for which Darden was held accountable were supplied to the JLO by Juan Alfaro Gonzales from 1987 to 1991. Darden contends that the evidence does not support a finding that he directly participated in the distribution of the total amount. We conclude that the evidence supports the District Court's finding that the distribution of at least 213 kilograms of cocaine was the reasonably foreseeable act of Darden's co-conspirators in furtherance of a jointly undertaken criminal activity, for which he is accountable under U.S.S.G. Sec. 1B1.3(a)(1)(B). 146 The Sentencing Guidelines provide that in the case of a jointly undertaken criminal activity, a defendant may be sentenced for all reasonably foreseeable acts and omissions of others in furtherance of the jointly undertaken criminal activity, that occurred during the commission of the offense of conviction. U.S.S.G. Sec. 1B1.3(a)(1)(B). Section 1B1.3 applies to a ... participant who understands the full extent of the conspiracy. Ramey v. United States, 8 F.3d 1313, 1315 (8th Cir.1993). This Court has held that a defendant need not participate directly in the distribution of all the drugs for which he is held accountable; what is required is that the total amount be reasonably foreseeable to him. See United States v. Olderbak, 961 F.2d 756, 763-64 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 506 U.S. 959, 113 S.Ct. 422, 121 L.Ed.2d 344 (1992); United States v. Rice, 49 F.3d 378, 382-83 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 115 S.Ct. 2630, 132 L.Ed.2d 870 (1995). Actual knowledge of the total drug amount is not required. United States v. Adipietro, 983 F.2d 1468, 1476 (8th Cir.1993); Rice, 49 F.3d at 383. A relevant factor in determining whether the total drug amount was reasonably foreseeable to a defendant is whether the defendant demonstrated a substantial level of commitment to the conspiracy. Rice, 49 F.3d at 383. 147 The evidence supports the District Court's finding that the distribution of at least 213 kilograms of cocaine was the reasonably foreseeable act of Darden's co-conspirators in furtherance of their jointly undertaken criminal activity. Michael Lewis, Rudy Weaver, and Ronnie Thomas all testified that Darden played a leading role in the JLO's drug trafficking operation in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Lewis stated that Carlton Darden-Bey and Raymond Amerson-Bey distributed the majority of T's and blues for my brother Jerry. March 15, 1993 Tr. vol. at 61-62. Darden's role diminished over time, but no evidence indicates that he ever withdrew from the conspiracy. Indeed, Earl Parnell testified that in 1985 or 1986 Darden participated in a meeting to discuss the JLO's cocaine trade. Michael Lewis testified that Darden sold the JLO's cocaine from 1987 to 1989, years during which the trafficking of Gonzales's 213 kilograms occurred. Weaver, who was directly involved in the distribution of the 213 kilograms in question, testified that he sold Darden some of that cocaine several times during 1987 and 1988, and that Darden told him that he planned to resell it for a profit. 148 The evidence also establishes that Darden demonstrated his substantial commitment to this drug conspiracy by twice committing attempted murder on its behalf. Earl Parnell, George Noel, and Rochelle Bartlett testified that on April 16, 1980, Darden shot Bartlett at Jerry Lewis's behest because Bartlett had expressed suspicion that Lewis was informing on the drug trafficking business. Ronnie Thomas testified that on June 5, 1981, Darden helped hunt down rival drug dealer Lidell Bud Green, who Amerson subsequently attempted to kill. Michael Lewis testified that Darden knew of his co-conspirators' use of violence to further the interests of the JLO. In sum, considerable evidence establishes Darden's active participation in and understanding of the scope of this conspiracy. 149 The jury found beyond a reasonable doubt that Darden was part of the drug and murder enterprise and the narcotics conspiracy, and that he committed the two attempted murders as well as two separate drug offenses, including possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in 1987 and 1989. In light of the substantial evidence supporting these findings, we conclude that the District Court did not clearly err in finding by a preponderance of the evidence that the distribution of at least 213 kilograms of cocaine was foreseeable to Darden. Even if Darden did not directly engage in the distribution of the total amount, it was the reasonably foreseeable act of others in furtherance of a jointly undertaken criminal activity, for which he is accountable under U.S.S.G. Sec. 1B1.3(a)(1)(B).