Opinion ID: 618190
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Testimony of Adam Hafford

Text: Adam Hafford was one of the swimmers who ferried marijuana into Maine from Canada on Michael Pelletier's behalf. While incarcerated in 2007, Hafford met Michael Easler, who had previously served in the same role under Pelletier. According to Hafford's testimony, while he and Easler discussed their common history, Easler told him that he had previously delivered marijuana to Fogg. Fogg claims on appeal that Hafford's testimony was inadmissible hearsay. [5] Once again, there was no objection to this testimony at trial, so we review for plain error. The government concedes that the jailhouse conversations between Hafford and Easler likely occurred after the conspiracy ended, and were not likely to further the conspiracy because Easler had already exhibited conduct consistent with thwarting the conspiracy when he stole money and drugs from Pelletier. Thus, the statements implicating Fogg would not be admissible under Federal Rule of Evidence 801(d)(2)(E). Our inquiry does not end there, however. In Pelletier, we held that Easler's jailhouse statements to Hafford implicating Michael Pelletier in the conspiracy were admissible as an exception to the hearsay prohibition pertaining to statements against interest. Pelletier, 666 F.3d at 7-9; see Fed.R.Evid. 804(b)(3). The same outcome obtains here. A statement is against the declarant's penal interest if it tend[s] to subject the declarant to criminal liability to such an extent that a reasonable person would not make the statement unless it were true. United States v. Jiménez, 419 F.3d 34, 43 (1st Cir.2005) (citing Williamson v. United States, 512 U.S. 594, 599, 114 S.Ct. 2431, 129 L.Ed.2d 476 (1994)). In describing the delivery of marijuana to Fogg, Easler undoubtedly inculpate[d] him[self] in criminal acts and conspiracies with others to commit criminal acts. United States v. Barone, 114 F.3d 1284, 1297 (1st Cir.1997). He also demonstrated an insider's knowledge of a criminal enterprise and its criminal activities, which is another indication that the statements were against his penal interest. Id. Moreover, as we found in Pelletier, the fact that Easler was speaking to an inmate with whom he was acquainted, rather than a police officer, is a circumstance that corroborates the statements' trustworthiness, and thus their admissibility. Pelletier, 666 F.3d at 8-9; Barone, 114 F.3d at 1301. Accordingly, we conclude that there was no plain error in admitting Hafford's testimony.