Opinion ID: 3216857
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Teadt

Text: Teadt contends that there was insufficient evidence to convict him of mail fraud, as there was no evidence that he knowingly joined a scheme to defraud Wood County. Ordinarily, when the sufficiency of the evidence is challenged on appeal, we must determine, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, whether any rational trier of fact could have found that the essential elements of the crime were satisfied. United States v. Jones, 102 F.3d 804, 807 (6th Cir. 1996). To preserve this challenge for appeal, however, the defendant must not only make a motion for acquittal at the conclusion of the government’s case-in-chief, but must also renew the motion after the close of the evidence. United States v. Price, 134 F.3d 340, 350 (6th Cir. 1998). Because Teadt failed to renew his motion, we review it only for a manifest miscarriage of justice, which exists only when “the record is devoid of evidence pointing to guilt.” United States v. Roberge, 565 F.3d 1005, 1008 (6th Cir. 2009). To find Teadt guilty of mail fraud, the jury had to conclude, by a preponderance of the evidence, that each of the following three elements had been proven: “(1) a scheme or artifice to defraud; (2) use of mails in furtherance of the scheme; and (3) intent to deprive a victim of money or property.” United States v. Turner, 465 F.3d 667, 680 (6th Cir. 2006). Teadt disputes only the third element, relying on his testimony that he had nothing to do with Huebner’s 6 Case Nos. 14-3995/14-4124/14-4125/15-3014/15-3015, United States v. Teadt, et al. forwarding of the fraudulent documents to Wood County. Further, he claims that he did not personally obtain any funds. Teadt also testified that he believed he was going to be terminated from his job at S.S. White, so he actually would be unemployed sometime in the near future. His plan was to take a job with Huebner’s business if the funding from Wood County came through. Teadt’s testimony gives rise to a reasonable inference that he intended to deprive Wood County of funds. When Teadt completed the paperwork for the Wood County HIRE Program, he lied about being unemployed. His testimony suggests that he believed his future employment with Huebner’s business was dependent upon funding from Wood County. There is no requirement that Teadt personally received the funds. Based on the foregoing, the record is not devoid of evidence pointing to Teadt’s guilt.