Opinion ID: 64550
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Ford contends that the evidence is insufficient to sustain her conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. When reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence, we view all evidence, whether circumstantial or direct, in the light most favorable to the government, with all reasonable inferences and credibility choices to be made in support of the jury’s verdict. United States v. Salazar, 958 F.2d 1285, 1290–91 (5th Cir. 1992). The evidence is sufficient to support a conviction if a rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Id. The evidence need not exclude every reasonable hypothesis of innocence or be completely inconsistent with every conclusion except guilt, so long as a reasonable trier of fact could find that the evidence established guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Faulkner, 17 F.3d 745, 768 (5th Cir. 1994). With respect to the offense of wire fraud, the “government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant: (1) engaged in a scheme to defraud and (2) used, or caused the use of, wire communications in furtherance of that scheme.” United States v. Rivera, 295 F.3d 461, 466 (5th Cir. 2002) (citing 18 U.S.C. § 1343). With respect to conspiracy, the district court’s instructions provided that the jury must be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that: (1) “two or more persons, directly or indirectly, reached an agreement to devise and execute a scheme to defraud”; (2) “the defendant knew the unlawful purpose of the agreement;” and (3) “the defendant joined in the agreement willfully, that is, with the intent to further the unlawful purpose.” 4 No. 07-20885 Ford does not dispute that there was a conspiracy to commit wire fraud; instead, she contends that she did not knowingly participate in it. The defense’s position at trial was that Ford innocently followed the instructions from Harris and Houston. Ford contends that her role was to process documents that were approved and signed by other individuals and send them to the lender. Upon receipt of the documents, the lender wired funds to the title company pursuant to the settlement statement. Accordingly, the issue is whether the evidence is sufficient to show that Ford was aware of the misrepresentations and misinformation she submitted to the lenders. At trial, Harris, Ford’s codefendant, testified that he: conspired with Ms. Ford. Her role was not as far as getting the process going with the mortgage company. Her role was with the title, disbursing the funds. That’s what I conspired with her, as far as . . . the title stuff. As far as the money, the transfer, the wire coming back, how the money was being disbursed. Harris also testified that Ford did “whatever she had to do as far as being a closer to manipulate the [settlement statement] to make it go smoothly.” As Ford admits, Harris’s testimony also indicated that Ford knew to pay Harris and Houston from the lenders’ funds for services that had not been performed on the houses. He also testified that on one occasion he failed to bring a cashier’s check for the earnest money to a closing, and Ford “just like made one on the computer and faxed it to the lender.” Harris testified that Ford was aware that some of the buyers were fraudulently claiming in a certificate of occupancy that the home would be a primary residence. Armstead testified that she did not meet Ford until the closing that precipitated Ford’s arrest. Armstead further testified that she believed that Ford “knew more about what was going on.” Armstead came to this conclusion based on the conversation during the closing, “the looks exchanged between the two [Harris and Ford]” and “the fact that [Harris] had said that [Ford] worked 5 No. 07-20885 with him and she was cool.” During Armstead’s closing, although Armstead told Ford that her social security number was incorrect, Ford did not stop the closing in accordance with the lender’s rules. Instead, Ford instructed Armstead to correct the number and continue to sign the forms. Additionally, Special Agent Vincent Edwards testified that he monitored the audio of the closing that culminated in Ford’s arrest. He testified that when he interrupted the closing, he inquired of each person what their purpose was at the closing. Ford responded that she was representing the builder. To the contrary, Ford was employed by AmeriTrust Title. We have previously recognized that lying to agents is evidence of guilty knowledge. United States v. Romero-Reyna, 867 F.2d 834, 836 (5th Cir. 1989). Ford contends that the testimony of Harris was insufficient to prove that she knowingly participated. This Court has explained that it “is concerned only with the sufficiency—not the weight—of evidence.” United States v. Garcia, 995 F.2d 556, 561 (5th Cir. 1993). To put a finer point on it, the credibility of a witness and the “weight of the evidence is the exclusive province of the jury.” Id. The jury was free to credit Harris’s testimony. Indeed, this Court is bound to accept a jury’s credibility determinations unless the challenged testimony “is so unbelievable on its face that it defies physical laws.” United States v. McKenzie, 768 F.2d 602, 605 (5th Cir. 1985). Ford also points to evidence showing that she was unaware of the fake social security numbers. The government does not contend that she had knowledge of the fake social security numbers. Indeed, Harris’s testimony makes clear that Ford’s role in the conspiracy did not involve knowledge of the fake social security numbers. Ford’s role was to ensure that the settlement statement was manipulated such that the lender would be unaware that the amount of the loan was fraudulently inflated. Ford would also facilitate concealing certain information from the lender —such as the fact that the buyer 6 No. 07-20885 was not going to occupy the home as a primary residence. Accordingly, we find that the evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to the verdict, allows a rational trier of fact to find that Ford knowingly participated in the wire fraud scheme. The conviction is AFFIRMED.