Opinion ID: 415488
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admissibility of the Seized Contraband.

Text: 72 When Thomas was searched incident to his arrest, two vials containing traces of heroin and cocaine and several cellophane envelopes were found in his possession, and these items were received in evidence at trial. 23 Thomas argues that the admission of the contraband was so prejudicial that it should have been excluded because it was proof of similar uncharged crimes and that the period of one week between the filing of the indictment (October 13, 1981) and his arrest (October 20, 1981) was too lengthy to permit an inference of his participation in the conspiracy. 73 As we have often observed, the trial judge has broad discretion in ruling on the admissibility of relevant evidence: the preferable rule is to uphold the trial judge's exercise of discretion unless he acts arbitrarily or irrationally. United States v. Robinson, 560 F.2d 507, 515 (2d Cir.1977) (en banc), cert. denied, 435 U.S. 905, 98 S.Ct. 1451, 55 L.Ed.2d 496 (1978). There has been no showing that the trial judge was either arbitrary or irrational in balancing the probative value of this evidence against its prejudicial effect. Quite the contrary. Even if we assume that the contraband proved similar uncharged crimes, glassine envelopes and vials containing narcotics are tools of the drug trade, and evidence of possession of them at a closely related time is relevant to the conspiracy charge and not a mere showing of bad character, even if they relate to transactions outside the scope of the conspiracy. See, e.g., United States v. Barnes, supra, 604 F.2d at 166-67; United States v. Viserto, 596 F.2d 531, 537-38 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 444 U.S. 841, 100 S.Ct. 80, 62 L.Ed.2d 52 (1979). 74 Standing alone, the one-week lapse of time between the filing of the indictment and seizure of the contraband was not so lengthy as to render the evidence too remote from the crime to preclude an inference that Thomas participated in the conspiracy, even if Thomas' source, his brother Howard, was arrested on October 4, 1981, sixteen days before the seizure. See, United States v. Taylor, supra, 562 F.2d at 1358; United States v. Bermudez, 526 F.2d 89, 95-96 (2d Cir.1975), cert. denied, 425 U.S. 970, 96 S.Ct. 2166, 48 L.Ed.2d 793 (1976); United States v. Tramunti, supra, 513 F.2d at 1115-16; United States v. Mallah, 503 F.2d 971, 981 (2d Cir.1974), cert. denied, 420 U.S. 995, 95 S.Ct. 1425, 43 L.Ed.2d 671 (1975). 75