Opinion ID: 669664
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Tapia-Ortiz's Sentence Enhancement

Text: 18 Tapia-Ortiz claims that his sentence should be vacated because there was insufficient evidence to support the district court's finding that he was involved in a related drug transaction for 60 to 100 kilograms of heroin. The district court's factual findings are reviewed under a clearly erroneous standard. United States v. Burnett, 968 F.2d 278, 280 (2d Cir.1992). 19 The district court based its findings on the testimony provided by Agent Payne at a Fatico hearing. Agent Payne indicated that Isaziga had informed him during debriefing sessions that prior to any negotiations with Tapia-Ortiz, Isaziga had met with an individual named Cedeno in Colombia. Isaziga and Cedeno allegedly agreed that the cocaine deal would serve as a test run for a larger deal involving between 60 and 100 kilograms of heroin. Cedeno apparently told Isaziga to contact Tapia-Ortiz when Isaziga returned to the United States, and that Tapia-Ortiz would serve as the contact person for both transactions. However, on the critical question of whether Isaziga had subsequently discussed the future heroin transaction with Tapia-Ortiz, Agent Payne's testimony was conflicted and ultimately inconclusive. 20 On direct examination, Agent Payne testified as follows: 21 Q: What else was discussed down in South America about the--there was discussion about the cocaine. Was there any discussion about a heroin deal? 22 A: As the subsequent--if the 20 kilos had gotten through and there were no problems, as far as Mr. Tapia was concerned, then there was suppose [sic] to be another deal in the future. The amount was not exactly known, but it was suppose [sic] to be somewhere between 60 and 100 kilos, as told to me by Mr. Isaziga. 23 Q: Was it going to work the same way where the ultimate recipient would be the defendant in New York? 24 A: Yes. 25 Q: And was that also discussed? That was discussed in South America? 26 A: Yes. 27 Agent Payne's direct examination provided no further information regarding whether Tapia-Ortiz knew about the negotiations between Isaziga and Cedeno in South America or that he was to play a role in a future heroin transaction. 28 During cross-examination, Agent Payne's testimony regarding Tapia-Ortiz's knowledge of the heroin deal was contradictory. The pertinent testimony reads:Q: So there was no discussion about Mr. Tapia's role between Cedeno and Isaziga? 29 A: Other than the fact that he was to give the drugs to Mr. Tapia. 30 Q: Did Mr. Isaziga ever say he sat down and talked with Mr. Tapia Ortiz about 60 to 100 kilos? 31 A: No, he did not. 32 Q: Did he ever ask him to confirm whether that was true or not in any way? Did they talk about further deals, to the best of your knowledge? 33 A: Yes, they did. 34 Q: Further heroin deals? 35 A: Just--no, just that one heroin deal after the cocaine deal. 36 At best, this testimony contains inconsistent statements that provide scant support for the Government's position. First Agent Payne responded that Isaziga never said he talked with Tapia-Ortiz about the deal involving 60 to 100 kilograms of heroin. Then he said that they talked about the one heroin deal after the cocaine deal. The first statement flatly exculpated Tapia-Ortiz with respect to knowledge of the heroin deal. The second statement is ambiguous depending on who the word they refers to. If the reference is to Isaziga and Cedeno, then Tapia-Ortiz is not implicated. If the reference is to Isaziga and Tapia-Ortiz, then the second statement cannot be reconciled with the first. Thus, we do not see how this testimony can be taken to mean that Isaziga definitely discussed the heroin deal with Tapia-Ortiz. Agent Payne subsequently admitted that at no time did he attempt to have Isaziga record Tapia-Ortiz talking about heroin and that the agent who listened to recorded conversations between Isaziga and Tapia-Ortiz never heard them talk about a heroin deal. 37 The Government argues that it is at least a reasonable inference from this evidence that Tapia-Ortiz was aware that the cocaine deal was simply a dry run for a larger heroin deal in which he was also to be the recipient. However, this argument simply requires too great a leap from the actual evidence presented. Even if Isaziga and Cedeno both believed Tapia-Ortiz would serve as the contact person for a future heroin transaction, and even if he would have been willing to do this if asked, the Government failed to show by a preponderance of the evidence that he knew of the transaction and agreed to participate in it. 38 The district court imputed knowledge to Tapia-Ortiz based on the statement of Cedeno, his alleged co-conspirator, that Tapia-Ortiz would serve as the buyer in both transactions. Yet even if we assume arguendo that Tapia-Ortiz was involved in an uncharged conspiracy with Cedeno, the Government must show that the actions of Cedeno were in furtherance of the conspiracy and were reasonably foreseeable to Tapia-Ortiz before Tapia-Ortiz can be held responsible for them. See United States v. Miranda-Ortiz, 926 F.2d 172, 177-78 (2d Cir.) (co-conspirator cannot be sentenced for certain conspiratorial acts unless there is proof that he knew or should have known about the details of those acts or could reasonably foresee that they would occur), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 112 S.Ct. 347, 116 L.Ed.2d 287 (1991); see also United States v. Martinez, 987 F.2d 920, 926 (2d Cir.1993) (conspirator's reasonable knowledge of relevant conduct is required by statute imposing mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug offenses). The Government has failed to meet this burden. Its argument that Tapia-Ortiz must have known of the future heroin deal because of his participation in the cocaine deal, without any further showing regarding the scope of Tapia-Ortiz's agreement with Cedeno, is simply untenable. Given the lack of evidence presented regarding Tapia-Ortiz's knowledge of the prospective heroin deal, we conclude that it was clearly erroneous for the district court to find that he was involved in this transaction, and therefore error to calculate his base offense level by including this conduct. 39 We have carefully considered the other points raised by defendants and find them to be without merit. For the reasons set forth above, we affirm the judgments of conviction but vacate Tapia-Ortiz's sentence and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.