Opinion ID: 751665
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Sufficiency of Evidence to Convict Herrera; Inconsistent Verdicts.

Text: 55 Herrera contends that there was insufficient evidence to convict him. The government, however, offers several facts in evidence sufficient to support conviction, including: Herrera's participation in the meeting of conspirators on the day of the final, major transfer of drugs; Herrera's regular telephone contact with Topete; Herrera's delivery to Reyes' pickup of a box described as one later found to contain methamphetamine; Herrera's possession of military-style weapons; the quantity and purity of the methamphetamine transported by Herrera, which made his knowledge likely. This evidence was sufficient. See, e.g., United States v. Rodriguez-Ramirez, 777 F.2d 454 (9th Cir.1985); United States v. Segura-Gallegos, 41 F.3d 1266 (9th Cir.1994). 56 Herrera argues, however, that the evidence should be regarded as insufficient in light of the fact that he was acquitted of conspiracy, and his conviction for possession with intent to distribute makes little sense if it was not part of the conspiracy. But, when the evidence is otherwise sufficient to convict, a defendant cannot successfully challenge his conviction on one count on the ground that it is inconsistent with his acquittal on another count. United States v. Powell, 469 U.S. 57, 64-69, 105 S.Ct. 471, 476-79, 83 L.Ed.2d 461 (1984). 57 Herrera argues even more strongly that his conviction should be reversed in light of the acquittal of Reyes. He and Reyes handled the same box; Herrera argues that he can scarcely be guilty if Reyes was innocent. Herrera relies on our statement in United States v. Marchini, 797 F.2d 759 (9th Cir.1986), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 1085, 107 S.Ct. 1288, 94 L.Ed.2d 145 (1987), that a conviction of one defendant and an acquittal of the other when the only evidence of culpability applies equally to both may violate due process unless there is an articulation of a rational basis for dissimilar treatment. Id. at 765. Here, however, the jury could rationally have decided, in light of Herrera's other connections to the conspirators, that he knew the package that he brought to the scene in his car contained drugs, but that Reyes had no way of knowing that it did. See United States v. Guzman, 849 F.2d 447, 449 (9th Cir.1988). There is no violation of due process, and no insufficiency of evidence. 58