Opinion ID: 597808
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Aponte's Killing of Robert

Text: 53 Aponte argues that the government failed to prove that his killing of Robert was for the purpose of maintaining or increasing Aponte's position in the Organization because, he contends, there was insufficient evidence that Aponte was then a member of the Organization rather than simply an independent contractor. The record, viewed in the light most favorable to the government, does not support his contention. 54 In passing, we note that § 1959 as a whole is sufficiently inclusive to encompass the actions of a so-called independent contractor, for it reaches not only those who seek to maintain or increase their positions within a RICO enterprise, but also those who perform violent crimes as consideration for the receipt of ... anything of pecuniary value from such an enterprise. The evidence at trial included proof that, for killing Robert, Aponte received a diamond Rolex watch and $10,000. Hence, even as an independent contractor he could have been prosecuted for a violation of the clause of § 1959 quoted here. However, the indictment alleged only that Aponte had sought to maintain or increase his position in the Organization, and we are therefore constrained by those allegations. See, e.g., Dunn v. United States, 442 U.S. 100, 106, 99 S.Ct. 2190, 2194, 60 L.Ed.2d 743 (1979) (To uphold a conviction on a charge that was neither alleged in an indictment nor presented to a jury at trial offends the most basic notions of due process.). 55 In any event, we reject the contention that the evidence was not sufficient to show that Aponte, when he killed Robert on February 23, 1989, was a member of the Organization. The record included the trial testimony of accomplice Vincent Hernandez, who had been recruited into the Organization by defendant Fernando Alvarez, one of its street bosses and enforcers. Prior to February 2, 1989, Alvarez, an Organization member since at least 1988, introduced Hernandez to Aponte and described Aponte as Alvarez's boss. That description was supported by the testimony of Pomales that Alvarez was the driver of Aponte's getaway car when Aponte killed Robert.