Court Opinion

ID: 20611
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2010-04-25 07:35:59+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:37:19.617305
License: Public Domain

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                         FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
                         _____________________

                                No. 99-40883
                              Summary Calendar
                           _____________________

                       UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

                                                       Plaintiff-Appellee,

                                   versus

                      LACHANDRA LATAAN MITCHELL,

                                             Defendant-Appellant.
_________________________________________________________________

           Appeal from the United States District Court
                 for the Eastern District of Texas
                         (1:98-CR-200-ALL)
_________________________________________________________________
                           March 22, 2000

Before SMITH, BARKSDALE, and PARKER, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

     Lachandra Lataan Mitchell appeals her conviction for one count

of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21

U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).

     First, Mitchell contends that the district court erred in

denying her motion to suppress.            The officers’ initial stop of

Mitchell was properly based on a violation of Texas law, namely,

her failure to have a properly displayed license plate, and their

subsequent     detention   of   Mitchell    was   founded   upon   reasonable

suspicion.     See United States v. Prudhome, 13 F.3d 147, 149 (5th

Cir.), cert. denied, 511 U.S. 1097 (1994); United States v. Tellez,

     *
      Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the Court has determined that
this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except
under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4.
11 F.3d 530, 532 (5th Cir. 1993), cert. denied, 511 U.S. 1060

(1994). Accordingly, the district court did not err in denying the

motion to suppress.      See United States v. Inocencio, 40 F.3d 716,

721 (5th Cir. 1994).

     Next, Mitchell claims insufficient evidence to support her

conviction.      When stopped, Mitchell consented to her vehicle being

searched.   Crack and powder cocaine, with an approximate $250,000

street value, was found in the trunk.            Her conviction was amply

supported   by    evidence   of   her   guilty   knowledge   and   intent   to

distribute the cocaine.      See United States v. Jones, 185 F.3d 459,

464 (5th Cir. 1999).

                                                              AFFIRMED

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