Court Opinion

ID: 18440
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2010-04-25 07:14:28+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:03:36.385437
License: Public Domain

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                          FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
                          _____________________

                               No. 98-51061
                             Summary Calendar
                          _____________________

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

                                                       Plaintiff-Appellee,

                                    versus

ALFREDO ARROYO-GORROSTIETA,

                                             Defendant-Appellant.
_________________________________________________________________

           Appeal from the United States District Court
                 for the Western District of Texas
                       USDC No. DR-98-CR-7-1
_________________________________________________________________

                                August 6, 1999

Before JOLLY, JONES, and BENAVIDES, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

     Alfredo Arroyo-Gorrostieta (“Arroyo”) appeals his conviction

following a bench trial for importation of marijuana and possession

of marijuana with intent to distribute.              He contends that the

evidence    was   insufficient    to   establish    that   he    knew   of   the

marijuana in a hidden compartment under the vehicle he was driving.

He argues that his nervousness alone is insufficient to establish

that he knew of the hidden marijuana.            The record indicates that

there was substantial evidence that Arroyo knowingly imported and

possessed   marijuana    with    intent   to   distribute,      including    his

inconsistent statements concerning where he was coming from, his

     *
      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this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except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.
lack of luggage, and his extreme nervousness. See United States v.

Ortega-Reyna, 148 F.3d 540, 544 (5th Cir. 1998); United States v.

Diaz-Carreon, 915 F.2d 951, 953 (5th Cir. 1990). Further, Arroyo’s

possession of a large amount of marijuana supports an inference of

guilty knowledge because the owner of contraband would be unlikely

to entrust it to an unwitting person.       See United States v.

Martinez-Moncivais, 14 F.3d 1030, 1034-35 (5th Cir. 1994).

                                                 A F F I R M E D.

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