State v. Longo

909 N.W.2d 599
CourtCourt of Appeals of Minnesota
DecidedMarch 26, 2018
DocketA16-1995
StatusPublished

This text of 909 N.W.2d 599 (State v. Longo) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Longo, 909 N.W.2d 599 (Mich. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

SCHELLHAS, Judge

Appellant challenges his convictions of, and sentences for, racketeering, controlled-substance crimes, and conspiracy to commit controlled-substance crimes, arguing that (1) the evidence is insufficient to sustain his convictions of racketeering and conspiracy to commit first-degree sale of a controlled substance; (2) the district court erroneously instructed the jury; (3) the prosecutor committed prejudicial misconduct; and (4) the district court made multiple sentencing errors. Appellant also filed a pro se supplemental brief in which he raised several arguments. We affirm appellant's convictions but reverse and remand for resentencing.

FACTS

In June 2015, respondent State of Minnesota charged appellant Erick Longo with the following 14 counts: two counts of racketeering; four counts of conspiracy to *604commit first-degree controlled-substance crime; one count of conspiracy to commit second-degree controlled-substance crime; one count of first-degree controlled-substance crime; three counts of second-degree controlled-substance crime; one count of third-degree controlled-substance crime; one count of fourth-degree controlled-substance crime; and one count of fifth-degree controlled-substance crime.

At trial, the state presented evidence that between May 2014 and July 2015, confidential informants (CIs) purchased methamphetamine from Longo in multiple controlled buys conducted by law enforcement. As part of his drug operation, Longo used several individuals, including C.S., H.F., M.F., and B.W., as "runners" or "mules," who delivered methamphetamine for Longo and returned with the sale money. C.S. testified that as compensation for "being a runner," Longo paid him with money, methamphetamine, or "good graces," meaning that if he wanted to purchase methamphetamine for himself, he could buy it from Longo at a cheaper price. C.S. also testified that as a runner for Longo, he assisted Longo with various tasks, such as stealing a car stereo from an individual who owed Longo money, and facilitating an arson as retribution for drugs that were allegedly stolen from Longo.

C.S. testified that Longo referred to a specific portion of his residence as "The Crack Shack," where people purchased methamphetamine. Because Longo accepted property in exchange for methamphetamine, he sometimes referred to The Crack Shack as "The Crack Shack Pawnshop." C.S. testified that Longo "fronted" methamphetamine to individuals in exchange for property, which was used as collateral for drugs. These individuals brought items, "like, stolen car stereos to Longo," and Longo paid them in methamphetamine and wrote receipts for them. B.W. testified that Longo had several vehicles at his residence that he had obtained through "debts and collateral" for methamphetamine transactions. Longo posted ads for this property on "Craigslist and ... on his Facebook page."

The jury found Longo guilty of nine charges, including one count of racketeering, three counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree sale of methamphetamine, and five counts of sale or possession of methamphetamine. The district court denied Longo's motion for a new trial. Except in regard to the racketeering offense, which the court ranked as a severity-level nine, the court Hernandized all of Longo's sentences and imposed concurrent sentences for all offenses, for a total sentence of 189 months.

This appeal follows.

ISSUES

I. Is the evidence sufficient to sustain Longo's convictions of racketeering and conspiracy to commit *605first-degree sale of a controlled substance?

II. Did the district court err when it instructed the jury on the racketeering charge?

III. Did the prosecutor commit prejudicial misconduct during closing arguments?

IV. Did the district court err in sentencing Longo?

V. Do any of the arguments raised in Longo's pro se supplemental brief have merit?

ANALYSIS

I. Sufficiency of the evidence

Longo argues that the evidence was insufficient to sustain his convictions of racketeering and conspiracy to commit first-degree sale of a controlled substance. When considering a claim of insufficient evidence, we conduct "a painstaking review of the record to determine whether the evidence and reasonable inferences drawn therefrom, viewed in a light most favorable to the verdict, were sufficient to allow the jury to reach its verdict." Loving v. State , 891 N.W.2d 638, 643 (Minn. 2017) (quotation omitted). We assume that "the jury believed the state's witnesses and disbelieved any evidence to the contrary." State v. Caldwell , 803 N.W.2d 373, 384 (Minn. 2011) (quotation omitted). A reviewing court will not disturb the verdict if the jury, "giving due regard to the presumption of innocence and to the prosecution's burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt ... could reasonably have found the defendant guilty of the charged offense." State v. Vang , 847 N.W.2d 248, 258 (Minn. 2014) (quotation omitted).

A. Racketeering

A person is guilty of racketeering if the person "participates in a pattern of criminal activity and knowingly invests any proceeds derived from that conduct, or any proceeds derived from the investment or use of those proceeds, in an enterprise or in real property." Minn. Stat. § 609.903, subd. 1(3) (2014). An "enterprise" is "a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, trust, or other legal entity, or a union, governmental entity, association, or group of persons, associated in fact although not a legal entity, and includes illicit as well as legitimate enterprises." Minn. Stat. § 609.902, subd. 3 (2014). The supreme court has determined that, for purposes of the racketeering statute, an "enterprise" is characterized by (1) a common purpose among its members, (2) an ongoing and continuing structure, and (3) activities that extend beyond the commission of the underlying criminal offenses. State v. Huynh , 519 N.W.2d 191, 196 (Minn. 1994). Proof of all three characteristics is necessary to ensure that criminal enterprises-the target of the Minnesota racketeer-influenced-and-corrupt-organizations act (RICO), Minn. Stat. §§ 609.901 -.12 (2014)-"are distinguished from individuals who associate for the commission of sporadic crime."

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. Bookwalter
541 N.W.2d 290 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1995)
State v. Kuhnau
622 N.W.2d 552 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 2001)
State v. Krosch
642 N.W.2d 713 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 2002)
State v. Hartfield
459 N.W.2d 668 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1990)
State v. Losh
721 N.W.2d 886 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 2006)
State v. Ramey
721 N.W.2d 294 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 2006)
State v. Kelly
519 N.W.2d 202 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1994)
State v. Trong Kim Huynh
519 N.W.2d 191 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1994)
State v. Bertsch
707 N.W.2d 660 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 2006)
State v. Swanson
707 N.W.2d 645 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 2006)
State v. Griller
583 N.W.2d 736 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1998)
State v. Prettyman
198 N.W.2d 156 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1972)
State v. Hatfield
639 N.W.2d 372 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 2002)
State v. Jackson
746 N.W.2d 894 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 2008)
Massey v. State
352 N.W.2d 487 (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 1984)
State v. Hernandez
311 N.W.2d 478 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1981)
State v. Pederson
614 N.W.2d 724 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 2000)
State v. Ford
539 N.W.2d 214 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1995)
State v. Trong Kim Huynh
504 N.W.2d 477 (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 1993)
State v. Kenard
606 N.W.2d 440 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 2000)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
909 N.W.2d 599, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-longo-minnctapp-2018.