United States v. Collamore

330 F. App'x 708
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
DecidedMay 19, 2009
Docket08-6152
StatusUnpublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 330 F. App'x 708 (United States v. Collamore) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Collamore, 330 F. App'x 708 (10th Cir. 2009).

Opinion

ORDER AND JUDGMENT *

WADE BRORBY, Circuit Judge.

After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist in the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R.App. P. 34(a)(2); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is therefore ordered submitted without oral argument.

A jury convicted Defendant-Appellant Charley Collamore of using a communication facility to facilitate distribution of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 843(b) (Count 1); two counts of distributing methamphetamine, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2 and 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) (Counts 2 and 3); and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) (Count 4). The district court sentenced him at the low end of the United States Sentencing Guidelines (“Guidelines” or “U.S.S.G.”) range to 151 months imprisonment on Counts 2, 3, and 4 and forty-eight months imprisonment on Count 1, to be served concurrently. He now appeals his drug-related convictions and sentences on grounds the district court erred in: (1) denying his motion to suppress evidence discovered during a vehicle search involving Count 4; (2) denying his request to instruct the jury on the lesser included offense of simple possession for Counts 2 and 3; and (3) calculating his sentences by using other drug-related conduct and actual methamphetamine quantities. We exercise jurisdiction pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3742(a) and 28 U.S.C. § 1291 and affirm Mr. Collamore’s convictions and sentences.

I. Factual Background

A. Facts Regarding Counts 1, 2, and 3 Regarding Use of Communication Facility and Distribution of Controlled Substance

Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies conducted an investigation *710 into the activities of a man known as “Postman” or “Chuck” whom enforcement officials suspected of being a major distributor of methamphetamine and whom they later identified as Mr. Collamore. At the time of the investigation, the United States Postal Service (Postal Service) employed Mr. Collamore as a mail carrier at the Midwest City, Oklahoma branch. During the investigation into Mr. Collamore’s methamphetamine activities, Brad Gay-lord, an investigator with the district attorney’s office acting in an undercover capacity, together with a confidential informant, made two methamphetamine purchases from Mr. Collamore. The first purchase occurred on January 11, 2007, when Investigator Gaylord purchased 54.8 grams of a methamphetamine substance from Mr. Collamore and another individual, Donnie Hellyer. As part of that transaction, Mr. Collamore used a telephone as a means to contact the confidential informant to give the location for the purchase. The second purchase occurred on March 14, 2007, when Investigator Gaylord purchased 54.9 grams of a methamphetamine substance from Mr. Collamore. Authorities did not arrest or indict Mr. Collamore for these offenses until he committed another drag-related offense on August 2, 2007, described as follows.

B. Facts Regarding Count 4 for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance

On August 2, 2007, around 5:00 p.m., Mr. Collamore called his supervisor, Raymond “Mike” Klish, stating he was unable to complete his mail route. Mr. Colla-more’s speech was slurred, he seemed disoriented, and he could not explain the problem, state why he could not fulfill his job duties, or provide his exact location. Mr. Klish and three other Postal Service employees immediately went to look for Mr. Collamore and found him in his Postal Service vehicle slumped in a seated position while the vehicle was parked and running. On examination, his skin tone did not look good and he was “clammy and his pupils were restricted.”

Due to his physical appearance, Mr. Klish believed Mr. Collamore incapable of driving and also suspected the influence of drugs. Mr. Klish first transported Mr. Collamore to the Midwest City Post Office. After conferring with his supervisor, Virgil Cosma, Mr. Klish took Mr. Collamore to a medical facility for a “fitness-for-duty” examination, which the Postal Service conducts for the purpose of determining whether employees possess physical ailments preventing them from performing their duties in a proper and safe manner. Mr. Collamore agreed to the fitness-for-duty evaluation, but told Mr. Klish he would not take a drug examination as a part of the evaluation. Mr. Cosma met them at the facility, and Mr. Collamore filled out a release of medical information form.

Shortly after Mr. Collamore’s arrival at the medical facility, David Hill, a special agent with the Postal Inspector General’s Office, arrived to investigate possible misconduct involving narcotics use and/or possession, which are both criminal and administrative violations of Postal Service rules. Following Mr. Collamore’s examination, the physician’s assistant who conducted the examination advised Agent Hill and Mr. Cosma that Mr. Collamore exhibited extremely high blood pressure, a rapid pulse, and other symptoms consistent with being under the influence of some type of substance, and he had refused a drug screening test.

Agent Hill then advised Mr. Collamore: (1) of his suspected narcotics use; and (2) that personal vehicles and containers on postal property are subject to inspection *711 and search pursuant to Postal Service policy. The policy to which Agent Hill referred states:

Vehicles and their contents brought into, while on, or being removed from restricted nonpublic areas are subject to inspection. Persons entering these areas who object and refuse to consent to the inspection of the vehicle, its contents, or both, may be denied entry. After entering the area without objection, consent to inspection shall be implied. A full search of the person and the vehicle driven or occupied by that person may accompany an arrest.

R., Vol. 1, Doc. 55 (Ex. 2) (emphasis added). A copy of this policy was posted at various locations around the Postal Service facility where Mr. Collamore worked, including on the back door through which most employees passed, near the time clock where employees punched in and out of work each day, on the bulletin board near the employee break room, and in a glass wall container in the lobby.

When Agent Hill advised Mr. Collamore his personal vehicle was subject to an inspection according to Postal Service policy, Mr. Collamore stated he was aware of the policy but asked if he could “drive away, never to be seen again.” Agent Hill replied that they would search his' postal vehicle, postal satchel, and personal vehicle.

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330 F. App'x 708, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-collamore-ca10-2009.