United States v. Eustach

21 F. App'x 150
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
DecidedOctober 24, 2001
Docket01-4067, 01-4068, 01-4069
StatusUnpublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 21 F. App'x 150 (United States v. Eustach) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fourth 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. Eustach, 21 F. App'x 150 (4th Cir. 2001).

Opinion

OPINION

PER CURIAM.

Roland Eustache, Johnny Joseph, and Dion James appeal their convictions for possession with intent to distribute less than 500 grams of cocaine and less than five grams of cocaine base and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute in excess of five kilograms of cocaine and in excess of 50 grams of crack cocaine, under 21 U.S.C.A. §§ 841, 846 (West 1999 & Supp.2001). Appellants were each sentenced to 360 months in prison. On appeal, Appellants’ lawyers have filed a brief pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967), raising several issues but finding them to be without merit. James has filed a pro se supplemental brief, which appears to raise arguments on behalf of all three Appellants. Both counseled and pro se issues will be examined in turn.

I.

Appellants first argue that §§ 841, 846 are unconstitutional in light of Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000). We reject this argument on the reasoning of the Tenth Circuit in United States v. Cernobyl, 255 F.3d 1215 (10th Cir.2001) (citing cases from the Fifth, Seventh, and Eleventh Circuits).

II.

All three Appellants challenge the sufficiency of the evidence supporting each of their convictions. A jury’s verdict must be upheld on appeal if there is substantial evidence in the record to support it. Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 80, 62 S.Ct. 457, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942). In determining whether the evidence in the record is substantial, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the Government and inquire whether there is evidence that a reasonable finder of fact could accept as adequate and sufficient to support a conclusion of a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Burgos, 94 F.3d 849, 862 (4th Cir.1996) (en banc). In evaluating the sufficiency of the evidence, we do not review the credibility of witnesses, and we assume that the jury resolved all contradictions in the testimony in favor of the Government. United States v. Romer, 148 F.3d 359, 364 (4th Cir.1998).

The essential elements of possession with intent to distribute are (1) knowing and intentional possession of a controlled substance, either actual or constructive, and (2) the intent to distribute. United States v. Nelson, 6 F.3d 1049, 1053 (4th Cir.1993), overruled on other grounds, Bailey v. United States, 516 U.S. 137, 116 S.Ct. 501, 133 L.Ed.2d 472 (1995). To prove a conspiracy to possess crack cocaine with an intent to distribute it, the Government had to prove (1) the existence of an agreement between two or more persons to possess crack with intent to distribute, (2) that the defendant knew of the conspiracy, and (3) that the defendant knowingly and voluntarily became *153 part of the conspiracy. Burgos, 94 F.3d at 857. Once the existence of a conspiracy is proven, the Government need only show a slight connection between the defendant and the conspiracy.. Id. at 861. The testimony of accomplices may, by itself, provide an adequate basis for conviction. United States v. Burns, 990 F.2d 1426, 1439 (4th Cir.1993).

At trial, Gerald Francois, an FBI informant, testified that he drove from Miami, Florida to South Carolina with Joseph. After arriving in Florence, South Carolina, two kilograms of cocaine were removed from under the hood of the car. Joseph and Francois then went to a residence and met Eustache. During the next seven days, Eustache and Joseph cooked some of the cocaine into crack. Then, Eustache, Joseph, and Francois took the crack to Mullins, South Carolina on two different occasions and sold it to a female named “Weezy.” On one of these occasions, James was at Weezy’s house, and he returned with the other three men to Florence.

Francois and James separately returned to Florida, where they bought “cut” at Joseph’s instructions and had it delivered to Florence by Jean Jasmine and another man. Francois, Jasmine, Joseph, Eustache, and James met back in Florence, where Joseph wrapped cash in plastic and gave Jasmine $29,000.

On Francois’ information, the police obtained a search warrant for the Florence house, where they arrested all three Appellants. Appellants provided false names at arrest and attempted to flee. The police recovered a cellular phone, pagers, a mashed potato box containing cocaine, sandwich bags, and a handgun. The police also found documentation of drug sales and kitchen utensils that appeared to have been used in the manufacture of crack cocaine. The actual drugs seized from the raid amounted to over 240 grams of cocaine and 11.4 grams of marijuana.

Travis McCants, an admitted drug dealer, testified about crack cocaine transactions with Shervin Pierre, who was part of the “Florida boys,” along with Appellants. Although McCants bought from Pierre, all three Appellants were usually present. Rodney Ward, another drug dealer, testified that he bought drugs from Joseph. On one occasion, James was present when Ward purchased 4 ounces (over 112 grams) of crack cocaine prior to the activities described by Francois.

Christy Gerald testified that when the defendants were arrested, James said that all the drugs were his. Agent Wilkes testified that James made this statement to him, also, but then tried to take it back when Wilkes informed James that he would be prosecuted in federal court.

Thus, the evidence showed that all three Appellants were part of a larger conspiracy that sold crack cocaine to other dealers. They were arrested in possession of a large amount of cocaine as well as drug paraphernalia and other indications of drug dealing. While Appellants argued that the Government’s witnesses were not credible, the jury clearly believed their testimony. We find that the evidence was sufficient to show both a drug conspiracy involving over 50 grams of crack cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

III.

The jury found Eustache guilty of a conspiracy involving over 50 grams of crack cocaine beyond a reasonable doubt. Eustache argues that the district court erred in finding him responsible for any greater amount. The district court found, by a preponderance of the evidence, that *154 Eustache was responsible for at least 1.5 kilograms of crack cocaine.

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540 U.S. 977 (Supreme Court, 2003)
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182 F. Supp. 2d 510 (W.D. North Carolina, 2001)

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Bluebook (online)
21 F. App'x 150, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-eustach-ca4-2001.