United States v. Giovanny Armando Guerrero-Cortez, A/K/A Gil, United States of America v. Roberto Soler, A/K/A Robert, A/K/A Bob, United States of America v. William Gonzalez-Gonzalez

110 F.3d 647, 46 Fed. R. Serv. 1398, 1997 U.S. App. LEXIS 6759
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
DecidedApril 14, 1997
Docket95-3615
StatusPublished

This text of 110 F.3d 647 (United States v. Giovanny Armando Guerrero-Cortez, A/K/A Gil, United States of America v. Roberto Soler, A/K/A Robert, A/K/A Bob, United States of America v. William Gonzalez-Gonzalez) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eighth 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. Giovanny Armando Guerrero-Cortez, A/K/A Gil, United States of America v. Roberto Soler, A/K/A Robert, A/K/A Bob, United States of America v. William Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 110 F.3d 647, 46 Fed. R. Serv. 1398, 1997 U.S. App. LEXIS 6759 (8th Cir. 1997).

Opinion

110 F.3d 647

46 Fed. R. Evid. Serv. 1398

UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Giovanny Armando GUERRERO-CORTEZ, a/k/a Gil, Defendant-Appellant.
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Roberto SOLER, a/k/a Robert, a/k/a Bob, Defendant-Appellant.
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
William GONZALEZ-GONZALEZ, Defendant-Appellant.

Nos. 95-3615, 95-3621, 95-3624.

United States Court of Appeals,Eighth Circuit.

Submitted Sept. 12, 1996.
Decided April 14, 1997.

Christopher Harlan, Kansas City, MO, argued, for G. Cortez.

John R. Osgood, argued, Lee's Summit, MO, for Soler.

John C. Aisenbrey, Kansas City, MO, argued (Jacqueline A. Cook, on the brief), for Gonzalez.

Before LOKEN, HEANEY, and JOHN R. GIBSON, Circuit Judges.

JOHN R. GIBSON, Circuit Judge.

A jury convicted Giovanny Armando Guerrero-Cortez, Roberto Soler, and William Gonzalez-Gonzalez of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and also convicted Soler and Gonzalez-Gonzalez of two counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of cocaine, all in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 846 (1994). Guerrero-Cortez appeals arguing that the district court erred in denying his motion for acquittal as to the conspiracy count, and erred in admitting into evidence a letter he sent from jail. Soler and Gonzalez-Gonzalez appeal arguing that the district court erred in computing their sentences. We affirm all of the convictions, and the sentences imposed on Guerrero-Cortez and Gonzalez-Gonzalez, but reverse Soler's sentence and remand to the district court for reconsideration of Soler's argument that he is entitled to a reduction for acceptance of responsibility.

In late spring or early summer of 1994, Saul Acosta approached Michael Hood in Miami, Florida and asked him if he knew of any out-of-state individuals who desired to purchase cocaine. Acosta told Hood that Soler and Guerrero-Cortez would probably supply the cocaine for the transactions. Sometime thereafter, Acosta introduced Hood to Soler and Guerrero-Cortez. Unknown to Acosta, Hood previously had served as an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Hood told Special Agent Joseph Twardowski that he knew individuals in Miami that desired to distribute cocaine in the Midwest. Based upon this information, Special Agents Twardowski and Larry Tongate devised a plan in which Hood would introduce Tongate, who would portray himself as a midwestern cocaine distributor, to the Miami individuals in order to purchase cocaine from them.

Hood then informed Acosta that he had a cocaine buyer in Kansas City named Larry. Larry was Special Agent Tongate. Because Hood had located a buyer, Acosta asked Guerrero-Cortez to supply cocaine for the sale. Guerrero-Cortez replied that he was waiting for a source to supply him with cocaine, and that there was a strong possibility that he could supply the necessary amounts of cocaine. Acosta contacted Hood and verified that he had a supplier for the sale and that he and his associates wanted to establish a long-term relationship with the Kansas City buyer that would involve regular monthly sales of multi-kilogram amounts of cocaine.

Hood and Acosta flew to Kansas City on September 8, 1994. Before departing, Acosta spoke to Soler and Guerrero-Cortez to ensure they could supply cocaine for the Kansas City buyer. They agreed to do so. Discussions between Acosta, Hood, and Tongate in Kansas City resulted in Tongate agreeing to purchase one kilogram of cocaine from Acosta for $26,000.

After this discussion, Acosta contacted his associates in Miami and told them to send the cocaine, which soon arrived in Kansas City. After receiving it, Tongate showed Acosta the $26,000 he owed for the cocaine. Tongate next went to the post office where he feigned mailing the money to Miami, after which Acosta told Tongate that he, Soler, Gonzalez-Gonzalez, and Guerrero-Cortez could continue their cocaine trafficking relationship, and agreed to send more cocaine to Tongate.

Acosta then returned to Miami. When the money did not arrive, however, Acosta attempted to return to Kansas City. When he arrived at the Miami airport to fly to Kansas City, Special Agents Tongate and Twardowski confronted Acosta. Acosta then agreed to cooperate in the investigation by arranging the delivery of a second kilogram of cocaine and by recording conversations with Soler, Guerrero-Cortez, and Gonzalez-Gonzalez, the others that were to be involved in the transaction.

Acosta then contacted Soler to ask him to send another kilogram of cocaine. Soler agreed to send the cocaine. Gonzalez-Gonzalez then mailed one kilogram of cocaine to Kansas City.

Acosta next met with Guerrero-Cortez at Acosta's home in Miami. During the visit, Acosta recorded Guerrero-Cortez reciting cocaine prices and making several statements concerning his involvement in cocaine trafficking activities, including that he had attempted to locate supply sources for more cocaine.

Authorities charged Soler, Gonzalez-Gonzalez, and Guerrero-Cortez with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, and two counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of cocaine. Acosta originally was charged as a co-defendant, but he pled guilty to the conspiracy count. At trial, the jury convicted Soler and Gonzalez-Gonzalez on all three counts. The district court entered a judgment of acquittal as to the distribution charges against Guerrero-Cortez, but the jury found him guilty on the conspiracy count.

I.

A.

Guerrero-Cortez argues that the district court erred in denying his motion for a judgment of acquittal on the conspiracy charge. He argues that the evidence based on the testimony of cooperating witnesses was not sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he entered into an agreement to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute. The government asserts that the testimony of Acosta, the corroborating testimony of Hood, and the incriminating statements of Guerrero-Cortez recorded by Acosta provide more than enough evidence to support the conviction.

In reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence to support a guilty verdict, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict and accept as established all reasonable inferences supporting the verdict. We then uphold the conviction only if it is supported by substantial evidence. See United States v. Black Cloud, 101 F.3d 1258, 1263 (8th Cir.1996); see also Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 80, 62 S.Ct. 457, 469-70, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942).

To prove that a conspiracy exists "the government must show an agreement between at least two people and that the agreement's objective was a violation of the law." United States v. Jenkins, 78 F.3d 1283, 1287 (8th Cir.1996)(quotation omitted).

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Bluebook (online)
110 F.3d 647, 46 Fed. R. Serv. 1398, 1997 U.S. App. LEXIS 6759, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-giovanny-armando-guerrero-cortez-aka-gil-united-states-ca8-1997.