United States v. Guzman-Montañez

899 F. Supp. 2d 184, 2012 WL 5205602
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedOctober 22, 2012
DocketCriminal No. 12-240 (FAB)
StatusPublished

This text of 899 F. Supp. 2d 184 (United States v. Guzman-Montañez) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Guzman-Montañez, 899 F. Supp. 2d 184, 2012 WL 5205602 (prd 2012).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

BESOSA, District Judge.

On March 28, 2012, a grand jury returned an indictment charging defendant Marcelino Guzman-Montañez (“Guzman”) as a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(q)(l) (“count one”), and for possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school zone, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(q) (“count two”). (Docket No. 12.) At the close of all evidence in the jury trial, defendant moved for acquittal of both counts, pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 29.1 The Court de[186]*186nied the motion as to count one and reserved judgment as to count two. On July 18, 2012, the jury convicted defendant of both counts. (Docket No. 50.) Subsequently, on August 28, 2012, defendant filed a motion requesting leave to tender a Rule 29 motion. (Docket No. 53.) In his motion, defendant states that he “has been expecting this Honorable Court to issue its ruling as to [cjount [t]wo. However, taking into consideration the passing of time, [defendant] deems it necessary to tender herewith a Renewed Motion for Judgment of Acquittal.... [Defendant] renews and elaborates the previously submitted arguments in order to assist this Honorable Court in its analysis, particularly as to [c]ount [t]wo of the Indictment.” Id. at p. 2. Understanding the scope of defendant’s motion to thus be limited to count two, the Court granted defendant’s motion on August 28, 2012.2 On August 30, 2012, however, defendant filed a renewed motion for judgment of acquittal, in which he argues for judgment of acquittal as to both counts. (Docket No. 57.) The United States of America (“the government”) filed its opposition on September 13, 2012. (Docket No. 55.) For the reasons discussed below, the Court DENIES defendant’s motion for acquittal as to both count one and count two and SUSTAINS the jury verdict.

I. BACKGROUND

The Court will not rehash the entire trial here. Background information or facts will be recounted as needed in the Court’s subsequent legal analysis of particular issues. See United States v. Stierhoff, 549 F.3d 19, 21 (1st Cir.2008). The Court conveys the facts throughout the opinion in the light most favorable to the verdict, United States v. Rodriguez-Marrero, 390 F.3d 1, 6 (1st Cir.2004), and decides the motion on the basis of the evidence at the time the ruling was reserved. See Fed. R.Crim.P. 29(b).

In the morning hours of March 14, 2010, the Puerto Rico Police Department (“PRPD”) received a call from Mr. Papo Nieves, a cook at Lechonera Papo Nieves [187]*187in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. (Transcript of Trial on July 16, 2012 (“Day 1”) at p. 7.) Mr. Nieves reported suspicious activity by two men in a wine colored Suzuki SX4 who entered the Lechonera and asked if they sold “frituras”. (Day 1 at p. 6.) The two men, later identified as defendant Guzman and his acquaintance Miguel, left the Lechonera after Mr. Nieves, who was afraid that an attempted robbery was about to occur, told them that he did not sell “frituras” and had grabbed a large machete and had slammed it on the meat cutting board in front of them because he thought they were “suspicious” and were going to rob him. (Day 1 at pp. 6-7.) Observing a firearm on Miguel as the men were leaving the Lechonera, Mr. Nieves called the police. (Day 1 at pp. 7-8.) Shortly after the call, two Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) officers arrived at the Lechonera, interviewed Mr. Nieves and transmitted via radio the description of the Suzuki and the men. (Day 1 at pp. 21-22, 29.)

Hearing the radio transmission, PRPD agent Carmen I. De Jesus observed two men getting out of a wine-colored Suzuki SX4 in front of Church’s Fried Chicken Restaurant (“Church’s Restaurant”) in Rexville, Bayamon. (Day 1 at pp. 33-34.) She immediately relayed the whereabouts of the vehicle and individuals over the radio and provided a second description of the men. (Day 1 at p. 34.) Agents Edilberto Mojica-Caldero (“agent Mojica”) and Jose Arroyo-Perez (“agent Arroyo”), who were working for the PRPD Criminal Investigations Corps and were assigned to investigate robberies, received the radio transmissions that morning and drove to the Church’s Restaurant. (Day 1 at pp. 57-58; Transcript of Trial on July 17, 2012 (“Day 2”) at p. 67.) They parked across the street and walked to Church’s Restaurant, passing through the parking lot. (Day 1 at p. 60-61; Day 2 at p. 69.) Standing in the parking lot approximately 45 feet away from defendant Guzman, agent Mojica observed defendant Guzman and Miguel through the Church’s Restaurant’s crystal windows. (Day 1 at pp. 62-63.) Agent Arroyo testified that he had a clear view of the counter area from the parking lot. (Day 2 at p. 91.) The agents saw defendant Guzman standing in line, looking from side to side, turning his back to the menu area, and glancing outside through the crystal windows.3 (Day 1 at p. 63-64.) Agent Mojica testified that when defendant Guzman moved, Agent Mojica made out the handle of a pistol at defendant Guzman’s waistband. (Day 1 at pp. 64-65.) He recognized the handle to be a butt of a pistol because Agent Mojica carries the same type of pistol — a Smith & Wesson firearm. (Day 1 at p. 65.) Agent Mojica told Agent Arroyo, “He has a weapon. He has a weapon.” (Day 2 at p. 73.)

Agent Mojica then observed Miguel, who carried a cell phone, approach the right side of the line where defendant Guzman stood. (Day 1 at p. 66.) During this time, marked police patrol cars entered the parking lot of Church’s Restaurant and were visible through the Church’s Restaurant’s crystal windows. (Day 2 at pp. 8, 14.) Miguel said something to defendant Guzman, and shortly thereafter defendant Guzman left his spot in line and walked rapidly toward the men’s bathroom. (Day 1 at p. 66.) Agent Arroyo described defendant Guzman as walking “in an abrupt manner” because he “jump[ed] over the [188]*188chain” to go to the bathroom. (Day 2 at p. 79.) A few seconds later, agents Mojica and Arroyo entered the restaurant and observed defendant Guzman already exiting the bathroom and returning to the line. (Day 1 at p. 66-67.) Agent Mojica described the amount of time between when defendant Guzman entered the bathroom and when he exited as “fast.” (Day 2 at p. 62.) Defendant Guzman later denied having visited the bathroom when he told postal inspector Yamaris Ortiz during his interview with her “that he never left the line.” (Day 2 at p. 104.)

Agent Mojica then detained defendant Guzman, patting him down for the firearm he had observed from the parking lot on defendant Guzman’s waistband. (Day 1 at pp. 68-69.) Upon frisking defendant Guzman, however, Agent Mojica found no pistol. (Day 2 at p. 10.) Meanwhile, agent Arroyo walked to the men’s bathroom to search for a third person — an individual wearing a white shirt — because he believed he had heard a description of such an individual via radio transmission. (Day 2 at p.

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Bluebook (online)
899 F. Supp. 2d 184, 2012 WL 5205602, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-guzman-montanez-prd-2012.