United States v. Leonard Schultz

855 F.2d 1217, 1988 WL 90315
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
DecidedDecember 8, 1988
Docket87-1394
StatusPublished
Cited by93 cases

This text of 855 F.2d 1217 (United States v. Leonard Schultz) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Sixth 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. Leonard Schultz, 855 F.2d 1217, 1988 WL 90315 (6th Cir. 1988).

Opinion

BAILEY BROWN, Senior Circuit Judge.

Defendant Leonard Schultz appeals his jury convictions for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine (21 U.S.C. § 846), unlawful use of a communications facility (21 U.S.C. § 843(b)), and interstate travel in aid of racketeering (18 U.S.C. § 1952). Schultz argues that there is not sufficient evidence to sustain a conviction of conspiracy and that his travel, purely coincidental to the drug deal negotiations, did not violate the Travel Act. Schultz also contends that the trial court erred in refusing his request to subpoena FBI records, in refusing to give a jury instruction on Schultz’s defense theory, in admitting certain government testimony linking him to organized crime, and in admitting evidence regarding an allegedly unrelated cocaine deal of Schultz’s co-conspirator. Finally, Schultz argues that the trial court failed to comply with the sentencing requirements of Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 32, and that the judge fined Schultz consecutively in the written order after fining him concurrently in the oral sentence from the bench. We determine that none of these arguments is meritorious, and accordingly AFFIRM the convictions.

I

Schultz was charged, tried, and found guilty on all three counts of a three count indictment. Count Two, unlawful use of a communication facility (telephone), and Count Three, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, were premised on the underlying conspiracy to distribute cocaine of Count One. Defendant was sentenced to a total of five years imprisonment on all three counts and fined $250,000 on Count One and $250,000 on Count Two.

Schultz had been a confidential informer for the FBI for over thirty years but none of the information he supplied regarded drug transactions. His defense was that he was “setting up” his alleged eoconspira-tors and conducting his own investigations. Schultz has a permanent residence in De *1220 troit, Michigan, and a condominium in North Miami Beach, Florida. The government offered evidence to show that from December 1984 to March 1985, Schultz conspired with Alan Nadell and with Sam Ein-horn to distribute ten kilograms of cocaine. Nadell was arrested in March 1985, when he delivered one-half kilogram of cocaine to undercover Michigan State Police Officer James Tuttle. Nadell then became a government informer and witness at the trial. Also testifying were two FBI agents, as well as Einhorn, Tuttle, and Jeffrey Sand, a paid police informer.

In December 1984, Nadell and Schultz discussed distributing drugs for profit. Schultz also asked Einhorn, who lived in Detroit, to help sell cocaine and find buyers. Einhorn agreed. In early January, Einhorn asked Sand if he wanted to buy cocaine from a Florida contact. Einhorn arranged a meeting between himself, Sand, and Schultz in Detroit. Schultz agreed to sell Sand ten kilograms at $40,000 a kilo. Schultz would act as intermediary and obtain the cocaine from a source in Florida.

Schultz then contacted Nadell and asked him to obtain cocaine for some people in Detroit. Nadell agreed and contacted his drug source. Splitting of the profits from the deal was never discussed, but Nadell testified that he intended to split the profits 50/50 with Schultz.

Sand informed police of the deal and subsequent contacts, in person and over the telephone, were tape-recorded. In a January 17, 1985 conversation, Sand told Einhorn that he had the money for the cocaine and Einhorn agreed to arrange a meeting. Two days later, the two met with Schultz. Sand told Schultz that he had the money and was willing to drive to Florida to get the drugs, but that he first wanted a sample. Schultz suggested that the money be put in a safe deposit box and that his Florida contact would arrange the deal. From January 21 to January 31,1985, Sand and Schultz discussed the deal over the phone. Schultz suggested a partial delivery since his contact was still trying to get the ten kilos. Sand told Schultz that the money was already in Florida and that he and his partner planned to go there in early February.

On February 5, Schultz told Sand that he was leaving for Florida on the 8th and told Sand to go to Florida. After arriving in Florida, Schultz spoke to Sand, still in Michigan, on the 12th and told him that his contact had the “ten acres” but that he wanted “42” ($42,000 per kilo rather than $40,000). Sand agreed to bring an additional $20,000. The next day Sand agreed to meet Schultz and Nadell on the 14th in Florida.

Sand and Tuttle flew to Miami on the 14th and met with Nadell. They agreed to meet the next day to discuss the arrangements for the deal. The following morning, Nadell told Sand and Tuttle that his people wanted to sell one kilo at a time with the money fronted. Tuttle would not accept the arrangement. Nadell informed Schultz of these meetings and told him he was having trouble getting all ten kilos.

On February 15, Schultz and Nadell spoke by telephone with Sand. Schultz explained that the piecemeal deal was to protect Sand and create trust. Sand responded that he had to talk with Tuttle. An hour later, Schultz and Nadell called Tuttle, who complained about the piecemeal deliveries. Schultz explained that he established that arrangement because it was their first deal. Tuttle said he would have to return to Michigan unless he received all ten kilos. Schultz and Tuttle agreed to try to work something out. Schultz told Na-dell to make the arrangements and Nadell agreed to call Tuttle in Michigan.

The next day Tuttle and Sand returned to Michigan. Tuttle and Nadell spoke by telephone until March 22, 1985, in an attempt to complete the sale. During this time, Nadell had three or four telephone conversations with Schultz, who had returned to Michigan. Nadell asked Schultz to check out Tuttle. Schultz later informed Nadell that the telephone number that Tuttle had given Schultz was a workable number. Nadell called Schultz and told him that he might go to Michigan to complete the deal with Tuttle, and Schultz replied that if Na- *1221 dell ever came to Michigan, Schultz could see that he was protected.

After numerous phone conversations between Nadell and Tuttle, the latter agreed to buy one-half kilo of cocaine to be delivered in Michigan. On March 22, 1985, Na-dell did fly to Detroit, gave Tuttle the one-half kilo of cocaine in exchange for $25,000, and was arrested.

Although Nadell did not tell Schultz he was going to Michigan to sell cocaine to Tuttle and Schultz did not know that he was there, Nadell testified that he intended to split the profit from this sale with Schultz. Shortly after learning of the arrest, Schultz asked Einhorn if Sand was an informant. Schultz told Einhorn that if questioned by the FBI, he should tell “the truth” that Schultz was trying to “clean up the condo complex” to rid it of drug dealers.

The jury found Schultz guilty on all three counts. Schultz’s motion for a judgment of acquittal was denied.

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

Related

United States v. Eric Hall
669 F. App'x 297 (Sixth Circuit, 2016)
United States v. Samuel Parris
639 F. App'x 923 (Fourth Circuit, 2016)
United States v. Martin Lewis
763 F.3d 443 (Sixth Circuit, 2014)
United States v. Sontay Smotherman
564 F. App'x 209 (Sixth Circuit, 2014)
United States v. Kemal Dugalic
489 F. App'x 10 (Sixth Circuit, 2012)
United States v. Denny
653 F.3d 415 (Sixth Circuit, 2011)
United States v. Keith Hartman
426 F. App'x 395 (Sixth Circuit, 2011)
United States v. Gregory Wiley
407 F. App'x 938 (Sixth Circuit, 2011)
Eric Wilkins-El v. Helen Marberry
340 F. App'x 320 (Seventh Circuit, 2009)
United States v. Garcia
312 F. App'x 801 (Sixth Circuit, 2009)
United States v. Penson
Sixth Circuit, 2008
United States v. Stacy
Sixth Circuit, 2007
United States v. Swanson
209 F. App'x 522 (Sixth Circuit, 2006)
United States v. Grooms
194 F. App'x 355 (Sixth Circuit, 2006)
United States v. Israel
133 F. App'x 159 (Sixth Circuit, 2005)
Robinson v. Stegall
157 F. Supp. 2d 802 (E.D. Michigan, 2001)
United States v. Antoine Segines and Adrian Ayres
86 F.3d 1156 (Sixth Circuit, 1996)
United States v. Robert A. Anderson
76 F.3d 685 (Sixth Circuit, 1996)
United States v. Stephen Lucas, Cross-Appellee
68 F.3d 475 (Sixth Circuit, 1995)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
855 F.2d 1217, 1988 WL 90315, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-leonard-schultz-ca6-1988.