United States v. Mbom

413 F. App'x 630
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
DecidedJanuary 21, 2011
Docket09-4415, 09-4416
StatusUnpublished

This text of 413 F. App'x 630 (United States v. Mbom) 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. Mbom, 413 F. App'x 630 (4th Cir. 2011).

Opinion

Affirmed by unpublished PER CURIAM opinion.

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.

PER CURIAM:

Following a joint jury trial, David Mbom and Robert Tataw were convicted of conspiracy to commit bank larceny, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 (2006), and bank larceny, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2113(b) (2006). They each received sentences of sixty-three months’ imprisonment and were ordered to jointly and severally pay *632 restitution of $435,902. In these consolidated appeals, Mbom and Tataw challenge the district court’s denial of their respective motions for judgment of acquittal, and Mbom challenges the district court’s denial of his motion to suppress. We affirm in both appeals.

Mbom challenges the search of his person following the stop of a vehicle in which he was a passenger. He argues that officers did not have probable cause or reasonable suspicion to initiate a traffic stop, and even if they did, they lacked probable cause to extend the investigatory scope of the stop. Accordingly, he contends that all the evidence seized from him should have been excluded from trial under the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine. We disagree.

This court reviews factual findings underlying a district court’s denial of a motion to suppress for clear error and legal conclusions de novo. United States v. Blake, 571 F.3d 331, 338 (4th Cir.2009), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 130 S.Ct. 1104, 175 L.Ed.2d 919 (2010). We construe the evidence in the light most favorable to the Government, the party prevailing below. United States v. Griffin, 589 F.3d 148, 150 (4th Cir.2009).

Automobile stops constitute “seizures” within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment and are thus “subject to the constitutional imperative” that they be reasonable under the circumstances. See Whren v. United States, 517 U.S. 806, 809-10, 116 S.Ct. 1769, 135 L.Ed.2d 89 (1996). Passengers of vehicles stopped by law enforcement are detained for the Fourth Amendment purposes, just as the drivers are. Brendlin v. California, 551 U.S. 249, 257, 127 S.Ct. 2400, 168 L.Ed.2d 132 (2007).

We have found that “[observing a traffic violation provides sufficient justification for a police officer to detain the offending vehicle for as long as it takes to perform the traditional incidents of a routine traffic stop.” United States v. Branch, 537 F.3d 328, 335 (4th Cir.2008). The officer may “request a driver’s license and vehicle registration, run a computer check, and issue a citation.” United States v. Foreman, 369 F.3d 776, 781 (4th Cir.2004). A police officer may also request identification and run computer checks on passengers. United States v. Soriano-Jarquin, 492 F.3d 495, 500 (4th Cir.2007).

Here, officers clearly were justified in stopping the vehicle in question for speeding. Once they discovered the outstanding warrant for Mbom, they were permitted to take him into custody and to conduct a search of his person pursuant to that arrest. See Arizona v. Gant, — U.S. -, 129 S.Ct. 1710, 1716, 173 L.Ed.2d 485 (2009). Accordingly, the district court properly denied Mbom’s suppression motion.

Mbom and Tataw each argue that Government failed to present sufficient evidence to convict them of either bank larceny or conspiracy to commit bank larceny. Having reviewed the record and applicable law, however, we find sufficient evidence to support the convictions.

This court reviews de novo the denial of a Fed.R.Crim.P. 29 motion for judgment of acquittal. United States v. Kingrea, 573 F.3d 186, 194 (4th Cir.2009). When a Rule 29 motion is based on a claim of insufficient evidence, the jury’s verdict must be sustained “if there is substantial evidence, taking the view most favorable to the Government, to support it.” United States v. Abu Ali, 528 F.3d 210, 244 (4th Cir.2008) (internal quotation marks and alterations omitted). “Substantial evidence 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.” Kingrea, 573 F.3d 186, 194-95 (4th Cir.2009) (internal quotation marks omitted).

*633 In reviewing for substantial evidence, this court considers both circumstantial and direct evidence and allows the Government “all reasonable inferences that could be drawn in its favor.” United States v. Harvey, 532 F.3d 326, 333 (4th Cir.2008). We may not weigh the evidence or review the credibility of the witnesses. United States v. Allen, 491 F.3d 178, 185 (4th Cir.2007). If the evidence “supports different, reasonable interpretations, the jury decides which interpretation to believe.” United States v. Murphy, 35 F.3d 143, 148 (4th Cir.1994).

In order to convict a defendant of conspiracy to commit bank larceny pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 371, the Government must establish: first, an agreement between two or more people to commit the underlying crime; second, willing participation by the defendant; and third, an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy. United States v. Tucker, 376 F.3d 236, 238 (4th Cir.2004). An overt act by one conspirator fulfills the requirement as to all. United States v. Cardwell, 433 F.3d 378, 391 (4th Cir.2005).

The Government asserts that sufficient evidence supports Mbom’s and Tataw’s convictions of bank larceny, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 2113

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Related

Pinkerton v. United States
328 U.S. 640 (Supreme Court, 1946)
Whren v. United States
517 U.S. 806 (Supreme Court, 1996)
Brendlin v. California
551 U.S. 249 (Supreme Court, 2007)
Arizona v. Gant
556 U.S. 332 (Supreme Court, 2009)
United States v. Ashley
606 F.3d 135 (Fourth Circuit, 2010)
United States v. Tony Jerome Murphy
35 F.3d 143 (Fourth Circuit, 1994)
United States v. Ronald Cortez Foreman
369 F.3d 776 (Fourth Circuit, 2004)
United States v. Amy Tucker
376 F.3d 236 (Fourth Circuit, 2004)
United States v. Abu Ali
528 F.3d 210 (Fourth Circuit, 2008)
United States v. Harvey
532 F.3d 326 (Fourth Circuit, 2008)
United States v. Branch
537 F.3d 328 (Fourth Circuit, 2008)
United States v. Blake
571 F.3d 331 (Fourth Circuit, 2009)
United States v. Kingrea
573 F.3d 186 (Fourth Circuit, 2009)
United States v. Griffin
589 F.3d 148 (Fourth Circuit, 2009)
United States v. Soriano-Jarquin
492 F.3d 495 (Fourth Circuit, 2007)

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Bluebook (online)
413 F. App'x 630, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-mbom-ca4-2011.