United States v. Ojo

630 F. App'x 83
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Second Circuit
DecidedNovember 19, 2015
Docket14-635
StatusUnpublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 630 F. App'x 83 (United States v. Ojo) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Second 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. Ojo, 630 F. App'x 83 (2d Cir. 2015).

Opinion

David Olukayode Ojo appeals from the judgment of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (Ross, J,), convicting him and sentencing him chiefly to two concurrent terms of 37 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, see 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1349, and conspiracy to knowingly possess with intent to use unlawfully five false identification documents. See 18 U.S.C. §§ 1028(a)(3), (b)(2)(B), (c)(3)(A), c(3)(B), (f). We assume the parties’ familiarity with the underlying facts, the procedural history, and the issues presented for review.

1. Ojo challenges the sufficiency of the evidence on both convictions. “A defendant challenging the sufficiency of the evidence bears a heavy burden, because the reviewing court is required to draw all permissible inferences in favor of the government and resolve all issues of credibility in favor of the jury verdict.” United States v. Kozeny, 667 F.3d 122, 139 (2d Cir.2011). “The traditional deference accorded to a jury’s verdict ‘is especially important when reviewing a conviction for conspiracy ... because a conspiracy by its very nature is a secretive operation, and it is a rare case where all aspects of a conspiracy can be laid bare in court with the precision of a surgeon’s scalpel.’” United *85 States v. Jackson, 335 F.3d 170, 180 (2d Cir.2003) (quoting United States v. Pitre, 960 F.2d 1112, 1121 (2d Cir.1992)).

“[T]he conspiratorial agreement itself may be established by proof of a tacit understanding among the participants, rather than by proof of ah explicit agreement. ...” United States v. Desimone, 119 F.3d 217, 223 (2d Cir.1997). Drawing all inferences in favor of the government, the evidence adduced at trial was sufficient to show that Ojo had a tacit understanding with his co-conspirators and engaged in “purposeful behavior aimed at furthering the goals of the conspiracy” for both wire fraud and knowing possession with intent to use unlawfully five false identification documents. Id.

2. As to the conspiracy to knowingly possess with intent to use unlawfully five false identification documents offense, Ojo contends that the jury instruction was improper. The government offered alternative theories of liability: (1) that Ojo intended to use identification documents unlawfully to participate in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and (2) that Ojo intended to use the identification documents unlawfully to violate New York state law. If the jury found Ojo guilty on Count One for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, as it did, the government’s first theory of liability would be met. The district court instructed the jury on both theories. Ojo’s argument attacks the instruction given on the second theory. However, because the instructions were proper and ample evidence supports the first theory-conspiracy to commit wire fraud—Ojo’s challenge must be rejected. “When the jury is properly instructed on two alternative theories of liability, as here, we must affirm when the evidence is sufficient under either of the theories.” United States v. Masotto, 73 F.3d 1233, 1241 (2d Cir.1996).

3. Ojo challenges the denial of his motion to suppress evidence seized during the stop of his car because the stop was pretextual and because Ojo’s consent was involuntary. But the subjective motivation of the officers who made the stop is irrelevant; arguments “that the constitutional reasonableness of traffic stops depends on the actual motivations of the individual officers involved” are “foreclosed.” Whren v. United States, 517 U.S. 806, 813, 116 S.Ct. 1769, 135 L.Ed.2d 89 (1996); see also United States v. Dhinsa, 171 F.3d 721, 724-25 (2d Cir.1999) (“In other words, an officer’s use of a traffic violation as a pretext to stop a car in order to obtain evidence for some more serious crime is of no constitutional significance.”).

“It is ... well settled that one of the specifically established exceptions to the requirements of both a warrant and probable cause is a search that is. conducted pursuant to consent.” Schneckloth v. Bustamonte, 412 U.S. 218, 219, 93 S.Ct. 2041, 36 L.Ed.2d 854 (1973). “In considering a challenge to a district court finding of consent, we are obliged to view the evidence in the light most favorable to the government. We will not reverse a finding of voluntary consent except for clear error.” United States v. Snype, 441 F.3d 119, 131 (2d Cir.2006) (internal citation omitted). The district court’s determination that Ojo voluntarily consented to a search of his car was not clearly erroneous given: (1) Ojo’s signature on a handwritten consent form for a search of his car, including its interi- or, trunk, and glove box; (2) testimony that Ojo also gave oral consent; and (3) further testimony that, after the search was completed, Ojo signed a standard FBI “consent to search” form confirming his prior consent.

4. Ojo contends that the district court’s decision to dismiss the indictment without- prejudice based on a Speedy Trial *86 Act violation was erroneous. A proper and principled consideration of the relevant factors shows otherwise.

“The determination of whether to dismiss an indictment with or without prejudice is committed to the discretion of the district court, and we will reverse such a determination only upon a finding that the district court abused its discretion.” United States v. Wilson, 11 F.3d 346, 352 (2d Cir.1993) (internal citation omitted). Factors considered in this determination are: (1) the seriousness of the offense; (2) the facts and circumstances of the case which led to the dismissal; (3) the impact of a re-prosecution on the administration of the Speedy Trial Act and the administration of justice; and (4) prejudice to the defendant. See id. “Where the crime charged is serious, the sanction of dismissal with prejudice should ordinarily be imposed only for serious delay.” United States v. Simmons, 786 F.2d 479, 485 (2d Cir.1986).

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Ojo v. Decker
S.D. New York, 2021
Olukayode Ojo v. Ann Luong
709 F. App'x 113 (Third Circuit, 2017)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
630 F. App'x 83, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-ojo-ca2-2015.