US v. Wilbur Green

Filing 920081016

Opinion

UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

No. 07-4857

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff v. WILBUR DERRICK GREEN, Defendant - Appellant. Appellee,

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, at Danville. Jackson L. Kiser, Senior District Judge. (4:06-cr-00031-jlk)

Submitted:

October 14, 2008

Decided:

October 16, 2008

Before KING, GREGORY, and AGEE, Circuit Judges.

Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.

David R. Lett, Richmond, Virginia, for Appellant. John L. Brownlee, United States Attorney, Anthony P. Giorno, Assistant United States Attorney, Roanoke, Virginia, for Appellee.

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.

PER CURIAM: Wilbur Derrick Green appeals from his conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 1000 kilograms of marijuana. Green argues that the Government's

evidence supports the existence of three separate conspiracies and that these conspiracies were not interdependent. Green did

not raise this issue below, therefore we review for plain error. United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 732 (1993). error, we affirm. A defendant challenging the sufficiency of the Finding no

evidence faces a heavy burden. F.3d 1064, 1067 (4th Cir.

United States v. Beidler, 110 "[A]n appellate court's

1997).

reversal of a conviction on grounds of insufficient evidence should be confined to cases where the prosecution's failure is clear." United States v. Jones, 735 F.2d 785, 791 (4th Cir. A jury's verdict must

1984) (internal quotation marks omitted).

be upheld on appeal if there is substantial evidence in the record to support it. (1942). Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 80

In determining whether the evidence in the record is

substantial, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the Government and inquire of fact whether could there accept is evidence as that a

reasonable

finder

adequate

and

sufficient to support a conclusion of a defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Burgos, 94 F.3d 849, 862 2

(4th Cir. 1996).

To prove conspiracy to distribute a controlled

substance, the Government must establish: (1) an agreement to distribute defendant existed knew of between the two or more and persons; (3) the (2) the

conspiracy;

defendant Id. at

knowingly and voluntarily became part of the conspiracy. 857.

With respect to the last element, the Government need not

prove that the defendant knew the particulars of the conspiracy or all of his co-conspirators. Id. at 858. The evidence need

only establish a slight connection between the defendant and the conspiracy to support the conviction. 662 F.2d 277, 285 n.7 (4th Cir. 1981). We have reviewed the evidence and find that sufficient evidence supported the conclusion that Green was involved with a conspiracy involving 1000 kilograms or more of marijuana. provided least assistance in to the co-conspirators, by the was aware Green of at United States v. Seni,

$700,000 in

cash

possessed for 800

co-conspirators, of pounds of and

assisted marijuana,

procuring

storage 600 to

hundreds pounds of

transported

marijuana,

participated in discussions with associates of co-conspirators about continuing that a marijuana reasonable trafficking. finder of Therefore, fact could there accept is as

evidence

adequate and sufficient to support a conclusion of Green's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and there was no plain error.

3

Accordingly, dispense with oral

we

affirm

Green's the

conviction. * facts and

We legal

argument

because

contentions are adequately presented in the materials before the court and argument would not aid the decisional process.

AFFIRMED

In Green's reply brief, he notes for the first time that the judgment reflects that the conspiracy involved marijuana and cocaine and that the jury only convicted him based on a marijuana conspiracy. He requests in a footnote that this court vacate and remand for resentencing or a new trial on this basis. We see no basis to resentence or grant a new trial due to clerical error.

*

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