US v. Stanley Lessington
Filing
920100318
UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 08-4873
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. STANLEY LESSINGTON, Defendant - Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, at Charleston. Sol Blatt, Jr., Senior District Judge. (2:04-cr-01092-SB-1)
Submitted:
February 25, 2010
Decided:
March 18, 2010
Before WILKINSON, NIEMEYER, and GREGORY, Circuit Judges.
Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
Ray Coit Yarborough, Jr., LAW OFFICE OF RAY COIT YARBOROUGH, JR., Florence, South Carolina, for Appellant. Michael Rhett DeHart, Assistant United States Attorney, Charleston, South Carolina, for Appellee.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
PER CURIAM: Stanley Lessington appeals from the 121-month sentence imposed following to of make 18 his and jury pass § conviction counterfeit (2006), on two counts checks, of of in
conspiracy violation
business count
U.S.C.
371
one
passing
counterfeit checks, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 513(a), 3147(1) (2006), and two counts of identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028(a)(7), (b)(1)(D) (2006). Lessington's counsel
filed a brief pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967), appeal, denying asserting but that there are no the meritorious district grounds erred and for in for
questioning
whether to
court counsel
Lessington's
motions
substitute
acquittal pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 29. Lessington filed a pro se supplemental brief, arguing the same issues and raising several additional claims. has not filed a brief. The Government
Finding no error, we affirm.
We review the district court's denial of a motion to substitute counsel for abuse of discretion. Reevey, 364 F.3d 151, 156 (4th Cir. 2004). United States v. Upon review, we
consider the following factors: "(1) the timeliness of [the] [m]otion[]; (2) the adequacy of the court's inquiry into his complaint about counsel; and (3) whether [the defendant] and his counsel experienced a total lack of communication preventing an adequate defense." Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). 2 We
then "weigh these factors against the trial court's interest in the orderly administration of justice." Lessington's trial was set Id. at 157. to begin on Monday,
October 30, 2006; however, he did not request a new attorney until Thursday, October 26, 2006. The day of trial, the
district court allowed Lessington to explain the reasons he was dissatisfied with counsel, addressing each point Lessington
raised in depth. who admitted that
The district court also questioned counsel, he and Lessington had a breakdown in
communication because they did not see the evidence in the same light. However, counsel believed he could articulate a defense On these facts, we find that the district court
nonetheless.
did not abuse its discretion in denying Lessington's motion to substitute counsel. We review the district court's denial of a Rule 29 motion for acquittal de novo. F.3d 150, 160 (4th Cir. 2006). "if there is substantial United States v. Perkins, 470 A jury verdict must be upheld viewed in the Id. light most
evidence,
favorable to the Government, to support it."
We consider
both circumstantial and direct evidence, drawing all reasonable inferences from such evidence in the government's favor. States v. Harvey, 532 F.3d 326, 333 (4th Cir. 2008). Count 1 charged that Lessington and an unindicted coconspirator conspired, in violation of § 371, to possess and 3 United
pass
counterfeit
business
checks
with
the
intent
to
deceive
another person and organization, in violation of § 513(a), based on a transaction requires at McElveen government Chevrolet. to prove: A conviction an under
§ 371
the
"(1)
agreement
between two or more people to commit a crime," in this case a violation of § 513(a), and "(2) an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy." Cir. 1997). United States v. Ellis, 121 F.3d 908, 922 (4th
"The existence of a tacit or mutual understanding
between conspirators is sufficient evidence of a conspiratorial agreement." Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). To
establish a violation of § 513(a), the government must prove that the defendant: (1) uttered or possessed; (2) a counterfeit security; (3) of an organization that operates in or affects interstate commerce; (4) with the intent to deceive another
person or organization.
18 U.S.C. § 513(a), (c)(4).
A security
is counterfeit if it "purports to be genuine but is not, because it has been falsely made or manufactured in its entirety." U.S.C. § 513(c)(1). At trial, a former McElveen salesman testified that Lessington came to McElveen to purchase a vehicle and that, at Lessington's direction, he drew up the sales contract in the name of Michael Anthony, knowing the name was fictitious. 18
Lessington forged Michael Anthony's name on the contract and took possession of the vehicle, passing a business check for 4
$37,500 drawn on a construction company's account as payment. The contract further provided that an excess payment in the
amount of $5500 would be refunded to Lessington.
Testimony from
co-conspirators confirms that Lessington passed the counterfeit check with the intent to deceive McElveen. The following day,
the salesman passed the check at the bank and returned $5500 to Lessington, as promised in the fraudulent sales contract. Count conspirators 2 charged Lessington §§ 371 and and several 513(a) named on coa Two
with
violating
based
conspiracy that took place between 2003 and October 2005.
co-conspirators testified that they witnessed Lessington print counterfeit payroll and personal checks. Additionally, several
co-conspirators testified that Lessington recruited them to pass counterfeit payroll checks at several stores and to open bank accounts to deposit counterfeit checks in exchange for payment. Further, a former cashier at the St. Stephen IGA testified that Lessington recruited her to cash a number of counterfeit checks for himself and others at the IGA in exchange for payment. Count 3 charged Lessington with knowingly passing a counterfeit David Jones security with of Nationwide to deceive Insurance the St. made payable IGA, to in
intent
Stephen
violation of § 513(a), while on release, in violation of § 3147. At trial, the former IGA cashier testified that she cashed a counterfeit check from Lessington made out to David Jones at the 5
St. Stephen IGA on September 27, 2005.
At the time Lessington
passed the check, he was on pretrial release after entering a not guilty plea to the original indictment in this case. Finally, identity knowingly theft, in Counts 4 and of 5 charged Lessington (b)(1)(D), others' with for
violation
§ 1028(a)(7), and using
possessing,
transferring,
Social
Security numbers, dates of birth, names, driver's licenses, and identification cards with the intent to commit, and to aid and abet in the commission of, passing counterfeit business checks. To establish to a violation prove that of § 1028(a)(7), the or defendant: without the government is
required
(1) lawful
knowingly; authority;
(2) transferred,
possessed,
used
(3) another person's means of identification; (4) with intent to commit, or to aid or abet, any unlawful activity. § 1028(a)(7). Here, in executing the search warrant, officers found numerous forms of identification in Lessington's bedroom, 18 U.S.C.
including a Social Security card and birth certificate belonging to Juan Francisco Arteaga. Law enforcement officials involved
with the case confirmed that Juan Arteaga's Social Security card and birth certificate were used to obtain the fraudulent
driver's license used by Lessington's cousin to pass counterfeit checks and that Lessington used a fraudulent driver's license in a relative's name to cash a counterfeit 6 check at the IGA.
Lessington
admitted
to
obtaining
and
possessing
the
second
fraudulent driver's license, though he denied using it to pass counterfeit checks. Based on the above, we conclude that there is
substantial evidence supporting the jury verdict on each count. Therefore, the district court properly denied Lessington's Rule 29 motion for acquittal. We have also reviewed the issues
raised in Lessington's pro se supplemental brief and find them to be without merit. In accordance with Anders, we have reviewed the record in this case and have found no meritorious issues for appeal. We therefore affirm the district court's judgment. requires that counsel inform Lessington, in This court of his
writing,
right to petition the Supreme Court of the United States for further filed, review. but If Lessington believes requests such a that a petition would be be
counsel
that
petition
frivolous, counsel may move in this court for leave to withdraw from representation. thereof was served Counsel's motion must state that a copy on Lessington. We dispense with oral
argument because the facts and legal conclusions are adequately presented in the materials before the court and argument would not aid the decisional process. AFFIRMED
7
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