United States v. Everardo Barata-Jimenez, 835 F.2d 875, 4th Cir. (1987)
United States v. Everardo Barata-Jimenez, 835 F.2d 875, 4th Cir. (1987)
835 F.
2d 875
Unpublished Disposition
NOTICE: Fourth Circuit I.O.P. 36.6 states that citation of
unpublished dispositions is disfavored except for establishing
res judicata, estoppel, or the law of the case and requires
service of copies of cited unpublished dispositions of the Fourth
Circuit.
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Everardo BARATA-JIMENEZ, Defendant-Appellant.
No. 87-5562.
United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.
Argued Oct. 9, 1987.
Decided Nov. 23, 1987.
Joseph Edward Carey for appellant.
Katharine Jacobs Armentrout, Assistant United States Attorney
(Breckinridge L. Willcox, United States Attorney on brief) for appellee.
Before HARRISON L. WINTER, Chief Judge, K.K. HALL, Circuit
Judge, and HAYNSWORTH, Senior Circuit Judge.
PER CURIAM:
Everardo Barata-Jimenez appeals from his conviction by a jury of conspiracy to
distribute cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. Sec. 846, and possession with intent
to distribute cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. Sec. 841(a)(1). Finding no error,
we affirm.
Appellant was arrested with several others, on August 6, 1985, as part of a sting
operation conducted by agents of the Drug Enforcement Agency ("DEA") and
set up with the help of a government informant, Alec Bryan Edelen. Three
kilograms of cocaine were recovered during the arrest. A search of the
appellant's person revealed an additional 1.21 grams of cocaine folded within a
$10 bill.
3
At trial, Edelen testified that he, appellant and others were involved in a cocaine
distribution scheme between September, 1984, and August, 1985. According to
Edelen, appellant delivered two kilos of cocaine to him on two separate
occasions, and also brought a blue bag containing the three kilos of cocaine
into the apartment on the day of the arrest.
On appeal, appellant contends that the trial court erred in admitting into
evidence the small amount of cocaine found on his person when this evidence
was unrelated to the charges against him. Appellant also argues that the
probative value of this evidence was outweighed by its prejudicial effect and
should have been excluded under Fed.R.Evid. 403. We disagree.
Extrinsic or other act evidence is admissible if relevant to an issue other than
the accused's character whenever the probative value of the evidence exceeds
any danger of undue prejudice. United States v. Echeverri-Jaramillo, 777 F.2d
933 (4th Cir.1985). Here, appellant denied all knowledge of a cocaine
conspiracy, claimed that the small amount of cocaine found in his possession
was for personal use, and that the blue bag contained towels, not cocaine. With
these assertions, appellant in effect conceded that his knowledge and intent
were in issue. Appellant does not dispute his presence at the apartment on
August 6, 1985. Rather, he claims he took no part in the conspiracy to distribute
cocaine. The evidence tended to refute appellant's claim that he was merely an
innocent bystander. We find, therefore, that it was within the trial court's
discretion to admit it. See United States v. Rhodes, 779 F.2d 1019, 1031 (4th
Cir.1985).
Accordingly, appellant's convictions are affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
