United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1999-05-03
21usc841: author: Flash2 · QA: FIX (Fable, neov2/cases/TRIAGE-Flash.md)
Case and law context
Role: applied; posture: criminal; jury conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine; defendant appeals sufficiency of evidence on knowing constructive possession of drugs in hidden vehicle compartment (and a Rule 404(b) ruling); conviction affirmed; result: claimant-won; claim: (a)(1)
Uncertainty
Element intent-to-distribute: holding: not separately contested on appeal; recorded as the jury's finding left standing by the affirmance
Misfit
None recorded
B · Case × element grid
Top-level elements follow claim order in panels of up to six elements. Case rows repeat across panels. Every recorded block retains its holding and basis; multiple blocks are not merged into a case-level verdict. ✓ satisfied · ✗ not satisfied · ○ not reached · · not addressed. Muted blocks are not counted. Sub-element evidence remains on case and element pages.
Elements 1–6 of 18
Elements 7–12 of 18
| Case | Death or serious bodily injury results from the use of such substance (§ 841(b)(1)(A)-(C) 20-year mandatory minimum) | Recidivist enhancement for prior conviction for a serious drug felony or serious violent felony (§ 841(b)(1), 21 U.S.C. § 851) | Prohibited act under § 841(a)(1): manufacture, distribute, or dispense | Cross-statute route alias: see separate aiding-abetting (§ 2) and x-conspiracy-846 (§ 846) routes | Aiding and abetting route under 18 U.S.C. § 2 (cross-statute) | Categorical / modified categorical comparison of state drug offense to 21 U.S.C. § 841 (INA / ACCA / Guidelines) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States v. Lazcano-Villalobos — 175 F.3d 838 (1999) · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1999 (21usc841: author: Flash2 · QA: FIX (Fable, neov2/cases/TRIAGE-Flash.md)) | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed |
Elements 13–18 of 18
| Case | Drug conspiracy route under 21 U.S.C. § 846 (cross-statute) | Fifth Amendment Due Process / Equal Protection challenge to carrier-medium weight sentencing (Chapman) | Affirmative defense of entrapment (government inducement + lack of predisposition) | Rule of lenity in construing ambiguous penalty provisions of § 841(b) | Fifth Amendment void-for-vagueness challenge to "mixture or substance" or analogue provisions | Continuing-offense venue for § 841(a)(1) possession with intent to distribute / distribution (18 U.S.C. § 3237(a)) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States v. Lazcano-Villalobos — 175 F.3d 838 (1999) · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1999 (21usc841: author: Flash2 · QA: FIX (Fable, neov2/cases/TRIAGE-Flash.md)) | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed |
Instances and excluded annotation blocks
| Case | Element | Holding and scope | Pattern | Exact source quotations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States v. Lazcano-Villalobos — 175 F.3d 838 (1999) · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1999 — satisfied · proved (21usc841: author: Flash2 · QA: FIX (Fable, neov2/cases/TRIAGE-Flash.md)) | Specific intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense the possessed controlled substance | satisfied Counted merits instance applied / merits basis: proved; claim: (a)(1) 4,467 grams of 92% pure cocaine valued at up to $450,000 on the street. Intent to distribute was not contested on appeal (only knowing possession was). | ten-bundles-92-percent-pure-cocaine-and-courier-fee-cash | A search of the hidden compartment produced ten bundles of ninety-two percent pure cocaine, weighing 4,467 grams and ranging in value between $80,000 (wholesale) and $450,000 (street value).Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_175.jsonl#/f3d/175/0838-01; Unicode character offsets [2311:2501] (end exclusive); SHA-256 705ae18823815868add1d2ac7b39bfffb0da1c0a7caf210a46cfee8dbcbe0001.An experienced Drug Enforcement Administration agent later testified $2,500 is a reasonable courier’s fee for transporting cocaine from New Mexico to Denver, Colorado, and that couriers are usually paid in cash denominations of $20 or less.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_175.jsonl#/f3d/175/0838-01; Unicode character offsets [2689:2929] (end exclusive); SHA-256 705ae18823815868add1d2ac7b39bfffb0da1c0a7caf210a46cfee8dbcbe0001. |
| United States v. Lazcano-Villalobos — 175 F.3d 838 (1999) · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1999 — satisfied · proved (21usc841: author: Flash2 · QA: FIX (Fable, neov2/cases/TRIAGE-Flash.md)) | Mens rea: "knowingly or intentionally" (including knowledge that the substance is a controlled substance) | satisfied Counted merits instance applied / merits basis: proved; claim: (a)(1) Shaking hands, air fresheners purchased same day to mask odor, immaculate dust-free condition of disassembled dash, and repeated border crossings supported knowledge. | masking-odor-border-crossings-nervousness | As he held the card, Agent Williams noticed Mr. Lazcano-Villalobos’ hand shaking.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_175.jsonl#/f3d/175/0838-01; Unicode character offsets [1025:1106] (end exclusive); SHA-256 705ae18823815868add1d2ac7b39bfffb0da1c0a7caf210a46cfee8dbcbe0001.Returning to the driver’s side of the vehicle, Agent Williams detected a “strong odor of air freshener or something” coming from inside the car.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_175.jsonl#/f3d/175/0838-01; Unicode character offsets [1619:1763] (end exclusive); SHA-256 705ae18823815868add1d2ac7b39bfffb0da1c0a7caf210a46cfee8dbcbe0001.During disassembly, Agent Williams noticed the top and undersides of the glove compartment and dash contained no dust and looked immaculate.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_175.jsonl#/f3d/175/0838-01; Unicode character offsets [2170:2310] (end exclusive); SHA-256 705ae18823815868add1d2ac7b39bfffb0da1c0a7caf210a46cfee8dbcbe0001.The evidence, while mostly circumstantial and built in part on inferences, logically links Mr. Lazcano-Villalobos with knowledge of the cocaine.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_175.jsonl#/f3d/175/0838-01; Unicode character offsets [15914:16058] (end exclusive); SHA-256 705ae18823815868add1d2ac7b39bfffb0da1c0a7caf210a46cfee8dbcbe0001. |
| United States v. Lazcano-Villalobos — 175 F.3d 838 (1999) · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 1999 — satisfied · proved (21usc841: author: Flash2 · QA: FIX (Fable, neov2/cases/TRIAGE-Flash.md)) | Possession (actual, constructive, sole, or joint dominion and control) | satisfied Counted merits instance applied / merits basis: proved; claim: (a)(1) In a jointly occupied vehicle with a hidden compartment, circumstantial nexus (shaking hand, lack of luggage, air fresheners masking scent, dustless dash indicating recent concealment, $2,300 cash courier fee) proved driver's constructive possession. | driver-hidden-compartment-joint-occupancy-nexus | On examination of the car’s interior, border patrol agents discovered a hidden compartment which could not be seen without taking the dash apart.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_175.jsonl#/f3d/175/0838-01; Unicode character offsets [2024:2169] (end exclusive); SHA-256 705ae18823815868add1d2ac7b39bfffb0da1c0a7caf210a46cfee8dbcbe0001.Direct and circumstantial evidence shows Mr. Lazcano-Villalobos used the late model Ford containing the drugs from December 30, 1996 until his arrest on February 1, 1997.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_175.jsonl#/f3d/175/0838-01; Unicode character offsets [13432:13602] (end exclusive); SHA-256 705ae18823815868add1d2ac7b39bfffb0da1c0a7caf210a46cfee8dbcbe0001.Thus, Mr. Lazcano-Villalobos’ joint occupancy of the vehicle with his wife is not sufficient in this case to establish an inference of constructive possession.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_175.jsonl#/f3d/175/0838-01; Unicode character offsets [12395:12554] (end exclusive); SHA-256 705ae18823815868add1d2ac7b39bfffb0da1c0a7caf210a46cfee8dbcbe0001.A person constructively possesses contraband when he or she knowingly holds ownership, dominion or control over the object and premises where it is found.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_175.jsonl#/f3d/175/0838-01; Unicode character offsets [11746:11900] (end exclusive); SHA-256 705ae18823815868add1d2ac7b39bfffb0da1c0a7caf210a46cfee8dbcbe0001.To prove constructive possession where there is joint occupancy, the government must present direct or circumstantial evidence to show some connection or nexus individually linking Mr. Lazeano-Villalobos to the contraband.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_175.jsonl#/f3d/175/0838-01; Unicode character offsets [12555:12777] (end exclusive); SHA-256 705ae18823815868add1d2ac7b39bfffb0da1c0a7caf210a46cfee8dbcbe0001.Thus, we find the evidence was substantial and sufficient to support Mr. Lazcano-Villalobos’ conviction for knowingly possessing the contraband.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_175.jsonl#/f3d/175/0838-01; Unicode character offsets [16059:16203] (end exclusive); SHA-256 705ae18823815868add1d2ac7b39bfffb0da1c0a7caf210a46cfee8dbcbe0001. |