Sufficiency of Evidence – Pleas & Sentencing

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7th Circuit Court of Appeals

Case Name: United States of America v. Roberto Rebolledo-Delgadillo

Case No.: 15-2121

Officials: FLAUM, RIPPLE, and HAMILTON, Circuit Judges.

Focus: Sufficiency of Evidence – Pleas & Sentencing

Substantial evidence and appropriateness of sentence overcomes appellant objections to conviction.

“We share the district court’s disbelief that an experienced drug dealer like Ramirez would allow a novice to broker a $200,000 drug transaction. Moreover, there is evidence in the record that casts doubt on several of Rebolledo’s interview statements, including his claim that he had not been involved in previous drug transactions. For example, Rebolledo admit‐ ted to driving Individual P to the CI’s ranch eighteen months before the August 16 transaction. As the district court observed, Individual P and the CI planned a drug deal during that meeting. It is difficult to accept Rebolledo’s claim that he did not know about that drug deal given that Rebolledo contacted the CI eighteen months later, refused to give the CI his real name, and then became entangled in a large drug trans‐ action. In light of that evidence and the other suspicious and inconsistent statements contained in Rebolledo’s proffer, the district court did not clearly err in refusing safety valve relief.”

Affirmed

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Attorney Derek A. Hawkins is the managing partner at Hawkins Law Offices LLC, where he heads up the firm’s startup law practice. He specializes in business formation, corporate governance, intellectual property protection, private equity and venture capital funding and mergers & acquisitions. Check out the website at www.hawkins-lawoffices.com or contact them at 262-737-8825.