United States Eighth Circuit

Defendant's conviction and sentence for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute MDMA and money laundering are affirmed where: 1) there was sufficient evidence that defendant wanted not only to shield himself from reporting requirements but also to actively conceal the nature or source of the funds; 2) the district court did not abuse its discretion by providing the jury with an instruction that did not define "proceeds" as the profits of the drug trafficking operation; 3) there was no clear error in the district court's calculation of drug quantity attributable to defendant; and 4) the district court made an individualized assessment in sentencing based on all facts presented, addressing defendant's proffered information in its considerations of the 18 U.S.C. section 3553(a) factors.

Appellate Information

• Decided 05/20/2010
• Published 05/20/2010

Judges

• SMITH, Circuit Judge., Before MELLOY, SMITH, and COLLOTON, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Eighth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Adam D. Fein, argued, St. Louis, MO, for Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Antoinette Decker, argued, St. Louis, Mo, for Appellee.