United States First Circuit

Convictions and sentences for possession of drugs on board a vessel and conspiracy are affirmed where: 1) the U.S. had jurisdiction over the vessel and was correct to apply the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act to defendants; 2) exposure of the jury to jurisdictional testimony was harmless; 3) the Fourth Amendment does not apply to activities of the U.S. against aliens in international waters; 4) evidence was sufficient to uphold the convictions; and 5) the district court did not err by denying defendants a pre-trial determination on their duress defense. The sentence for one defendant is reversed and remanded where the district court failed to make any statements as to why the defendant did not merit safety-valve relief.

Appellate Information

• Decided 05/29/2007
• Published 05/29/2007

Judges

• PER CURIAM., Before TORRUELLA, LIPEZ and HOWARD, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States First Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Joaquin E. Cardona-Sandoval on brief pro se.


• For Appellees:
  
• Nelson Pérez-Sosa, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Germán A. Rieckehoff, Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney, on brief for appellee.