Robert Johnson and Dona Johnson v. United States

Appellants, husband and wife, were convicted on charges of transferring marijuana and of its concealment in violation of the anti-narcotic laws of the United States. The statutes charged as violated were Title 26, section 4742(a), and Title 21, section 176a, of the United States Code. The husband drew a total sentence of ten years and the wife received a sentence of five years.

Briefly stated, the background facts are that two persons, who were arrested for the sale and possession of marijuana, stated to federal agents that their source of supply was appellant Robert Johnson, whom they correctly described. Robert and Dona Johnson lived together in an apartment in Malibou, California. In conformity with arrangements made by a special employee of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Adrienne Simmrin and the special employee drove together to the Johnsons’ apartment. Miss Simmrin went into the apartment for a few minutes and met Robert Johnson there. She received two envelopes containing 690 grains of marijuana, for which she paid the appellant, Robert Johnson, twenty dollars. The money had been supplied her by the special employee. This transfer of narcotics on November 14, 1957,…