United States v. Joyce Spoonhunter

MEMORANDUM

Joyce Tatsey Spoonhunter appeals her conviction on three counts of wire fraud. See 18 U.S.C. § 1343 . We affirm.

Spoonhunter asserts that the evidence was insufficient to support the guilty verdict. We disagree. As relevant here, the elements of wire fraud are: “the existence of a scheme to defraud ... and ... specific intent to defraud.” United States v. Pelisamen, 641 F.3d 399, 409 (9th Cir.2011); see also Carpenter v. United States, 484 U.S. 19, 27 , 108 S.Ct. 316, 321 , 98 L.Ed.2d 275 (1987). Spoonhunter- directly attacks sufficiency as to the first of these elements and indirectly attacks sufficiency as to the second. See United States v. Bohonus, 628 F.2d 1167, 1172 (9th Cir.1980). Our careful review of the record reveals that as to each charge, “after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, [a] rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.” Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319 , 99 S.Ct. 2781, 2789 , 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979); see also United States v. Nevils, 598 F.3d 1158, 1163-67 (9th Cir.2010) (en banc). A rational trier of fact of fact could conclude beyond a reasonable…