People v. Singleton CA2/5

INTRODUCTION

A jury found defendant and appellant Stevie Singleton (defendant) guilty of sale of a controlled substance (Health & Saf. Code, § 11352, subd. (a)) (count 1) and possession for sale of a controlled substance (Health & Saf. Code, § 11351) (count 2).1 On appeal, defendant contends that insufficient evidence supports his convictions for sale of a controlled substance and possession for sale of a controlled substance. Defendant also asserts that the trial court erred prejudicially by admitting expert narcotics-jargon testimony without qualifying the testifying witness as an expert. If we conclude that his challenge to the admission of expert testimony was forfeited by defense counsel’s failure to object in the trial court, then defendant contends that he received ineffective assistance of counsel. We affirm.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

On August 16, 2013, City of Pomona Police Department Officer Jesus Cardenas was working on a special two-week assignment to the U.S. Marshal Service. The assignment entailed conducting undercover narcotics purchases as part of a task force. An 11-year veteran of the Pomona Police Department, Officer Cardenas had been a police officer for 16…