Sandoval-Mendoza

FACTS

Twin brothers, Eduardo and Ricardo Sandoval-Mendoza, were convicted of conspiring to sell methamphetamine. Eduardo Sandoval-Mendoza sold the drugs. He argues that the government entrapped him as a matter of law. He also argues that the district court erroneously excluded medical evidence of an enormous brain tumor that made him espe- 19948 UNITED STATES v. SANDOVAL-MENDOZA cially vulnerable to entrapment. Ricardo Sandoval-Mendoza argues that the government presented insufficient evidence to convict him. We treat Ricardo Sandoval-Mendoza’s appeal separately in an unpublished disposition.

A family friend named “Marcos” introduced Eduardo Sandoval-Mendoza to “Tony” in February of 2000. Marcos and Tony were government informants. Sandoval-Mendoza sold them about 12 pounds of methamphetamine in three sep- arate deals.

Sandoval-Mendoza testified. He admitted selling the drugs, but claimed the government entrapped him. He claimed the government informants knew a large brain tumor rendered him especially susceptible to suggestion and preyed upon his weakness. The tumor was diagnosed in 1992, eight years before the methamphetamine sales. At first, Sandoval- Mendoza took…