United States v. Henry Martin

The defendant was convicted on seven counts of aiding and abetting interstate transportation of forged securities. 18 U.S.C. § 2314 , § 2. The appeal of a confederate, Carol Jean Axtman, has already been disposed of and her conviction affirmed. United States v. Axtman, 574 F.2d 474 (9th Cir. 1978). The facts surrounding the offenses were set forth briefly in that opinion, which also disposes of one issue raised by appellant Martin. Id. at 475 .

Martin, a Negro, and another Negro man, accompanied by Axtman, a Caucasian woman, rented a blue sedan at the Portland airport in June 1977. Axtman gave a fictitious name and a Wisconsin address. They registered at a Portland motel and defendant Martin was observed there with Mrs. Axtman. Using another fictitious name, Axtman opened savings accounts at seven banks in the Portland area, depositing in each a large check drawn on a Wisconsin bank, each check being signed by an unauthorized person. The checks had been stolen.

The checks were sent in interstate commerce from Oregon to Wisconsin and returned unpaid.

Axtman was arrested two days later as she tried to withdraw $2,000 from a Portland bank. FBI agents had previously been informed…