Solorio

Carlos Quintana Solorio (“Solorio”) was arrested during a Drug Enforcement Agency (“DEA”) “buy bust” operation for arranging to sell methamphetamine to a government informant. Following a jury trial, Solorio was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 500 or more grams of a substance containing methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841 (a)(1) and (b)(l)(A)(viii), and conspiracy to distribute 500 or more grams of a substance containing methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 .

Solorio now appeals his conviction on four grounds, contending that: (1) the trial court committed reversible plain error by not requiring interpreters to take an oath, pursuant to Federal Rule of Evidence 604, before translating the government informant’s testimony at trial; (2) allowing two DEA agents to recount the “present sense impressions” of other nontestifying agents violated Solorio’s right to confrontation; (3) there was insufficient evidence to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Solorio actually possessed methamphetamine; and (4) cumulative error warrants reversal.

I.

Background

A. Events preceding the “buy bust” operation

On May 5, 1999, Miguel…