United States v. Chake G. Kojayan, United States of America v. Hratch Meguerdity Kalfayan

In many ways this is a run-of-the-mill case. A misdeed was committed, and the wrongdoers did their best to keep from being found out. When their actions were questioned, they denied any impropriety and pointed the finger at others. Eventually forced to own up, they did so only partially and grudgingly, “minimiz[ing their] involvement in the ... conduct and ... not fully accepting] responsibility.” United States v. Yanez, 985 F.2d 371, 376 (7th Cir.1993).

A run-of-the-mill case in many ways, but with a twist.

I

Chake Kojayan, a middle-aged Lebanese woman, came to Los Angeles from Lebanon on June- 13, 1991, with $100,000 worth of heroin sewn into a bag. There’s no dispute about that, or about a lot of other things. She had been given the bag by an acquaintance of Hagop Kalfayan (codefendant Hratch Kalfayan’s brother) and told to stay at the house of Kalfayan’s mother while in Los Angeles. In the meantime, Krikor Nou-rian was arranging a sale of the heroin to people who turned out to be DEA agents. On June 26, Hratch Kalfayan drove Kojayan to the Airport Hilton Hotel, where they met Nourian and DEA Special Agent Alieva, who was posing as a buyer. After a conversation, part in…