United States v. Johnson

Following a 17-week trial, Harry Johnson, Gene Buree, Michael Davis, Louise Clark, Micah Rudisill, and Larry Eames (“Defendants”) were found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud, and wire0 fraud for their involvement in a fraudulent telemarketing scheme. Rudisill and Eames were also found guilty of money laundering. Each defendant appealed his or her conviction and sentence on multiple grounds, and the six appeals were consolidated into a single matter for consideration by this court. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm Defendants’ convictions and sentences.

Factual and Procedural Background

Facts introduced at trial revealed the following. In 1995 a telemarketing business known as American Eagle Advertising (“AEA”) began operating in Chamblee, Georgia — a suburb of Atlanta. The company, managed by Larry Eames and Micah Rudisill (“Managers”), initially sold magnetic business cards, pens, coffee mugs, and other advertising speciality items strictly to solicited businesses. At some point, however, Eames and Rudisill determined that they could increase profits by expanding their operation to include sales to solicited…