United States v. George Mapp

MEMORANDUM

George Rufus Mapp argues that there was insufficient evidence to convict him of three counts of bringing aliens to the United States for financial gain in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324 (a)(2)(B)(ii) and three counts of bringing illegal aliens to the United States without presentation in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324 (a)(2)(B)(iii) (the “brings to” offenses). We conclude that the evidence was sufficient.

The test for sufficiency of evidence is the Jackson standard, whether, “viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Conflicting evidence is to be resolved in favor of the jury verdict, and all reasonable inferences are to be drawn in favor of the government.” United States v. Corona-Verbera, 509 F.3d 1105, 1117 (9th Cir.2007) (quotation marks and citations omitted). Taken in the light most favorable to the prosecution, the evidence shows that Mapp actively participated in a scheme to bring aliens to the United States for financial gain and without presentation, and that his participation was not limited to prospective transporting of aliens…