P.

I. FACTS

Beginning at the age of 16, defendant sold marijuana throughout the desert valley.

In 2009 a friend, Melvin Hall, approached him about selling Ecstasy. By October of that

same year, Hall was “fronting” the pills and defendant would use the proceeds from the

sales to pay for them. For approximately three weeks, defendant dealt with Hall and then

was introduced to Troy Hill,2 Hall‟s roommate. According to Troy, Hall was developing

defendant to eventually take over selling Ecstasy in the desert area.

All further statutory references are to the Penal Code unless otherwise indicated.

2 Because both Troy Hill and his sister, Shayna Hill, testified, and since they share the same last name, we will refer to them by their first names.

2 In December 2009, defendant learned about a “rave” party in Orange County.

Believing he could make a lot of money selling Ecstasy at the rave party, defendant

purchased 300 pills from Hall for approximately $600-$800. Hall fronted an extra 100

pills to defendant for $250. On December 18, Hall and Troy arranged to meet defendant

in Desert Hot Springs to collect money for the pills that were fronted to defendant.

Defendant went to…