United States v. Whitaker ( 1994 )


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    United States Court of Appeals
    United States Court of Appeals
    For the First Circuit
    For the First Circuit
    ____________________
    No. 92-2299

    UNITED STATES,
    Appellee,

    v.

    DESMOND JADUSINGH,
    Defendant, Appellant.
    ____________________
    No. 92-2404

    UNITED STATES,
    Appellee,

    v.

    KAREN WHITAKER,
    Defendant, Appellant.
    ____________________

    APPEALS FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
    FOR THE DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO

    [Hon. Gilberto Gierbolini, U.S. District Judge]
    ___________________
    ____________________

    Before

    Breyer, Chief Judge,
    ___________
    Selya and Stahl, Circuit Judges.
    ______________
    ____________________

    Rachel Brill with whom Benicio Sanchez Rivera was on brief for
    ____________ _______________________
    appellant Jadusingh.
    Luz M. Rios Rosario for appellant Whitaker.
    ___________________
    Desmond Jadusingh pro se.
    _________________
    Jeanette Mercado Rios, Assistant United States Attorney, with
    _______________________
    whom Charles E. Fitzwilliam, United States Attorney and Jose A.
    ________________________ _______
    Quiles-Espinosa, Senior Litigation Counsel, were on brief for
    _______________
    appellee.
    ____________________
    January 4, 1994
    ____________________





















    STAHL, Circuit Judge. After a three-day jury
    ______________

    trial, defendants-appellants Desmond Jadusingh and Karen

    Whitaker were convicted of conspiring to import approximately

    two kilograms of cocaine into the customs territory of the

    United States in violation of 21 U.S.C. 952 and 963.

    Appellants also were convicted of conspiring to possess with

    intent to distribute the same cocaine in violation of 21

    U.S.C. 841(a)(1) and 846. On appeal, both raise a host of

    challenges to their convictions. Finding no reversible

    error, we affirm.

    I.
    I.
    __

    FACTUAL BACKGROUND
    FACTUAL BACKGROUND
    __________________

    Because defendants challenge the sufficiency of the

    evidence to support their convictions, we summarize the

    evidence in the light most favorable to the government. See,
    ___

    e.g., United States v. Mena-Robles, 4 F.3d 1026, 1029 (1st
    ____ _____________ ___________

    Cir. 1993). Donna Marie Carr is the mother of Kimberly

    Miller. In the summer of 1991, Carr was approached by

    Miller's boyfriend, Desmond Jadusingh, and asked to

    participate in an international drug smuggling venture.

    Jadusingh wanted Carr to travel with two couriers he had

    recruited, Miller and Karen Whitaker, so that Carr could

    learn the operation and step in if either Miller or Whitaker

    backed out. The trip was planned for January 1992.





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    As the date of departure drew near, Carr approached

    Pittsfield, Massachusetts, police officer Timothy Surrell

    about the venture. He, in turn, alerted the Massachusetts

    Drug Enforcement Agency ("MDEA") and arranged for two MDEA

    agents to join him in a meeting with Carr. The group

    gathered at a local restaurant, where Carr told Surrell and

    the agents that she would be meeting with Jadusingh later in

    the day to finalize the arrangements. Fearing that she would

    not remember all of the anticipated conversation, Carr

    volunteered to wear a concealed wire to the rendezvous at

    Jadusingh and Miller's apartment. That evening, Carr

    recorded a conversation in which Jadusingh, Whitaker and

    Miller discussed their plans to travel to Puerto Rico to

    purchase and import two kilograms of cocaine. Meanwhile, DEA

    agents and local police, in a nearby parking lot, listened to

    the live transmission of the conversation.

    Two days later, on January 16, 1992, Carr drove

    Jadusingh, Whitaker and Miller from Pittsfield to Jadusingh's

    house on Long Island, New York, where Jadusingh gathered

    money and clothing for the trip. The following morning,

    Jadusingh's brother drove all four to Kennedy International

    Airport, where they boarded a plane for Puerto Rico. Upon

    arrival, the group, under surveillance by officers of the

    federal Drug Enforcement Administration ("DEA"), traveled to

    the Holiday Inn Crown Plaza in Carolina, Puerto Rico. All



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    three of the women stayed in room 519 while Jadusingh, who

    wanted to keep his distance from the women, stayed in room

    309, which was registered to a Karen Bailey.1 Whitaker and

    Carr were instructed by Jadusingh not to mention his name in

    public and to contact him only by phone. They were provided

    a telephone credit card number to charge calls as needed.

    For the most part, Jadusingh rationed out instructions and

    money through Miller on an as-needed basis. He also demanded

    receipts for all expenses.

    Shortly after arriving in Puerto Rico, the group

    was informed by its drug contact, Etlyn, that there was an

    unexpected change of plans. Jadusingh's cocaine had not been

    unloaded in Puerto Rico as expected, and would have to be

    picked up in Curacao.2 While Jadusingh remained in Puerto

    Rico, the three women, accompanied by surveilling undercover

    DEA agents, traveled to Curacao to pick up the cocaine. Once

    there, Miller met with a man known only as Junior and

    exchanged $5800 of Jadusingh's money for approximately two

    kilograms of cocaine. In an attempt to compensate for the

    unplanned detour, Junior promised an additional two kilograms

    of cocaine and instructed the women to change hotels and

    await delivery.



    ____________________

    1. Karen Whitaker is also known as Karen Bailey.

    2. Curacao is the main island of the Netherlands Antilles,
    off the northwest coast of Venezuela.

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    Meanwhile, Miller and Whitaker purchased razor

    blades, plastic baggies, tape and girdles. With the help of

    Carr, the two women divided and packed the cocaine according

    to Jadusingh's instructions. Jadusingh, who was in frequent

    phone contact with his couriers, directed them to bring the

    cocaine back to the United States by way of St. Martin and

    St. Thomas. According to Jadusingh, smuggling cocaine

    through customs in St. Thomas was easier than through customs

    in Puerto Rico. When Jadusingh subsequently discovered that

    he could not fly to St. Thomas without a passport, however,

    he told the women to abandon Junior's additional delivery and

    return immediately to the Holiday Inn in Puerto Rico.

    On January 23, 1992, Miller and Whitaker taped the

    baggies containing the cocaine to their stomachs and further

    secured the contraband with the girdles. Together with Carr,

    they boarded a plane bound for Aruba. After spending the

    night in Aruba, Miller and Whitaker again secured the cocaine

    to their bodies and boarded a plane for Puerto Rico.

    Meanwhile, at Puerto Rico's Luis Munoz Marin International

    Airport, Senior Customs Inspector Sonia Maldonado was alerted

    by DEA agents that two persons would be arriving from Aruba

    with contraband. Maldonado, who was not told which

    passengers would be carrying the drugs, became suspicious of

    Whitaker and Miller because they were wearing bulky winter

    jackets on what she described as a particularly hot day. A



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    personal search of Whitaker by Maldonado and of Miller by

    Senior Customs Inspector Maria Esquilin uncovered

    approximately two kilograms of a concealed white powder which

    was field tested and found to be cocaine. After completing

    the search, Maldonado delivered Whitaker to DEA agent Eric

    Johnson. Jadusingh was arrested at the Holiday Inn later

    that day.

    On February 5, 1992, a grand jury returned a two-

    count indictment against Jadusingh, Miller and Whitaker.

    Count one charged the defendants with conspiracy to import

    cocaine from Aruba to the United States in violation of 21

    U.S.C. 952 and 963. Count two charged the defendants with

    conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute the same

    cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1) and 846. The

    defendants pled not guilty at their arraignment. Jadusingh

    and Whitaker were tried without Miller, who fled after being

    released on bail and was later arrested and tried separately.

    Carr was the government's lead witness at the trial.

    Jadusingh and Whitaker were convicted on both conspiracy

    counts.

    II.
    II.
    ___

    DISCUSSION
    DISCUSSION
    __________

    On appeal, Jadusingh and Whitaker together

    primarily argue: (1) the court erred in allowing Donna Carr

    to testify; (2) the court impermissibly admitted an audiotape



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    into evidence; and (3) the court erred in denying their

    respective Rule 29 motions for acquittal.3 Jadusingh

    further contends 1) that the district court improperly

    enhanced his sentence, and 2) that he was denied effective

    assistance of counsel.4 We discuss each argument in turn.

    A. Donna Carr
    A. Donna Carr
    ______________

    Jadusingh and Whitaker argue that the district

    court erred in allowing Donna Carr, the government's

    confidential informant and lead witness, to testify.

    Specifically, the defendants claim (1) that the court should

    have excluded Carr's testimony because the government failed

    to disclose Carr's criminal history in violation of Brady v.
    _________

    Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963); and (2) that the trial judge
    ________

    precluded Jadusingh's attorney from effectively cross-

    examining Carr. We find both of these arguments to be

    without merit.

    1. Brady Violations
    1. Brady Violations
    ____________________

    In Brady, the Supreme Court held that "the
    _____

    suppression by the prosecution of evidence favorable to an

    accused upon request violates due process where the evidence

    is material either to guilt or to punishment, irrespective of


    ____________________

    3. Pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 29, "The court on motion of
    a defendant or of its own motion shall order the entry of
    judgment of acquittal . . . if the evidence is insufficient
    to sustain a conviction . . . ."

    4. Jadusingh makes his ineffective assistance of counsel
    claim in a supplemental brief he filed pro se.
    ___ __

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    the good faith or bad faith of the prosecution." Id. at 87.
    ___

    The purpose of the Brady rule is "to prohibit the prosecution
    _____

    from intentionally withholding `evidence favorable to the

    accused that, if suppressed, would deprive the defendant of a

    fair trail.'" United States v. Valencia-Lucena, 925 F.2d
    ______________ _______________

    506, 514 (1st Cir. 1991)(quoting United States v. Bagley, 473
    _____________ ______

    U.S. 667, 675 (1985)). The rule is not, however, intended to

    "`displace the adversary system as the primary means by which

    truth is uncovered.'" Id. (quoting Bagley, 473 U.S. at 675).
    ___ ______

    Here, there was no Brady violation. Although the
    _____

    government did not disclose Carr's 1978 misdemeanor drug

    conviction until just before the start of the first day of

    trial, it is uncontested that the government did not actually

    learn of this conviction until that same day.5 Moreover,

    Carr's other past substance abuse and outstanding traffic

    violations were fully disclosed during the direct and cross-

    examination of Carr at trial. Given this full disclosure of

    Carr's background by the government, we are at a loss to

    comprehend defendant's argument that the government committed

    a Brady violation.6 See id. at 514 (government failure to
    _____ ___ ___


    ____________________

    5. We further note that defendants, although knowing about
    the 1978 conviction, did not raise it at trial.

    6. Jadusingh and Whitaker also cursorily argue that the
    government knowingly allowed Carr to present false testimony
    to the jury. See United States v. Wallach, 935 F.2d 445 (2d
    ___ _____________ _______
    Cir. 1991)(reversing conviction where government knowingly
    allowed star witness to perjure himself). Having carefully
    reviewed all of the alleged "inconsistencies" adduced in

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    turn over evidence of confidential informant's drug use was

    not Brady violation where issue was fully revealed at trial).
    _____

    2. Cross Examination
    2. Cross Examination
    _____________________

    Jadusingh next argues that the trial judge unfairly

    limited the scope of his cross-examination of Carr. In

    support of this argument, however, Jadusingh offers only the

    following colloquy between his lawyer and Carr:

    Q. After 1985 how many warrants for
    your arrest did you have?

    A. Five.

    Q. You had five arrest warrants
    pending, you never have stated that?

    [Government]: Objection, Your Honor.

    The Court: Sustained.

    After the trial court sustained the government's objection,

    Jadusingh's attorney neither attempted to reformulate his

    query, nor asked the trial judge for a clarification of his

    ruling. Instead, the attorney wholly abandoned this

    particular line of questioning of Carr, and moved on to an

    unrelated topic.

    When challenging an exclusionary ruling like the

    one before us, the aggrieved party must show 1) that a

    substantial right was affected, and 2) that the "substance of

    the evidence [sought to be introduced] was made known to the

    court by offer or was apparent from the context within which


    ____________________

    support of this argument, however, we find it to be baseless.

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    questions were asked." Fed. R. Evid. 103 (a) (2). In the

    absence of this minimal showing, our review is limited to

    "plain error." Fed. R. Evid. 103(d). In order to show plain

    error, the complaining party must demonstrate "that justice

    has miscarried or that the trial's basic fairness has been

    compromised." United States v. Hadfield, 918 F.2d 987, 995
    _____________ ________

    (1st Cir. 1990), cert. denied, 111 S. Ct. 2062 (1991). We
    _____ ______

    find no such error here.

    We begin by noting that the question posed by

    Jadusingh's counsel at trial related solely to Carr's arrest

    warrants after 1985. The only evidence in the record
    _____

    regarding Carr's criminal history for this time period is her

    testimony on direct examination that she had pending traffic

    violations. Nothing in the record remotely intimates that

    further cross-examination on this subject would have

    uncovered evidence of other wrong-doing on the part of Carr

    or would have been of any value to Jadusingh. Nor has

    Jadusingh offered any information on appeal tending to show

    that further cross-examination on this subject was warranted.



    Further, it is not apparent from the record that

    the district court intended to restrict Jadusingh's

    substantive inquiry into Carr's outstanding warrants. It is

    equally plausible that the government objected to the

    argumentative tone of the question. Thus, we cannot say that



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    the fairness of Jadusingh's trial was affected by the

    district court's restriction of Jadusingh's cross-examination

    of Carr.7

    B. Admission of Tape Recording
    B. Admission of Tape Recording
    _______________________________

    Jadusingh and Whitaker next argue that it was error

    for the court to permit the jury to listen to the audiotape

    of the meeting between Carr, Jadusingh, Whitaker and Miller

    at Jadusingh and Miller's apartment. In so doing, they

    contend that the trial court should have excluded the tape

    because it was inaudible. Jadusingh further argues that he

    was prejudiced by the prosecutor's reference to the substance

    of the tape in her closing remarks. We disagree.

    1. Audibility and Admission of the Tape
    1. Audibility and Admission of the Tape
    ________________________________________

    The decision to admit or exclude an audiotape rests

    with the trial judge, who must decide "whether `the inaudible

    parts are so substantial as to make the rest [of the tape]

    more misleading than helpful.'" United States v. Font-
    ______________ _____


    ____________________

    7. Jadusingh also charges that the district court's ruling
    violated his right to confront Carr in violation of the Sixth
    Amendment. We fail to see the merit of this argument. A
    criminal defendant's Sixth Amendment right to confront
    witnesses against him/her is not absolute. It may, of
    course, be violated when the defendant is prohibited from
    engaging in cross-examination which is not repetitive,
    harassing or otherwise improper, but, rather, is designed to
    show a "prototypical form of bias on the part of the witness
    and thereby to expose to the jury information on the
    witness's reliability." United States v. Osorio, 929 F.2d
    ______________ ______
    753, 759 (1st Cir. 1991). Here, the question posed by
    Jadusingh's counsel was argumentative and, therefore,
    properly excluded as improper cross-examination. See id. at
    ___ ___
    760.

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    Ramirez, 944 F.2d 42, 47 (1st Cir. 1991) (quoting United
    _______ ______

    States v. Carbone, 798 F.2d 21, 24 (1st Cir. 1986)), cert.
    ______ _______ _____

    denied, 112 S. Ct. 954 (1992). As we have held on numerous
    ______

    occasions, a trial judge's ruling on the admission of

    recordings is afforded "broad discretion," even where

    portions of the taped conversation are unintelligible. See,
    ___

    e.g., Font-Ramirez, 944 F.2d at 47.
    ____ ____________

    We have listened to the tape and conclude that the

    district court acted within its discretion in ruling that the

    tape as a whole was not more misleading than helpful.

    Although much of what Jadusingh and Whitaker say is drowned

    out by intermittent television noise, Carr's words are easily

    understandable as she repeatedly paraphrases statements made

    by each defendant to his or her discernable approval.

    Furthermore, Carr's audible questions regarding money, travel

    arrangements and customs are addressed to, and answered by,

    Jadusingh, thereby corroborating much of Carr's direct

    testimony that Jadusingh was in control of the overall

    venture. See id. We therefore affirm the district court's
    ___ ___

    admission of this tape.8


    ____________________

    8. Jadusingh also argues that the tape should have been
    excluded because the government neither provided a written
    transcript nor established a chain of custody. As to the
    first of these arguments, it is established that "a
    transcript is not a prerequisite for the admission of
    recorded conversations." United States v. Panzardi-Lespier,
    _____________ ________________
    918 F.2d 313, 319 (1st Cir. 1990). As to the second
    argument, we agree with the Second Circuit that, once the
    government has established both authenticity and accuracy,

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    2. Prosecutorial Misconduct
    2. Prosecutorial Misconduct
    ____________________________

    Jadusingh argues that he was prejudiced by the

    prosecutor's substantive reference to the audiotape in her

    closing remarks. More specifically, Jadusingh objects to

    references made by the prosecutor to the jury that statements

    allegedly made by Jadusingh were audible and that the jury

    would be able to hear Jadusingh "speaking about being

    watchful for dogs that would be sniffing" at the airport.

    Jadusingh, however, failed to object to this reference at

    trial so, once again, we review for plain error. See
    ___

    Hadfield, 918 F.2d at 995.
    ________

    Even if we were to assume that the prosecutor's

    reference to the tape was erroneous, the reference would not

    constitute plain error. First of all, the trial court

    provided the jury with a limiting instruction directing them



    ____________________

    sufficient foundation has been laid for the tape's admission
    without proof of chain-of-custody. See United States v.
    ___ ______________
    Steinberg, 551 F.2d 510, 515 (2d Cir. 1977). We note that
    _________
    the government, through Carr, properly authenticated the tape
    and identified the voices. See Font-Ramirez, 944 F.2d at 47.
    ___ ____________

    Whitaker argues that the court erred in allowing the
    jury to listen to the tape because it was never formally
    moved into evidence. Because Whitaker failed to raise this
    objection below, we review this argument under a plainly
    erroneous standard. See United States v. Brennan, 994 F.2d
    ___ _____________ _______
    918, 925 (1st Cir. 1993). We fail to see how the
    government's failure to move the tape formally into evidence
    affected the fundamental fairness of the trial where 1) the
    government provided the proper foundation to admit the tape,
    2) the trial court ruled that the government could play the
    tape for the jury, and 3) the tape was docketed as Government
    Exhibit 17. We therefore reject this argument.

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    to disregard inaudible portions of the tape. Moreover, Carr

    testified, independently of the tape, that Jadusingh had, in

    fact, warned Carr, Whitaker and Miller of customs dogs.

    Thus, the very evidence which Jadusingh now objects to had

    been presented to the jury by an independent source.

    Finally, an independent review persuades us that evidence of

    the dog warnings forms a very small and inconsequential piece

    of the overall evidence which supports Jadusingh's

    conviction. Accordingly, we find no plain error in the

    government's reference to Jadusingh's inaudible statements on

    the tape.

    C. Sufficiency of the Evidence of Conspiracy
    C. Sufficiency of the Evidence of Conspiracy
    _____________________________________________

    Both Jadusingh and Whitaker argue that there was

    insufficient evidence to support their convictions for

    conspiring to import cocaine into the United States from

    Aruba in violation of 21 U.S.C. 952 and 963,9 and

    conspiring to possess with intent to distribute the same










    ____________________

    9. 21 U.S.C. 952 provides in relevant part that it "shall
    be unlawful to import into the customs territory of the
    United States from any place outside thereof . . . [a]
    controlled substance . . . ." Under 21 U.S.C. 963, any
    person who conspires to commit the crime above, "shall be
    subject to the same penalties as those prescribed for the
    offense."

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    cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1) and 846.10

    This argument need not detain us long.

    When reviewing a sufficiency of the evidence

    challenge, we examine the evidence in the light most

    favorable to the government and affirm convictions where any

    rational juror could have found guilt beyond a reasonable

    doubt. See United States v. Vavlitis, No. 93-1229, slip op.
    ___ _____________ ________

    at 15 (1st Cir. Nov. 19, 1993). Conspiracy convictions

    require proof that the defendants entered into an agreement

    with one another to commit a crime. See United States v.
    ___ ______________

    Concemi, 957 F.2d 942, 950 (1st Cir. 1992). We note that the
    _______

    government may satisfy this burden by direct and/or

    circumstantial evidence. Valencia-Lucena, 925 F.2d at 512.
    _______________

    Given that the admission of Carr's testimony and

    the audiotape was not erroneous, Jadusingh's contention that

    the government failed to produce evidence sufficient to

    support his convictions is meritless. There is a plethora of

    direct evidence in the record showing that Jadusingh 1)

    planned the trip to import the cocaine, 2) recruited and

    controlled Carr, Whitaker and Miller, and 3) provided the

    travel money and the funds to purchase the cocaine.


    ____________________

    10. 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1) provides in relevant part that "it
    shall be unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally"
    to "possess with intent to . . . distribute . . . a
    controlled substance." Under 21 U.S.C. 846, any person who
    conspires to commit the offense described above, "shall be
    subject to the same penalties as those prescribed for the
    offense."

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    Moreover, DEA agents observed Jadusingh traveling to Puerto

    Rico. They listened in on at least one telephone

    conversation between Jadusingh and Carr while Carr, Whitaker

    and Miller were in Curacao. And they also observed Jadusingh

    attempting to purchase an airplane ticket, thereby

    corroborating Carr's testimony that Jadusingh wanted to meet

    the women in St. Thomas. Moreover, additional evidence shows

    that Jadusingh promised to pay the women $1000 each for their

    efforts and that the women were instructed to deliver cocaine

    valued at over three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000)

    wholesale to Jadusingh. Thus, the evidence produced by the

    government supports a reasonable inference that Jadusingh 1)

    agreed with Whitaker and Miller to commit the charged

    offenses; 2) had constructive possession of cocaine; 3)

    intended to distribute the cocaine, see United States v.
    ___ _____________

    Vargas, 945 F.2d 426, 428-29 (1st Cir. 1991) (holding that
    ______

    one kilogram of cocaine was "large enough to support a fair

    jury inference that it was not intended merely for personal

    consumption"), and 4) controlled those who actually imported

    the cocaine into the United States from Aruba.

    Whitaker's sufficiency argument is based mainly on

    her claim that the Customs Inspector who searched her at the

    Marin Airport in San Juan could not identify her at







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    trial.11 We fail to discern any merit in this argument.

    Whitaker was identified in court by Carr as one of the

    coconspirators who planned the trip, handled the money,

    divided up the cocaine, and attempted to smuggle the drug

    into the United States from Aruba. Whitaker also was

    identified in court by DEA agent Johnson, who received

    custody of Whitaker from Maldonado at the airport, as one of

    two women who were apprehended deplaning a flight from Aruba

    with cocaine strapped to their stomachs. In light of the

    abundance of evidence supporting the convictions of both

    Jadusingh and Whitaker, we decline the invitation to upset

    the jury's findings of their respective guilt as to either

    count.

    D. Sentencing Enhancements
    D. Sentencing Enhancements
    ___________________________

    Jadusingh contends that the evidence presented was

    insufficient to uphold the trial court's two-level sentencing

    enhancement for his organizational role in the

    conspiracy.12 Again, we disagree.


    ____________________

    11. Whitaker also argues at length that Carr was untruthful.
    On appeal, it is not within our purview to assess the
    credibility of trial witnesses. See Valencia-Lucena, 925
    ___ _______________
    F.2d at 512.

    12. Under U.S.S.G. 3B1.1, a sentencing judge may increase
    a base offense level by two if the crime involved two or more
    people and the defendant "was an organizer, leader, manager,
    or supervisor" of the criminal activity. Factors to be
    considered include "the exercise of decision making
    authority, the nature of participation in the commission of
    the offense, the recruitment of accomplices, the claimed
    right to a larger share of the fruits of the crime, the

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    An enhancement under U.S.S.G. 3B1.1 is

    appropriate if the government has demonstrated that the

    defendant "`exercised some degree of control over others

    involved in the commission of the crime.'" United States v.
    _____________

    De La Cruz, 996 F.2d 1307, 1315 (1st Cir.)(quoting United
    ___________ ______

    States v. Fuller, 897 F.2d 1217 (1st Cir. 1990)), cert.
    ______ ______ _____

    denied, 114 S. Ct. 356 (1993). We review role-in-the-offense
    ______

    rulings for clear error. United States v. Cronin, 990 F.2d
    _____________ ______

    663, 665 (1st Cir. 1993).

    Here, the sentencing judge based his decision to

    enhance Jadusingh's sentence upon a reading of the pre-

    sentence report, and his notes from, and memory of, the

    trial. The district judge was afforded ample opportunity to

    ascertain the credibility of Donna Carr as she testified to

    Jadusingh's control over the drug operation. The record is

    replete with testimony from Carr that Jadusingh planned and

    financed the trips to Puerto Rico and Curacao. According to

    Carr, Jadusingh directed the women's actions. He showed them

    1) how to divide up and package the cocaine, 2) how to strap

    it to their bodies, and 3) how to avoid detection at customs.

    Jadusingh also provided the money to pay for the trip and the

    drugs. This evidence clearly supports a finding that



    ____________________

    degree of participation in planning or organizing the
    offense, the nature and scope of the illegal activity, and
    the degree of control and authority exercised over others."
    U.S.S.G. 3B1.1, comment. (n.3).

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    Jadusingh was the "mastermind behind this offense."

    Accordingly, we find no clear error in the trial judge's two-

    level enhancement of Jadusingh's sentence.

    E. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
    E. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
    _____________________________________

    In his supplemental pro se brief, Jadusingh urges
    ___ __

    this court to consider his claim of ineffective assistance of

    counsel. Generally, we will not address such a claim raised

    for the first time on direct appeal unless "the critical

    facts are not in dispute and a sufficiently developed record

    exists." United States v. Daniels, 3 F.3d 25, 26-27 (1st
    _____________ _______

    Cir. 1993). The proper forum for factbound issues of

    ineffective assistance of counsel is in a collateral

    proceeding under 28 U.S.C. 2255. Id. at 27.
    ___

    The record does not reflect that this issue was

    raised below. Furthermore, the laundry list of counsel's

    alleged failures, including the failure to call witnesses, to

    voir dire the jury, to request a severance and to strike

    apparent contradictory statements of the government's

    confidential informant, are sufficiently factbound to

    preclude our review on the record before us. See id.
    ___ ___

    Accordingly, we decline the invitation to review this claim.



    III.
    III.
    ____

    CONCLUSION
    CONCLUSION
    __________





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    The judgment below is affirmed, without prejudice

    to defendant Jadusingh's right to pursue his ineffective

    assistance of counsel claim in a collateral proceeding under

    28 U.S.C. 2255.

    Affirmed.
    _________











































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