Com. v. Torres, M. ( 2017 )


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  • J-S32042-17
    NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
    COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA                      IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
    PENNSYLVANIA
    v.
    MICHAEL TORRES
    Appellant                  No. 2415 EDA 2016
    Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence July 22, 2016
    in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Criminal Division
    at No(s): CP-51-CR-0000548-2014
    BEFORE: GANTMAN, P.J., STABILE, and FITZGERALD* JJ.
    MEMORANDUM BY FITZGERALD, J.:                           FILED JULY 17, 2017
    Appellant, Michael Torres, appeals from the judgment of sentence
    entered in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas.       His attorney,
    John Belli, Esq. (“Counsel”), has filed an Anders1 petition for leave to
    withdraw.     Appellant’s counsel identifies the following issues on appeal:
    whether the suppression court erred by (1) denying Appellant’s motion to
    reveal the identity of the confidential informant (“CI”), and (2) denying the
    motion to suppress the items found in the van and Appellant’s home; and
    whether the evidence was insufficient to sustain Appellant’s drug and
    weapons convictions. We grant counsel’s petition to withdraw and affirm.
    We glean the facts from the record.
    *
    Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court.
    1
    Anders v. California, 
    386 U.S. 738
     (1967).
    J-S32042-17
    At the suppression hearing, Police Officer Charles Kapusniak testified
    for the Commonwealth. Officer Kapusniak testified that on October 3, 2013,
    he and his partner Officer Stephen Dmytryk went to investigate following a
    complaint “in reference to a Hispanic male that lives at 940 East Russell
    Street. The name was Mikey, nickname.” N.T., 7/10/15, at 9-10. “I had a
    brief description, and that he was using a white custom van that was parked
    in front of that location to store and provide drugs for H and Russell at that
    time.”   Id. at 10.   The van had “a Pennsylvania tag of John George Dan
    5667.” Id. at 11. The officer identified Appellant as an individual he saw
    when Appellant exited 940 Russell Street. Id.
    Officer Kapusniak testified that Appellant “met up with a male . . . who
    was later identified as Eduardo Borges.”         Id.   “Mr. Borges handed
    [Appellant] United States currency[,]” and Appellant went to the van.     Id.
    Appellant leaned inside the van, “shut the door and then he handed small
    clear baggies to Mr. Borges.” Id. at 12.
    The officers then went to pick up the CI. Id. After searching the CI,
    they gave the CI “$40 prerecorded buy money” and took him “back to that
    location.” Id. at 13. The officers “set up surveillance in the same spot” and
    saw the CI give Appellant the prerecorded buy money.         Id.    Appellant
    “turned and pointed to where Mr. Borges was . . . .” The CI “walked up to
    Mr. Borges and had a hand-to-hand transaction.” Id. The CI “immediately”
    returned to the officers “and turned over four clear packets contain[ing] an
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    off-white chunky substance of alleged crack cocaine and orange tinted
    packets containing a green leafy substance of alleged marijuana.” Id. at 14.
    The officers returned to the same location on October 8, 2013. Id. at
    15. The CI had $40 in prerecorded buy money. Id. The CI gave Mr. Borges
    the buy money.    Id.   He “directed the CI westbound towards 8th Street.”
    Id. Mr. Borges walked towards the white van and Appellant “got out of the
    driver’s side of the van and handed Mr. Borges the clear bags again.” Id. at
    15-16.   The CI “turned over to Police Officer Dmytryk two clear packets
    containing green leafy substance of alleged marijuana and four blue tinted
    packets containing an off-white chunky substance of alleged crack cocaine.”
    Id. at 17.
    On October 9, 2013, Officer Kapusniak, Officer Dmytryk and “the rest
    of the squad” went to the same location. Id. at 18. Officer Kapusniak “had
    two search warrants in hand, one for the white van and one for the property
    of 940 Russell Street.” Id. “And in [Officer Kapusniak’s] presence, Police
    Officer Rhodes . . . stopped Eduardo Borges at H and Russell, the 800 block.
    And off his person, he recovered one clear baggie, which contained 30 peach
    packets, each containing an off-white chunky substance of alleged crack
    cocaine, $180-$189 United States currency.” Id. at 21. “Police Officer Hart,
    then directed [sic] to the curb line, where I saw Mr. Borges going, and he
    recovered two clear jars containing green leafy substance, and one clear
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    capsule . . . which contained an off-white chunky substance of alleged crack
    cocaine.” Id. at 22.
    Police Officer Dmytryk stopped Appellant and “[r]ecovered from his
    person was $2036 of United States currency, one set of keys that worked a
    door for 940 Russell and the van, two cell phones and one ID card.”        Id.
    They then executed a search warrant at 940 Russell Street. Id.           Police
    Officer Holtz recovered “an additional $910 United States currency, three
    photos, and one letter with [Appellant’s] picture and the name of Michael
    Torres on the letter” from the second floor rear bedroom. Id.
    At the same time, a search warrant “was executed on the white Ford
    van with the tag of JGD5667.” Id. “And as soon as Officer Dmytryk open
    [sic] the driver’s side door, where I saw [Appellant] lean in, on the floor was
    one silver Taurus .44 caliber handgun . . . and that was loaded with five live
    rounds.”   Id. at 23.      Officer Ward, in Officer Kapusniak’s presence,
    recovered a 9mm Kruger “loaded with thirteen live rounds.” Id. Inside the
    van “[t]here were five clear freezer baggies and one sneaker box which
    contained a total of 992 clear and yellow─there were different amounts of
    some clear, some yellow.      Each of the packets contained a green leafy
    substance of alleged marijuana. There were 510 clear packets, 243 peach
    packets, and 92 blue packets, all containing an off-white chunky substance
    of alleged crack cocaine.” Id. There were also four blue packets containing
    white powder cocaine. Id. at 24. “There was one pill bottle with no label
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    containing 60 white Percocets. There was another pill bottle with no label
    containing 80 blue Xanax.” Id. There was ammunition for various caliber
    guns and magazines for semiautomatic weapons. Id. “There was a scale.
    There was [sic] new and unused capsules.” Id.
    Officer Kapusniak testified that he used the CI ten or fifteen times and
    Officer Dmytryk used him for several years.        Id. at 25.   The CI is still
    serving as an informant and has led to other arrests. Id. He testified that
    the identity of CIs is not revealed “[b]asically for their safety.” Id. at 8. If
    their identity were revealed, the fear is “death” of the CI “[a]nd possibly
    their family’s.” Id.
    At trial, Officer Kapusniak testified that on October 3, 2013, he and
    Officer Dmytryk were investigating complaints about drug dealing in the area
    of 940 East Russell Street in Philadelphia. N.T., 5/18/16, at 10-12. They
    went to the area in an unmarked vehicle. Id. at 13. Appellant exited 940
    East Russell Street and met an individual named Eduardo Borges. Id. Mr.
    Borges “handed him an undetermined amount of United States currency.”
    Id. Appellant went to a “white custom van. He got to the door of the van.
    The van was parked just outside 940 Russell.” Id. He opened the van with
    a key and leaned in the driver’s side of the van. Id. at 14. “He exited, shut
    the door, and he walked over to Mr. Borges and handed him clear baggies.”
    Id. Appellant and Mr. Borges then walked westbound down the street. Id.
    at 14, 18. The officers then left the location and picked up the CI. Id. at
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    18. They called the CI and told him they needed him “to attempt to make a
    purchase in the area of 900 Russell Street.” Id.
    They picked up the CI and followed the procedure of searching him to
    be sure he did not have any narcotics or United States currency. Id. at 19.
    The CI was given prerecorded money. Id. After he was searched, the CI
    was taken to the area of 940 Russell Street and instructed to purchase crack
    cocaine and marijuana. Id. at 21.     The   officers   “parked   in   the   same
    general area” and watched the CI. Id.
    The CI approached Appellant and handed him the prerecorded money.
    Id. at 22. Appellant pointed the CI toward Mr. Borges. Id. The CI and Mr.
    Borges had a hand-to-hand transaction.       Id.   The CI then “immediately”
    returned to the officers. Id. The CI gave the officers “the items that were
    purchased.”   Id. at 25.      There were “two orange-tinted plastic ziplock
    packets each containing the marijuana.” Id. at 28.      There were “four clear
    plastic ziplock packets, each containing an off-white chunky substance of
    alleged crack cocaine.” Id.
    On October 8, 2013, the officers went back to the same location with
    the CI.   Id. at 30.   The CI approached Mr. Borges and handed him the
    prerecorded buy money.        Id.   Mr. Borges walked toward the van and
    Appellant got out of the van. Id. Appellant handed “Mr. Borges clear items
    again.” Id. Mr. Borges “has a hand-to-hand transaction with the CI again.”
    Id. at 32. The CI was getting ready to leave when Appellant pointed in the
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    direction of a female. Id. at 34. The CI went up to her, had a hand-to-hand
    transaction, and returned to the officers. Id. The CI gave Officer Kapusniak
    “two clear ziplock packets, both containing alleged marijuana, and four blue
    tinted ziplock packets, all containing alleged crack cocaine.”     Id. at 35.
    Officer Kapusniak then “prepared an affidavit for the search warrant
    for the van and 940 Russell Street.” Id. at 37.
    The property receipts indicated that Officer Kapusniak got $2,036 in
    United States currency, two Nokia cell phones, a Pennsylvania driver’s
    license, and two keys from Appellant. Id. at 47. One of the keys was for
    the van and the other was the key to 940 Russell Street. Id.    The search of
    the van yielded, inter alia, significant amounts of various drugs, ammunition,
    and two hand guns. Id. at 54-58, 123; see supra.
    Sergeant Stephen Holts testified that he served a warrant on 940 East
    Russell Street. Id. at 125-26. He recovered $910 in United States currency
    from the second floor rear bedroom.2     Id. at 127.   He also recovered the
    following from the second floor rear bedroom: “Three photos of [Appellant],
    one Personal Choice ID in the name of [Appellant], one letter addressed to
    [Appellant] with the address of 940 East Russell Street.” Id.
    2
    We note that no prerecorded buy money was found in the bedroom or in
    the van. Id. at 81.
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    Following a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of the following:
    possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance (“PWID”), 3 criminal
    conspiracy to commit PWID,4 possession of a firearm prohibited5, carrying a
    firearm without a license,6 and carrying a firearm on a public street.7
    Appellant     was   sentenced    to   seven-and-one-half    to   twenty    years’
    imprisonment. This timely appeal followed.
    Counsel identifies the following issues in the Anders brief:
    1. The Motions Court erred by denying [A]ppellant’s
    motion to reveal the identity of the confidential informant
    because the Commonwealth failed to establish that
    revealing his or her identity would have jeopardized the
    safety of the informant.
    2. The Motions Court erred by denying [A]ppellant’s
    motion to suppress the items found in the van and
    [A]ppellant’s home because the police failed to establish
    probable cause to believe that items connected to criminal
    activity were being stored in either location.
    3. The evidence was insufficient to sustain Appellant’s drug
    and weapons convictions because the Commonwealth
    failed to establish that Appellant actually or constructively
    possessed the weapons and drugs located in the van given
    that Appellant did not own the van.
    3
    35 P.S. § 780-113(a)(1).
    4
    18 Pa.C.S. § 903.
    5
    18 Pa.C.S. § 6105(a)(1). We note that this charge was not presented to
    the jury. The defense stipulated to the evidence and the trial court found
    Appellant guilty. N.T., 5/19/16, at 15-16.
    6
    18 Pa.C.S. § 6106(a)(1).
    7
    18 Pa.C.S. § 6108.
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    Anders Brief at 13, 22, 28.
    As a prefatory matter, we review Counsel’s petition to withdraw.
    This Court must first pass upon counsel’s petition to
    withdraw before reviewing the merits of the underlying
    issues presented by [the appellant].
    Prior to withdrawing as counsel on a direct appeal under
    Anders, counsel must file a brief that meets the
    requirements established by our Supreme Court in
    [Commonwealth v. Santiago, 
    978 A.2d 349
     (Pa. 2009)].
    The brief must:
    (1) provide a summary of the procedural history and
    facts, with citations to the record;
    (2) refer to anything in the record that counsel believes
    arguably supports the appeal;
    (3) set forth counsel’s reasons for concluding that the
    appeal is frivolous; and
    (4) state counsel’s reasons for concluding that the
    appeal is frivolous.     Counsel should articulate the
    relevant facts of record, controlling case law, and/or
    statutes on point that have led to the conclusion that
    the appeal is frivolous.
    Santiago, 978 A.2d at 361. Counsel also must provide a
    copy of the Anders brief to his client. Attending the brief
    must be a letter that advises the client of his right to: “(1)
    retain new counsel to pursue the appeal; (2) proceed pro
    se on appeal; or (3) raise any points that the appellant
    deems worthy of the court[’]s attention in addition to the
    points raised by counsel in the Anders brief.”
    Commonwealth v. Orellana, 
    86 A.3d 877
    , 879-80 (Pa. Super. 2014)
    (some citations omitted). If counsel complies with these requirements, “we
    will make a full examination of the proceedings in the lower court and render
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    an independent judgment [as to] whether the appeal is in fact ‘frivolous.’”
    
    Id.
     at 882 n.7 (citation omitted).
    Instantly, Counsel provided a factual summary of the case with
    citations to the record.    Anders Brief at 4-10.     Counsel explained the
    relevant law and discussed why Appellant’s claims are meritless, and noted
    that he found nothing in the record that could arguably support the appeal.
    Id. at 12-35. In conclusion, Counsel’s Anders brief stated:
    After a thorough review of the record in this matter,
    counsel can find no non-frivolous argument that would
    support [A]ppellant’s claims that the lower court abused its
    discretion in denying [A]ppellant’s motion to suppress. A
    copy of this brief has been forwarded to [A]ppellant with
    instructions that if he wishes to retain private counsel or
    continue pro se, or raise any additional arguments or
    points he should promptly communicate with this Court.
    Id. at 35. Counsel also provided Appellant with a copy of the Anders brief
    and a letter advising Appellant of his rights.   Counsel’s Mot. to Withdraw,
    12/15/16. In light of the foregoing, we hold Counsel has complied with the
    requirements of Santiago.     See Orellana, 
    86 A.3d at 879-80
    .      Appellant
    has not filed a pro se or counseled brief.    We now examine the record to
    determine whether the issues on appeal are wholly frivolous. See 
    id.
     at 882
    n.7.
    The first issue raised in the Anders brief is whether the suppression
    court erred by denying Appellant’s motion to reveal the identity of the
    confidential informant based upon the Commonwealth’s failure to establish
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    that doing so would have jeopardized the safety of the informant. Anders
    Brief at 13.
    Our review is governed by the following principles:
    The appellate standard of review of suppression rulings
    is well-settled.   This Court is bound by those of the
    suppression court’s factual findings which find support in
    the record, but we are not bound by the court’s
    conclusions of law. When the suppression court’s specific
    factual findings are unannounced, or there is a gap in the
    findings, the appellate court should consider only the
    evidence of the prevailing suppression party . . . and the
    evidence of the other party . . . that, when read in the
    context of the entire record, remains uncontradicted.
    Commonwealth v. Millner, 
    888 A.2d 680
    , 685 (Pa. 2005) (citations
    omitted).8
    “Our standard of review of claims that a trial court erred in its
    disposition of a request for disclosure of an informant’s identity is confined to
    abuse of discretion.” Commonwealth v. Watson, 
    69 A.3d 605
    , 607 (Pa.
    Super. 2013) (citation omitted).     This Court opined:
    Under Pennsylvania Rule of Criminal Procedure 573, a trial
    court has the discretion to require the Commonwealth to
    reveal the names and addresses of all eyewitnesses,
    including confidential informants, where a defendant
    makes a showing of material need and reasonableness[.]
    *    *    *
    The Commonwealth enjoys a qualified privilege to withhold
    the identity of a confidential source. In order to overcome
    this qualified privilege and obtain disclosure of a
    8
    We note that the suppression court did not make factual findings on the
    record.
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    confidential informant’s identity, a defendant must first
    establish, pursuant to Rule 573(B)(2)(a)(i), that the
    information sought is material to the preparation of the
    defense and that the request is reasonable. Only after the
    defendant shows that the identity of the confidential
    informant is material to the defense is the trial court
    required to exercise its discretion to determine whether
    the information should be revealed by balancing relevant
    factors, which are initially weighted toward the
    Commonwealth.
    
    Id. at 607-08
     (citations omitted).
    “Before an informant’s identity may be revealed, the defendant must
    lay an evidentiary basis or foundation that the confidential informant
    possesses relevant information that will materially aid the defendant in
    presenting his or her defense and that the information is not obtainable from
    another source.” Commonwealth v. Hritz, 
    663 A.2d 775
    , 780 (Pa. Super.
    1995) (citation and emplasis omitted).        Furthermore, “the safety of the
    confidential informant is a controlling factor in determining whether to reveal
    his identity.” Commonwealth v. Bing, 
    713 A.2d 56
    , 58 (Pa. 1998).
    In the case at bar, the officers set up surveillance and saw Mr. Borges
    give Appellant prerecorded buy money. Officer Kapusniak saw Appellant go
    to the van and give Mr. Borges small clear baggies. The CI was observed by
    the officers making the purchases from Borges. Appellant cannot support a
    claim that the information is not obtainable from another source. See Hritz,
    
    663 A.2d at 780
    . Additionally, the Commonwealth contended the safety of
    the CI would be in jeopardy and that the CI is still serving as an informant.
    See Bing, 713 A.2d at 58. Thus, we discern no abuse of discretion in the
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    trial court’s denial of Appellant’s motion to disclose the CI’s identity and
    agree with Counsel that this claim is frivolous.   See Watson, 
    69 A.3d at 607
    .
    Next, the Anders brief raises the issue of whether the suppression
    court erred by denying the motion to suppress the items found in the van
    and Appellant’s home because the police failed to establish probable cause
    to believe that items connected to criminal activity were being stored in
    either location. Anders Brief at 22.
    In Commonwealth v. Jones, 
    988 A.2d 649
     (Pa. 2010), our
    Pennsylvania Supreme Court opined:
    Article I, Section 8 and the Fourth Amendment each
    require that search warrants be supported by probable
    cause.      The linch-pin that has been developed to
    determine whether it is appropriate to issue a search
    warrant is the test of probable cause. Probable cause
    exists where the facts and circumstances within the
    affiant’s knowledge and of which he has reasonably
    trustworthy information are sufficient in themselves to
    warrant a man of reasonable caution in the belief that a
    search should be conducted.
    In Illinois v. Gates, [ ] 
    103 S. Ct. 2317
    , [ ] (1983), the
    United States Supreme Court established the totality of the
    circumstances test for determining whether a request for a
    search warrant under the Fourth Amendment is supported
    by probable cause. In Commonwealth v. Gray, [ ] 
    503 A.2d 921
     ([Pa.] 1986), this Court adopted the totality of
    the circumstances test for purposes of making and
    reviewing probable cause determinations under Article I,
    Section 8. In describing this test, we stated:
    Pursuant to the “totality of the circumstances” test
    set forth by the United States Supreme Court in
    Gates, the task of an issuing authority is simply to
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    make a practical, common-sense decision whether,
    given all of the circumstances set forth in the
    affidavit before him, including the veracity and basis
    of knowledge of persons supplying hearsay
    information, there is a fair probability that
    contraband or evidence of a crime will be found in a
    particular place. . . . It is the duty of a court
    reviewing an issuing authority’s probable cause
    determination to ensure that the magistrate had a
    substantial basis for concluding that probable cause
    existed.    In so doing, the reviewing court must
    accord deference to the issuing authority’s probable
    cause determination, and must view the information
    offered to establish probable cause in a common-
    sense, non-technical manner.
    *   *      *
    [Further,] a reviewing court [is] not to conduct a de
    novo review of the issuing authority’s probable cause
    determination, but [is] simply to determine whether
    or not there is substantial evidence in the record
    supporting the decision to issue the warrant.
    Commonwealth v. Torres, [ ] 
    764 A.2d 532
    , 537–38,
    540 ([Pa.] 2001).
    Id. at 655 (some citations and quotation marks omitted).
    In Commonwealth v. Dixon, 
    997 A.2d 368
     (Pa. Super. 2010) (en
    banc), this Court
    [i]dentif[ied] as factors relevant to a determination of
    probable cause the professional experience of a police
    officer in interpreting the actions of those who traffic in
    controlled substances, an officer’s knowledge of drug-
    trafficking activity in a particular neighborhood, and the
    movements and manners of the parties to the transaction;
    [as well as] the experience of a narcotics officer, which
    allowed him to interpret the way a drug trafficker was
    acting and to “know in a way a layperson could not that
    [the officer] was watching a drug sale.”
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    Id. at 380
     (citations and footnote omitted).
    In the case sub judice, Officer Kapusniak testified that he and his
    partner went to investigate a complaint in reference to Appellant who lived
    at 940 East Russell Street. Officer Kapusniak had a description of Appellant
    and was told he was using a white custom van parked in front of 940 East
    Russell Street. On two occasions, the officer observed Appellant take United
    States currency from Mr. Borges, after which he went to the van and handed
    small clear baggies to Mr. Borges.            Officer Kapusniak arranged two
    controlled buys through the CI and the informant made two buys from Mr.
    Borges. Additionally, the officer testified that he saw Appellant go into 940
    East Russell Street.
    Considering the evidence presented by the Commonwealth, we discern
    no error by the suppression court. See Millner, 888 A.2d at 685. Based on
    the totality of the circumstances, there was probable cause for the search
    warrant. See Jones, 988 A.2d at 655; Dixon, 
    997 A.2d at 380
    . Thus, we
    agree with Counsel that this claim is frivolous.
    Lastly, the Anders brief raises the issue of whether the evidence was
    insufficient to sustain Appellant’s drug and weapons convictions where the
    Commonwealth failed to establish that Appellant actually or constructively
    possessed the weapons and drugs found in the van given that Appellant did
    not own the van.       Anders brief at 28.         The brief alleges there was
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    insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he possessed
    any of the contraband seized from the residence. Id. at 29.
    The standard we apply in reviewing the sufficiency of
    evidence is whether, viewing all the evidence admitted at
    trial in the light most favorable to the verdict winner, there
    is sufficient evidence to enable the fact finder to find every
    element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. In
    applying the above test, we may not weigh the evidence
    and substitute our judgment for that of the fact-finder. In
    addition, we note that the facts and circumstances
    established by the Commonwealth need not preclude every
    possibility of innocence.        Any doubts regarding a
    defendant’s guilt may be resolved by the fact-finder unless
    the evidence is so weak and inconclusive that as a matter
    of law no probability of fact may be drawn from the
    combined circumstances. The Commonwealth may sustain
    its burden of proving every element of the crime beyond a
    reasonable doubt by means of wholly circumstantial
    evidence. Moreover, in applying the above test, the entire
    record must be evaluated and all evidence actually
    received must be considered. Finally, the trier of fact
    while passing upon the credibility of witnesses and the
    weight of the evidence produced, is free to believe all, part
    or none of the evidence.
    Commonwealth v. Ratsamy, 
    934 A.2d 1233
    , 1236 n.2 (Pa. 2007) (citation
    omitted).
    “[P]hysical possession or control” means the knowing
    exercise of power over a weapon, which may be proven
    through evidence of a direct, physical association between
    the defendant and the weapon or evidence of constructive
    control. Constructive control, in this setting, an analogue
    to constructive possession, entails the ability to exercise a
    conscious dominion and the intent to do so.
    Commonwealth v. Newman, 
    99 A.3d 86
    , 100 (Pa. Super. 2014) (en banc)
    (quoting Commonwealth v. Hanson, 
    82 A.3d 1023
    , 1036-37 (Pa. 2013)).
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    J-S32042-17
    In Commonwealth v. Johnson, 
    26 A.3d 1078
     (Pa. 2011), our
    Pennsylvania Supreme Court stated
    the tripartite legal requirements for a finding, beyond a
    reasonable doubt, that a defendant constructively
    possessed an illegal substance, i.e., 1) the defendant’s
    ability to exercise a conscious dominion over the illegal
    substance; 2) the defendant’s power to control the illegal
    substance; and 3) the defendant’s intent to exercise that
    control[.]
    Id. at 1086. Constructive possession may be established by the totality of
    the circumstances.   Commonwealth v. Hopkins, 
    67 A.3d 817
    , 820 (Pa.
    Super. 2013).
    At trial, Officer Kapusniak testified that he observed Appellant exit 940
    East Russell Street and meet Mr. Borges.       Appellant went to the white
    custom van and opened the van door with a key.          The officer observed
    Appellant hand Mr. Borges clear baggies. Weapons were also found in the
    van. Officer Holts testified that he recovered photographs of Appellant and a
    letter addressed to Appellant at 940 East Russell Street. The circumstantial
    evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth as
    verdict winner, was sufficient to prove that Appellant had constructive
    possession of the contraband found in the van. See Johnson, 26 A.3d at
    1086; Newman, 99 A.3d at 100; Hopkins, 
    67 A.3d at 820
    . Accordingly,
    we find the evidence was sufficient to sustain Appellant’s drug and weapons
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    convictions and agree with Counsel that this claim is frivolous.         See
    Ratsamy, 934 A.2d at 1236 n.2.
    Our independent review of the record reveals no other issues of
    arguable merit. See Orellana, 
    86 A.3d at
    882 n.7. Accordingly, we grant
    counsel’s petition for leave to withdraw and affirm the judgment of sentence.
    Counsel’s petition for leave to withdraw granted.         Judgment of
    sentence affirmed.
    Judgment Entered.
    Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
    Prothonotary
    Date: 7/17/2017
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