Filed: Aug. 11, 2009
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT _ FILED U.S. COURT OF APPEALS No. 09-11105 ELEVENTH CIRCUIT AUGUST 11, 2009 Non-Argument Calendar THOMAS K. KAHN _ CLERK D. C. Docket No. 08-00196-CR-ORL-22-DAB UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus JARVIS DAMON ARMSTRONG, Defendant-Appellant. _ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida _ (August 11, 2009) Before BIRCH, HULL and PRYOR, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM: J
Summary: [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT _ FILED U.S. COURT OF APPEALS No. 09-11105 ELEVENTH CIRCUIT AUGUST 11, 2009 Non-Argument Calendar THOMAS K. KAHN _ CLERK D. C. Docket No. 08-00196-CR-ORL-22-DAB UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus JARVIS DAMON ARMSTRONG, Defendant-Appellant. _ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida _ (August 11, 2009) Before BIRCH, HULL and PRYOR, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM: Ja..
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[DO NOT PUBLISH]
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
________________________ FILED
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
No. 09-11105 ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
AUGUST 11, 2009
Non-Argument Calendar
THOMAS K. KAHN
________________________
CLERK
D. C. Docket No. 08-00196-CR-ORL-22-DAB
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
JARVIS DAMON ARMSTRONG,
Defendant-Appellant.
________________________
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Middle District of Florida
_________________________
(August 11, 2009)
Before BIRCH, HULL and PRYOR, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
Jarvis Armstrong appeals his conviction for possessing with intent to
distribute five grams or more of cocaine base. 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1),
(b)(1)(B)(iii). Armstrong argues that the government failed to prove he sold an
illegal substance or that the substance was crack cocaine. We affirm.
We review de novo the denial of a judgment of acquittal, and we construe
the evidence in the light most favorable to the government. United States v.
Browne,
505 F.3d 1229, 1253 (11th Cir. 2007). To sustain a conviction under
section 841, the government must prove that “the defendant possessed a controlled
substance knowingly and . . . with the intent to distribute it.” United States v.
Baker,
432 F.3d 1189, 1233 (11th Cir. 2005). “[B]ecause the specific amount and
type of drugs are not elements of the offense, the government’s failure to prove the
amount or type charged in the indictment does not merit reversal.” Id.; see United
States v. Adams,
1 F.3d 1566, 1582–83 (11th Cir. 1993).
The district court did not err by denying Armstrong’s motion for a judgment
of acquittal. An undercover agent, James McGriff, and a confidential informant
testified consistently that McGriff negotiated to purchase and, by all appearances,
purchased from Armstrong cocaine. The jury was entitled to credit their
testimonies. Armstrong also argues that the government failed to prove he sold
crack cocaine, but this alleged failure does not affect his conviction. “A violation
of section 841(a)(1) occurs when the government proves beyond a reasonable
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doubt that a defendant possessed and intended to distribute a ‘controlled
substance,’ regardless of whether that substance is cocaine or cocaine base[,]”
United States v. Williams,
876 F.2d 1521, 1525 (11th Cir. 1989), and Armstrong
“concedes that the government proved that the controlled substance was, in fact,
cocaine base.”
Armstrong’s conviction is AFFIRMED.
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