United States v. David Brydie Mitchell, Jose Carlos Prado, Reinaldo Rabeiro, Robert Webster Cary, Iii, and John Doyle

E. GRADY JOLLY, Circuit Judge.

In this case, charging numerous violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and federal narcotics laws occurring between December 1978 and November 1980, many defendants were involved, and many issues are now raised. Some of the defendants pleaded guilty, some were dismissed, some were acquitted, and of the nine whose cases finally went to the jury, five were convicted. The district court imposed fines upon four and sentenced all to prison terms. All now appeal.

I

The evidence showed that the defendants were engaged in a conspiracy…