United States v. Yugool Persaud

Yugool Persaud and Desmond Wilson appeal their convictions for conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. They both raise three issues on appeal: (1) that the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act (“MDLEA”) — 46 U.S.C. §§ 70501 et seq. — is unconstitutional as applied to their case because the government established no jurisdictional nexus; (2) that the district court violated their Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights to a jury trial when it made a pretrial determination of jurisdiction under the MDLEA; and (3)…