United States v. Guadalupe Salazar Nieto

Appellant Nieto was driving a car registered to the passenger Trevino, when the car was stopped and searched without warrant by federal drug agents acting on an informer’s tip. The search produced a concealed package of cocaine, and upon denial of a motion to suppress, the cocaine was introduced as evidence in the jury trial which resulted in Nieto’s conviction for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute it in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). Nieto appeals on two grounds: (1) the illegality of the search; and (2) the insufficiency of the evidence. We affirm.

We start with the…