United States v. Jose Liera-Morales

OPINION

McKEOWN, Circuit Judge:

Jose Antonio Liera-Morales appeals from the judgment following his jury convictions stemming from his participation in a scheme to kidnap for ransom Franklin Aguilar-Avila (“Aguilar”). Liera-Morales was part of a human-trafficking ring that contacted Aguilar’s mother, Sonia Avila, to demand payment for her son’s release. Under stressful and emotional circumstances, Avila spoke with the traffickers by telephone to arrange for the safe return of her son and then recounted that conversation to a government agent. That agent’s trial testimony about the telephone call…