State v. Lucero

Opinion

PEARCE, Judge:

11 Defendant Armando Lucero appeals from four convictions that flow from the discovery of a sling backpack containing various contraband in a car Lucero was driving. He contends that the State presented insufficient evidence to establish that he constructively possessed the items inside the backpack. We agree and reverse those four convictions.

BACKGROUND

12 A police officer pulled Lucero over while he was driving with a female passenger. Lucero claimed to have recently bought the car he was driving and produced a vehicle registration. He did not, however, know the…