United States v. Ledezma

Josephine Ledezma ran a family drug-trafficking operation with her brother and cousin; Terry Zajac (defendant) joined only after the business was already running. Zajac was convicted of conspiracy (count one) and of aiding and abetting a cocaine-distribution offense (count two) based solely on his role in a 351-kilogram cocaine shipment: although Zajac played no part in planning that shipment, he later paid an associate for completing its delivery, not knowing federal agents had already seized the cocaine before he made the payment. Zajac appealed the sufficiency of the evidence supporting both convictions.