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United States v. Lopez-Vanegas

United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
493 F.3d 1305 (2007)

Written by Rich Walter, JD

Facts

At a meeting in Miami, Florida, Ivan Lopez-Vanegas (defendant) conspired with foreigners to transport cocaine aboard a Saudi Arabian airplane from Colombia to France, where the cocaine could be distributed throughout Europe. The United States successfully prosecuted Lopez-Vanegas for violating two federal statutes that prohibited narcotics-related conspiracies. Neither statute explicitly addressed the issue of extraterritorial applicability, but both statutes had been applied in cases involving foreign narcotics headed to the United States for distribution. Lopez-Vanegas appealed his district-court conviction to the Eleventh Circuit.

Rule of Law

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Issue

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Holding and Reasoning (Walter, J.)

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A "yes" or "no" answer to the question framed in the issue section;
A summary of the majority or plurality opinion, using the CREAC method; and
The procedural disposition (e.g., reversed and remanded, affirmed, etc.).

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