United States v. Mitchell

*Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the Court has determined that
this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except
under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4.
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
_____________________
No. 99-40883
Summary Calendar
_____________________
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
LACHANDRA LATAAN MITCHELL,
Defendant-Appellant.
_________________________________________________________________
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Texas
(1:98-CR-200-ALL)
_________________________________________________________________
March 22, 2000
Before SMITH, BARKSDALE, and PARKER, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Lachandra Lataan Mitchell appeals her conviction for one count
of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21
U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).
First, Mitchell contends that the district court erred in
denying her motion to suppress. The officers’ initial stop of
Mitchell was properly based on a violation of Texas law, namely,
her failure to have a properly displayed license plate, and their
subsequent detention of Mitchell was founded upon reasonable
suspicion. See United States v. Prudhome, 13 F.3d 147, 149 (5th
Cir.), cert. denied, 511 U.S. 1097 (1994); United States v. Tellez,

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11 F.3d 530, 532 (5th Cir. 1993), cert. denied, 511 U.S. 1060
(1994). Accordingly, the district court did not err in denying the
motion to suppress. See United States v. Inocencio, 40 F.3d 716,
721 (5th Cir. 1994).
Next, Mitchell claims insufficient evidence to support her
conviction. When stopped, Mitchell consented to her vehicle being
searched. Crack and powder cocaine, with an approximate $250,000
street value, was found in the trunk. Her conviction was amply
supported by evidence of her guilty knowledge and intent to
distribute the cocaine. See United States v. Jones, 185 F.3d 459,
464 (5th Cir. 1999).
AFFIRMED

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