United States v. Pedroza, No. 18-5515 (6th Cir. 2019)
Annotate this CaseOfficers executed three search warrants as part of a Lexington, Kentucky drug-trafficking investigation—one at Salas’s residence, one at Pedroza’s residence, and one at a trailer that the two men used for construction work. At Salas’s home, officers discovered Barron in an upstairs bedroom. Both Pedroza and Barron were indicted for drug-related crimes. Barron pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to the mandatory minimum, 10 years in prison. Pedroza was found guilty by a jury of drug and firearm charges. Their cases were consolidated on appeal. The Sixth Circuit affirmed Pedroza’s conviction. The district court properly instructed the jury regarding dual-role testimony by a detective who offered fact-witness testimony regarding the investigation and expert-witness testimony identifying a substance as cocaine without a laboratory result. The court stated that “several law enforcement officers . . . testified to both facts and opinions” and cautioned the jury to give “[e]ach type of testimony . . . proper weight.” Because Barron is entitled to safety-valve relief, U.S.S.G. 5C1.2 and 2D1.1(b)(17), the court vacated his sentence and remanded. Barron did not constructively possess the firearm found in the home and cooperated with the government.
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.