PUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

No. 14-4758

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff - Appellee,
v.
SHANE ELLIOTT HARE, a/k/a Play,
Defendant - Appellant.

No. 14-4770

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff - Appellee,
v.
GREGORY ANTOINE WILLIAMS, a/k/a J,
Defendant - Appellant.

No. 14-4832

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff - Appellee,
v.
ANTONIO EDWARDS, a/k/a Tank,
Defendant - Appellant.

Appeals from the United States District Court for the District
of Maryland, at Greenbelt. Deborah K. Chasanow, Senior District
Judge.
(8:13-cr-00650-DKC-1;
8:13-cr-00650-DKC-2;
8:13-cr00650-DKC-3)

Argued:

January 28, 2016

Decided:

April 19, 2016

Before SHEDD and FLOYD, Circuit Judges, and Loretta C. BIGGS,

United States District Judge for the Middle District of North
Carolina, sitting by designation.

Affirmed by published opinion.

Judge Floyd wrote the opinion,
in which Judge Shedd and Judge Biggs joined. Judge Shedd wrote
a separate concurring opinion.

ARGUED: Michael Daniel Montemarano, MICHAEL D. MONTEMARANO, PA,

Columbia, Maryland, for Appellants.
Rod J. Rosenstein, OFFICE
OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Baltimore, Maryland, for
Appellee.
ON BRIEF: Michael Lawlor, LAWLOR & ENGLERT, LLC,
Greenbelt, Maryland, for Appellant Williams.
Jonathan Alan
Gladstone, Annapolis, Maryland; Marta K. Khan, THE LAW OFFICE OF
MARTA K. KHAN, LLC, Baltimore, Maryland, for Appellant Edwards.
Joseph R. Baldwin, Assistant United States Attorney, Jennifer R.
Sykes, Special Assistant United States Attorney, OFFICE OF THE
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Greenbelt, Maryland, for Appellee.

FLOYD, Circuit Judge:

A jury convicted Appellants Shane Hare, Gregory Williams,
and Antonio Edwards of drug, robbery, and firearm offenses based
on their participation in a plan to rob a cocaine stash house.
Unbeknownst

to

Appellants,

the

stash

house

did

not

actually

exist, but was fabricated by undercover federal agents as part

of a sting operation.
denial

of

their

discrimination

by

Appellants challenge the district courts

motion
law

for

discovery

enforcement

and

indictment on due process grounds.

other aspects of their convictions.

into
motion

potential
to

race

dismiss

the

They also challenge various

For the reasons set forth

below, we affirm.

I.
In February 2013, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms,
and Explosives (ATF) received information from a confidential
informant identifying Marvin Bowden as an armed drug trafficker
and suspect in several burglaries, armed robberies, and home
invasions in Prince Georges County, Maryland.
information,

ATF

and

the

Prince

Georges

Based on this
County

Police

Department (PGPD) initiated an undercover operation whereby they

would present Bowden with the opportunity to rob a fictitious
cocaine

stash

house

and,

if

all

went

according

to

plan,

ultimately

arrest

him

and

any

accomplices

for

conspiring

to

traffic drugs and related crimes. 1

On

April

19,

met

with

Weathers

opportunity

to

rob

2013,
Bowden
a

drug

PGPD

undercover

to

inform

stash

house.

detective

him

of

Detective

William
potential
Weathers

explained that he knew someone involved in drug trafficking who

was looking for a group of people to help him rob a stash house
containing

several

bricks

of

cocaine.

J.A.

42,

246.

In

response, Bowden stated thats what I do! several times and

indicated that he usually worked with two or three other people.
J.A. 42.

Bowden and Detective Weathers discussed the robbery

further before Bowden left, telling Detective Weathers to let

him know how many people to bring.
On May 3, 2013, Detective Weathers again met with Bowden
and introduced him to ATF Special Agent Christopher Rogers, also
acting undercover. 2
courier

for

Agent Rogers told Bowden that he was a drug

Mexican

cartel

whose

job

was

to

transport

kilograms of cocaine each month from the cartels stash house in

Baltimore to Richmond, Virginia.

Agent Rogers explained that he

ATF has conducted such investigations, also known as home

invasion investigations, across the country in recent years.
See, e.g., United States v. Davis, 793 F.3d 712 (7th Cir.
2015)(en banc); United States v. Black, 733 F.3d 294 (9th Cir.
2013); United States v. Sanchez, 138 F.3d 1410 (11th Cir. 1998).
2

This meeting and the subsequent three meetings between

Agent
Rogers,
Bowden,
and
Appellants
were
recorded
and
transcribed.
4

wanted to rob the stash house because he was unhappy with his
pay

and

needed

contained

an

an

experienced

additional

10

to

crew

because

the

15

kilograms

of

guarded by three heavily armed men.

house,

which

cocaine,

was

Bowden agreed to commit the

robbery, stating that he had a crew of three or four people and

thats what we do for a living.

J.A. 43.

Agent Rogers asked

if Bowden had weapons and Bowden confirmed that he did, again

stating, thats all we do!

Id.

On May 9, 2013, Agent Rogers met with Bowden and his crew,
consisting of Appellants Hare, Williams, and Edwards.

Bowden

himself recruited Appellants, none of whom were previously known

to ATF.

At the meeting, Agent Rogers repeated his story of

being a disgruntled drug courier looking for a crew to rob his

cartels stash house.
keep

kilograms

of

Agent Rogers stated that he wanted to

cocaine

for

himself

but

the

crew

could

divide whatever else they were able to seize, emphasizing that

the stash house contained 10 to 15 kilograms of cocaine.
also

cautioned

(i.e.,

an

that

automatic

the

stash

weapon).

house

guards

The

crew

discussed how to execute the robbery.

had
(led

a
by

He

chopper
Edwards)

They decided that the

fastest two, Hare and Williams, would enter first while shouting
police!

and

secure

the

chopper.

Bowden

and

Edwards

would

follow and secure the guards using zip ties and duct tape.

If

necessary, Appellants and Bowden would shoot the guards below

5

the waist but would not shoot to kill.

if

Appellants

their

own

problem.

had

gun,

weapons,
and

J.A. 780.

Edwards

Williams

When Agent Rogers asked

replied

confirmed,

Appellants

[t]hat

got

aint

no

Edwards also proposed a Plan B in case

they were unable to enter the stash house.

and

[e]verybody

would

pretend

to

rob

Under Plan B, Bowden

Agent

Rogers

of

his

kilogram shipment, and the group would split the lesser amount.
Agent Rogers stated that he could procure a rental car for their
getaway.

Appellants agreed to the plan and gave Agent Rogers

their phone numbers.

Appellants, Bowden, and Agent Rogers next met on May 14,
2013.

Agent Rogers informed the group that his next drug pick-

up would be at 1:00 p.m. two days later, on May 16, which is

when the robbery would occur.
was ready.

J.A. 795.

Edwards confirmed that the group

Agent Rogers advised that they should

be assembled by 10:00 a.m. on the day of the robbery, and Bowden

proposed

staying

in

already be together.
the

plan

(i.e.,

Plan

hotel

the

night

before

so

they

would

The crew (again led by Edwards) reviewed

A),

including

that

once

Agent

Rogers

entered the stash house to pick up his shipment, Bowden and

Appellants would burst in and Agent Rogers would hit the floor
to avoid getting shot.

J.A. 798.

Bowden and Appellants would

also wear gloves and get haircuts to avoid leaving fingerprints

or DNA.

When Agent Rogers asked about their weapons, Williams

6

confirmed that they would bring hand tools and potentially an

automatic pump shotgun.

The group again discussed Plan B if

Appellants and Bowden could not enter the stash house to execute
Plan A.
On May 16, 2013, Bowden and Appellants met Agent Rogers at
a storage facility, which was the predetermined staging location
for the robbery.

The crew confirmed that they were ready to

proceed and reviewed both Plan A and Plan B.

that they would be armed.

Williams confirmed

Agent Rogers then gave the take-down

signal and ATF agents surrounded the group, arresting Bowden and
Appellants.

ATF agents recovered a Kimber brand firearm from

inside a locked glove box in Bowdens vehicle, a Beretta brand

firearm that Hare had thrown under the vehicle, a black mask,
and a pair of gloves.
Appellants were each charged with the same four counts: (1)
conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (i.e., a Hobbs
Act

robbery),

in

violation

of

18

U.S.C.

1951(a);

(2)

conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, in

violation

of

21

U.S.C.

846;

(3)

conspiracy

to

possess

firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime or a crime of

violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(o); and (4) possession
of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime or a

crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(c). 3

Edwards

was additionally charged with being a felon in possession of

ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1).
Before trial, Appellants moved for discovery into whether
race

played

Appellants

for

role
a

in

ATFs

decision

stash

house

sting

to

target

operation.

Bowden

The

and

district

court denied the motion, though it ordered the government to

produce to Appellants one page out of ATFs training materials
for

conducting

such

operations.

Appellants

also

moved

to

dismiss the indictment on the ground that the government had

engaged in outrageous conduct that violated their due process
rights.

The district court denied this motion as well.

After

seven-day

trial,

the

jury

returned

verdict finding Appellants guilty on all counts.

special

The district

court sentenced Hare to 132 months of imprisonment, Williams to

150 months, and Edwards to 240 months.

Appellants filed this

appeal

the

challenging,

among

other

things,

district

courts

denial of their motion for discovery and motion to dismiss, as

well as their convictions for the firearm offenses in Counts 3
and 4.

Bowden entered a plea agreement and ultimately received a

ten-year sentence.
8

II.
A.
Appellants first contend that the district court erred in
denying their motion for discovery into whether ATF targeted
Bowden and Appellants for a stash house sting operation because
they

are

black,

enforcement.

i.e.,

whether

ATF

engaged

in

selective

In support of their motion, Appellants presented

evidence indicating that there had been a total of 5 stash house

sting cases prosecuted in the District of Maryland since 2011
(including this case) and that all 20 defendants in those cases
were black.

On appeal, Appellants have revised those figures to

8 prosecutions involving 32 defendants, all of whom are black.

Also

on

appeal,

Appellants

identify

known

white

crew[]

involved in robberies and drug distribution in the District of

Maryland whose members were arrested and prosecuted, but were
not

the

subject

investigation.

of

stash

Appellants

Br.

house
36

sting

(citing

or

United

other
States

ATF
v.

Paschall, Nos. 13-359, 13-360, 13-361 (D. Md. July 16, 2013)). 4
Appellants argue that this evidence entitles them to discovery
in

support

of

their

selective

enforcement

claim.

Broadly

speaking, Appellants seek discovery concerning the methodology

employed by ATF in these cases, their selection criteria for
4

The government does not dispute Appellants statistics or

their characterization of the Paschall case.
9

targets, their use of informants, and any efforts to ensure law

enforcement did not ensnare the otherwise innocent and those
lacking predisposition.

Appellants Br. 22.

The district court denied Appellants motion, finding that

their evidence did not satisfy the standard for discovery set
forth

in

United

States

v.

Armstrong,

517

U.S.

456

(1996).

Nevertheless, the court ordered the government to investigate

whether ATF had a manual or playbook related to stash house
sting operations and to provide any such manual to the court for
in camera review.

The government produced an ATF operations

manual that was created in July 2013, after the events in this
case.

The government indicated, however, that ATF agents in the

District of Maryland had been trained in conducting stash house

stings prior to their investigation of Bowden and Appellants.
The court ordered the government to provide any such training
materials to the court for in camera review.

After reviewing

the governments submission, the court ordered the government to

produce to Appellants one page, which set forth the procedures
and guidelines for selecting a target.

Suppl. J.A. 5.

The

court noted that while this page is not in any way suggestive
of

discriminatory

[Appellants]

disclosure

otherwise

have

is
no

warranted
way

of

insofar

as

learning

the

governments criteria for selecting targeted individuals.

Id.

at 5-6.

would

animus,

On appeal, Appellants contend that they should not be

10

held

to

the

selective

Armstrong

prosecution

standard
rather

as

than

it

applies

selective

to

claims

enforcement,

of
and

that their evidentiary showing entitles them to discovery beyond

what was ordered by the district court.

Our review is de novo.

See United States v. Venable, 666 F.3d 893, 900 (4th Cir. 2012).

B.
In Armstrong, the Supreme Court addressed the standards of
proof applicable to a claim of selective prosecution, i.e., a
claim that the prosecutor has brought the charge for reasons
forbidden by the Constitution, such as race.

517 U.S. at 463.

The Court explained that the Attorney General and United States
Attorneys,
execute

having

the

been

nations

designated
laws,

presumption

of

Id.

(quotations

at

464

regularity

by

enjoy
in

the

broad

their

omitted).

President
discretion

prosecutorial
In

to

order

to

help

and

decisions.
dispel

the

presumption that a prosecutor has not violated equal protection,

a

criminal

defendant

must

present

clear

evidence

to

the

contrary by demonstrating that a prosecutorial policy had a

discriminatory

effect

and

discriminatory purpose.
defendant

must

was

motivated

by

establish

Id. at 465 (quotation omitted).

both

(1)

that

similarly

a
The

situated

individuals of a different race were not prosecuted, and (2)

that the decision to prosecute was invidious or in bad faith.
11

United

States

v.

Olvis,

97

F.3d

739,

743

(4th

Cir.

1996)

(quotations omitted).
The

standard

for

obtaining

discovery

in

support

of

selective prosecution claim is only slightly lower than for

proving the claim itself.

Venable, 666 F.3d at 900.

Instead of

presenting clear evidence, the defendant must produce some

evidence
effect

making

and

credible

discriminatory

showing

intent.

of

both

Olvis,

discriminatory

97

F.3d

at

743.

Because discovery imposes many of the costs present when the

Government

must

prosecution,

respond
the

to

prima

standard

for

facie

case

obtaining

of

selective

discovery

is

correspondingly rigorous and should itself be a significant

barrier to the litigation of insubstantial claims.

Armstrong,

517 U.S. at 464, 468.

This
selective

Court

provides

as

the

standard

standard
for

for

proving

proving

selective

We have not, however, specifically addressed

Armstrongs

standard

enforcement
the

Armstrongs

See United States v. Bullock, 94 F.3d 896, 899

(4th Cir. 1996).

selective

adopted

prosecution

enforcement.

whether

has

starting

for

discovery

applies

context.

Nevertheless,

point

our

for

analysis

this
of

in

the

standard

Appellants

discovery motion.
Appellants

statistical

evidence,

indicating

that

all

32

defendants prosecuted in stash house sting cases in the District

12

of Maryland have been black, does not meet Armstrongs discovery

standard.

We have explained that absent an appropriate basis

for comparison, statistical evidence [of racial disparity] alone

cannot establish any element of a discrimination claim.
97 F.3d at 745.

Olvis,

In Olvis, the defendants presented evidence

showing that in the NorfolkNewport News area of Virginia, more

than 90% of those indicted . . . since 1992 for crack cocaine
trafficking are black.

97 F.3d at 741, 745.

We found this

insufficient to demonstrate a discriminatory effect, as the data

provided no statistical evidence on the number of blacks who
were actually committing crack cocaine offenses or whether a
greater percentage of whites could have been prosecuted for such
crimes.

Id.

at

745.

Without

an

appropriate

basis

for

comparison, raw data about the percentage of black crack cocaine

defendants prove[d] nothing.

Id.

Similarly, in Venable, we

found that statistics showing that blacks made up approximately

87%

of

Eastern

those

charged

District

discriminatory

of

with

certain

Virginia

did

intent,

as

the

firearm

not

data

offenses

constitute

provided

in

evidence

no

the
of

statistical

evidence about the number of blacks who were actually committing

firearms

offenses

or

whether

greater

percentage

could have been prosecuted for such crimes.

Appellants
appropriate

basis

statistical
for

evidence

comparison,
13

as

whites

666 F.3d 903.

similarly
it

of

contains

provides
no

data

no
on

similarly

situated

targeted

for

stash

Instead,

Appellants

white
house

individuals
sting

point

who

could

to

investigations
one

white

have

but

crew

been

were

involved

not.
in

robberies and drug distribution in the District of Maryland.

Appellants Br. 36.
crew

is

It is far from clear, however, that this

similarly

circumstances
[enforcement]

situated,

present
factors

no
that

in

the

sense

distinguishable
might

justify

their

legitimate

making

[enforcement] decisions with respect to them.

F.3d at 900-01.

that

different

See Venable, 666

While a Department of Justice press release

indicates that the Paschall defendants were involved in drug

trafficking

and

armed

home

invasions,

it

is

not

known,

for

example, whether the crew members criminal histories indicated

that they would be receptive to a stash house robbery scenario,
or

whether

undercover. 5

ATF

had

the

Furthermore,

means
this

of

infiltrating

isolated

example

this

crew

is

more

anecdotal evidence, Armstrong, 517 U.S. at 470, than it is

See U.S. Attys Office, Dist. of Md., Dept. of Justice, 16

Defendants Charged In A Commercial Burglary Ring and Drug
Conspiracy
(July
18,
2013),
https://www.justice.gov/usaomd/pr/16-defendants-charged-commercial-burglary-ringand-drugconspiracy (describing defendants as committing commercial
burglaries, home invasion armed robberies, arsons and other
crimes
at
convenience
stores,
gas
stations,
financial
institutions, restaurants[,] homes and liquor stores, in which
[s]afes and ATMs are primarily targeted and taken, and
[l]ottery tickets and cigarettes are also taken along with
other valuables) (saved as ECF opinion attachment).
14

statistical evidence demonstrating that a greater percentage

of whites could have been [investigated].

See Venable, 666

F.3d at 903.
Even if we assumed that Appellants statistical evidence
had a basis for comparison that showed discriminatory effect,
it would not necessarily prove discriminatory intent.
97

F.3d

at

746.

discretionary
process,

As

judgments

statistical

general

matter,

essential
evidence

to
of

in

the

cases

Olvis,

involving

criminal

racial

justice

disparity

insufficient to infer . . . a discriminatory purpose.

(quoting

McCleskey

Appellants
sample

v.

statistical

size

and

Kemp,

481

evidence,

weak

basis

See id. at 745.

other

that

faith,

they

have

ATFs
not

actions

shown

with

for

insufficient.
evidence

U.S.

279,
its

297

Id.

(1987)).

relatively

comparison,

is

is

small
clearly

Because Appellants offer no

were

invidious

discriminatory

or

intent. 6

in

bad

Thus,

Appellants allege that ATF was willfully blind to the

racially disparate impact of its stash house sting operations;
however, willful blindness does not evince discriminatory
intent, as discriminatory intent implies that the government
selected or reaffirmed a particular course of action at least
in part because of, not merely in spite of, its adverse effects
upon an identifiable group. Venable, 666 F.3d at 903 (quoting
Wayte v. United States, 470 U.S. 598, 610 (1985)).
Appellants also suggest that ATF deviated from its protocol
by failing to investigate Appellants criminal backgrounds to
ensure that they were violent offenders, and that such deviation
is evidence that improper purposes are playing a role. Vill.
of Arlington Heights v. Metro. Hous. Dev. Corp., 429 U.S. 252,
(Continued)
15

Appellants have not put forth some evidence making a credible

showing of the elements of a discrimination claim.
Appellants argue, however, that their selective enforcement
claim should not be held to the discovery standard articulated
in Armstrong for claims of selective prosecution.
highlight
claims.
to

important

differences

in

proving

the

Appellants

two

types

of

First, Appellants note that it is considerably harder

demonstrate

that

law

enforcement

action

has

discriminatory effect, as there are less likely to be records of

similarly situated individuals who were never investigated or
arrested.

As

the

Seventh

Circuit

has

explained,

in

case

involving racial profiling in traffic stops:

In a meritorious selective prosecution claim, a
criminal defendant would be able to name others
arrested for the same offense who were not prosecuted
by the arresting law enforcement agency; conversely,
plaintiffs who allege that they were stopped due to
racial profiling would not, barring some type of test
operation, be able to provide the names of other
similarly situated motorists who were not stopped.
Chavez v. Illinois State Police, 251 F.3d 612, 640 (7th Cir.
2001).

In the stash house sting context, a defendant would face

267 (1977). However, ATF protocol requires investigation of the

target, in this case Bowden.
The record indicates that ATF
investigated Bowden and that he satisfied ATFs criteria for a
stash house sting target.
Finally, that ATF presented
Appellants with a lucrative opportunity involving more than 10
to 15 kilograms of cocaine does not suggest a discriminatory
motive.
16

considerable difficulty obtaining credible evidence of similarly

situated individuals who were not investigated by ATF.

Even if

federal

defendant

could,

prosecutions

to

for

identify

example,
white

use

state

individuals

or

involved

in

drug

offenses or armed robberies, without discovery into what ATF

knew

about

these

individuals,

the

defendant

would

be

hard

pressed to demonstrate that there were no distinguishing factors

that would justify different enforcement treatment.
Second,

Appellants

note

that

Armstrong

was

primarily

concerned with respecting the province of federal prosecutors,

who are designated by statute as the Presidents delegates to
help

him

execute

the

nations

laws,

and

thus

enjoy

presum[ption] that they have properly discharged their official

duties.

Armstrong, 517 U.S. at 464.

Law enforcement officers,

however, are not accorded equal deference.

Again, the Seventh

Circuit offers cogent analysis:

Agents of the ATF and FBI are not protected by a
powerful privilege or covered by a presumption of
constitutional behavior. Unlike prosecutors, agents
regularly
testify in
criminal
cases,
and
their
credibility may be relentlessly attacked by defense
counsel. They also may have to testify in pretrial
proceedings, such as hearings on motions to suppress
evidence,
and
again
their
honesty
is
open
to
challenge. Statements that agents make in affidavits
for search or arrest warrants may be contested, and
the court may need their testimony to decide whether
if shorn of untruthful statements the affidavits would
have established probable cause. . . . Before holding
hearings (or civil trials) district judges regularly,
and properly, allow discovery into nonprivileged
aspects of what agents have said or done. In sum, the
17

sort of considerations that led to the outcome in

Armstrong do not apply to a contention that agents of
the FBI or ATF engaged in racial discrimination when
selecting targets for sting operations, or when
deciding which suspects to refer for prosecution.
United States v. Davis, 793 F.3d 712, 720-21 (7th Cir. 2015) (en
banc)

(finding

evidence

that

the

overwhelming

majority

of

defendants prosecuted in stash house sting cases in the Northern

District

of

Illinois

were

black

or

Hispanic

sufficient

to

warrant discovery on an incremental basis).

Appellants arguments are well taken.

However, even if we

assume that their evidentiary showing is sufficient to warrant

discovery into selective enforcement, Appellants have not shown
that they are entitled to discovery beyond what the government
has

already

produced.

The

government

has

already

provided

Appellants with ATFs criteria for choosing a stash house sting

target, and the district court reviewed an even broader set of
ATF documents for information relevant to Appellants selective
enforcement claim.

ATFs selection criteria do not suggest any

discriminatory motive.

Instead, they indicate that ATF followed

its protocol in selecting Bowden as a target, and Bowden, not

ATF, recruited Appellants.

We conclude that Appellants have

received

to

affirm

all
the

the

discovery

district

courts

which

they

denial

of

discovery.

18

are

entitled,

their

motion

and
for

III.
Appellants next challenge the district court's denial of
their motion to dismiss the indictment on due process grounds.
Because the relevant facts are not in dispute, our review is de
novo.

See United States v. Hatcher, 560 F.3d 222, 224 (4th Cir.

2009).
Appellants claim that ATFs conduct in this case was so
egregious as to violate their Fifth Amendment due process rights
and thus preclude prosecution.

They invoke the theory, first

articulated in United States v. Russell, 411 U.S. 423 (1973),

that there may be a situation in which the conduct of law
enforcement agents is so outrageous that due process principles
would

absolutely

bar

the

government

processes to obtain a conviction.

from

invoking

judicial

Id. at 431-32.

We have

previously observed that the outrageous conduct doctrine is

highly circumscribed, United States v. Hasan, 718 F.3d 338,
343 (4th Cir. 2013), and applies only in rare cases.
States

v.

Jones,

governments

18

actions

F.3d
must

1145,
be

1154

(4th

shocking

Cir.
or

traditional notions of fundamental fairness.

United

1994).

offensive

The
to

Hasan, 718 F.3d

at 343 (quoting United States v. Osborne, 935 F.2d 32, 37 (4th

Cir. 1991)).
shock

See also Osborne, 935 F.2d at 36 (noting the high

threshold

of

appellate

unsavory government conduct).

courts

faced

with

extremely

As a practical matter, only

19

those

claims

alleging

violation

guarantees are likely to succeed.

of

particular

constitutional

United States v. Jones, 13

F.3d 100, 104 (4th Cir. 1993).

Appellants theory as to a due process violation is less
than clear.

However, their primary arguments appear to be that

ATF

outrageously

behaved

by

failing

to

investigate

whether

Appellants were predisposed to committing stash house robberies

or similar crimes, and by providing an inducement so lucrative
as

to

be

unreasonable. 7

Appellants

also

appear

to

object

generally to ATFs use of the stash house robbery scenario as an

investigative tool.

We address these arguments in turn.

The government does not deny that ATF had no knowledge of

Appellants before Bowden introduced them to Agent Rogers, and

Government
inducement
and
a
defendants
lack
of
predisposition are the elements of an entrapment defense.
See
United States v. Sligh, 142 F.3d 761, 762 (4th Cir. 1998).
Appellants acknowledge that the district court allowed them to
argue entrapment and gave the entrapment jury instruction they
requested.
On appeal, Appellants assert that they are not
raising an entrapment claim. Thus, we evaluate their arguments
under the outrageous government conduct standard.
Nevertheless, we note that we would reject an entrapment
claim, were Appellants raising one.
When the issue of
entrapment
is
submitted
to
the
jury,
a
guilty
verdict
comprehends a finding of no entrapment and an appellate court
may overturn this determination only if no rational trier of
fact could have found predisposition beyond a reasonable doubt,
viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the
prosecution.
United States v. Jones, 976 F.2d 176, 180 (4th
Cir. 1992).
Under the predisposition principles explained
herein, a reasonable juror could have found predisposition on
the part of Appellants.
20

that ATF subsequently undertook no investigation to determine

whether they had violent criminal histories and were therefore
appropriate targets for a stash house sting.

Indeed, it appears

that Hare and Williams have only minimal criminal records and no
record of violent crimes.

See J.A. 176, 180.

While this is

troubling, particularly since Appellants now each face more than

10 years of imprisonment, it does not rise to the level of
outrageous conduct.
Appellants

were

not

targeted

by

ATF

but

recruited

by

Bowden, whom ATF targeted based on information that he was an

active,

armed

drug

trafficker.

[I]t

would

undermine

law

enforcements ability to investigate and apprehend criminals if

its

otherwise

acceptable

conduct

became

outrageous

merely

because an individual with no known criminal history whom the

government
criminal

did

not

suspect

enterprise

codefendants.

at

the

of

criminal

last

activity

minute

at

joined

the

behest

the
of

United States v. Black, 733 F.3d 294, 308 n.11

(9th Cir. 2013).

Furthermore, it was not outrageous for the

government to infer that Bowden would recruit people who were

willing and had the requisite experience to rob an armed stash
house.

This

inference

response

to

Agent

Rogerss

proposal

at

their

first

execute

the

robbery,

and

was

bolstered
proposal.

meeting
at

no
21

with
point

by

Appellants

They
Rogers,

assented
planned

attempted

to

ready
to
how

the
to

withdraw.

[T]he ready commission of the criminal act amply demonstrates

the defendants predisposition.
U.S.

540,

550

(1992);

see

Jacobson v. United States, 503

also

Osborne,

935

F.2d

at

37-38

([T]he fact that a defendant has not previously committed any

related crime is not proof of lack of predisposition.

Rather,

predisposition is found from the defendants ready response to

the inducement offered.).
We also do not find outrageous the size of the inducement,
15

to

20

kilograms

of

cocaine

in

total. 8

This

amount

is

considerably less than the quantity of cocaine at issue in other

stash house sting cases.

See, e.g., Black, 733 F.3d at 299

(finding no outrageous government conduct where sting involved

28 to 46 total kilograms of cocaine); United States v. Mayfield,
771 F.3d 417, 422, 441 (7th Cir. 2014) (en banc) (describing
sting that involved 26 to 38 total kilograms of cocaine as a
typical
qualify

stash-house
as

an

robbery

illegitimate

that

would

inducement).

not,

by

Appellants

itself,
assert

that a typical stash house in Maryland contains less than 15 to

20 kilograms of cocaine.

However, even assuming that 15 to 20

kilograms is a large quantity by Maryland standards, that would

8

Inducement
for
purposes
of
entrapment
means
solicitation plus some overreaching or improper conduct on the
part of the government.
United States v. Hsu, 364 F.3d 192,
200 (4th Cir. 2004). As entrapment is not before us, we express
no view on whether the amount of cocaine at issue qualifies as
an inducement in the entrapment sense of the word.
22

not render ATFs conduct outrageous, particularly since Agent

Rogers

concocted

various

obstacles

to

executing

the

robbery,

including that the stash house had three armed guards and the
robbery would take place during the day.
Kindle,

698

dissenting)

F.3d

401,

414-15

(explaining

(7th

that

Cf. United States v.

Cir.

stash

2012)

house

(Posner,

stings

are

J.,
a

disreputable tactic in part because the police can convince a

suspect

that

the

stash

house

robbery

would

be

shockingly

simple and easy crime to commit), vacated en banc sub nom.

United States v. Mayfield, 771 F.3d 417 (7th Cir. 2014).
Finally, we do not find it outrageous for ATF to utilize
stash house stings as an investigative tool.

We have noted that

[o]utrageous is not a label properly applied to conduct because

it is a sting or reverse sting operation involving contraband.
United

States

v.

Goodwin,

854

F.2d

33,

37

(4th

Cir.

1988).

Concededly, a stash house sting entails considerable government

involvementincluding

direct

solicitation

of

the

target

and

total control over the parameters of the robbery, particularly

the quantity of cocaine held in the fictitious stash houseand
appears highly susceptible to abuse.

We may further question

the propriety of using such a tool to prosecute individuals with

no

violent

criminal

histories

23

and

who

demonstrated

an

inclination to pursue the less violent Plan B. 9

standard

for

outrageous

government

conduct

is

However, the
high,

and

we

cannot say that ATFs conduct in this case was so outrageous as

to shock the conscience of the court.

Osborne, 935 F.2d at 36.

We know of no court of appeals to hold otherwise, while several

have found no due process violation even when ATFs conduct was
more objectionable than it was here.

See Black, 733 F.3d at 299

(finding no outrageous conduct where ATF trolled for targets

by paying a confidential informant to try and find some people
willing to commit a home invasion, which the informant did by
going to the bars in a bad part of town to try and meet
people); see also United States v. Rodriguez, 603 F. Appx 306
(5th Cir. 2015); United States v. Sanchez, 138 F.3d 1410 (11th
Cir. 1998).
collectively,

Appellants arguments, whether considered alone or

do

not

establish

outrageous

government

conduct.

We affirm the district courts denial of Appellants motion to

dismiss the indictment.

IV.
Appellants next challenge their convictions for possessing
a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime or a crime
9

Indeed, in Count 2 the jury found Appellants guilty of

conspiring to traffic 500 grams but less than 5 kilograms of
cocaine, J.A. 977-78, consistent with the plan to stage a
robbery of Agent Rogerss 5 kilogram shipment.
24

of

violence,

Appellants

in

violation

contend

that

of

the

18

U.S.C.

district

924(c)

courts

(Count

4).

instructions

on

aiding and abetting liability were erroneous under Rosemond v.

United States, 134 S. Ct. 1240 (2014).

Appellants also contend

that under Johnson v. United States, 135 S. Ct. 2551 (2015), a

Hobbs Act robbery does not constitute a crime of violence and
therefore cannot serve as the predicate crime for a conviction
under 924(c), or the related conspiracy charge in Count 3.
These arguments are unavailing.

A.
In Rosemond, the Supreme Court held that to establish a
violation of 924(c) based on the theory that the defendant
aided and abetted the offense, the government must prove that
the

defendant

actively

trafficking

or

confederate

would

commission.

violent
use

participated
crime
or

with

carry

in

the

advance
a

134 S. Ct. at 1243.

gun

underlying
knowledge

during

the

drug

that

crimes

This is because [w]hen an

accomplice knows beforehand of a confederates design to carry a

gun, he can attempt to alter that plan or . . . withdraw from
the enterprise.

Id. at 1249.

However, when an accomplice

knows nothing of a gun until it appears at the scene, he may

already have completed his acts of assistance . . . [or] may at
that

late

point

have

no

realistic
25

opportunity

to

quit

the

crime.

Id.

In such case, the defendant has not shown the

requisite intent to assist a crime involving a gun.

Appellants
abetting
require

contend

instructions
Appellants

that
were

to

the

instructions

States

v.

below,

Robinson,

district

erroneous

know

involved in the robbery.

the

in

courts

because

advance

Id.

that

aiding

they
guns

and

did

not

would

be

Because Appellants did not object to

plain

627

error

F.3d

review

941,

953

applies.
(4th

United

Cir.

2010).

Appellants must show that an error occurred, that the error was
plain, and that the error affected [their] substantial rights,
meaning

that

it

proceedings.

affected

the

outcome

of

the

United States v. Hastings, 134 F.3d 235, 239-40

(4th Cir. 1998).

discretion

actually

to

Even then, the Court should not exercise [its

correct

the

error]

unless

the

error

seriously

affects the fairness, integrity or public reputation of judicial

proceedings.

Id. at 239 (quotation omitted).

Assuming

that

the

district

courts

instructions

were

erroneous and the error was plain, we find that the error did
not affect Appellants substantial rights.

Hare admitted to

possessing

verdicts

the

Beretta

firearm,

and

the

against

Williams and Edwards may be sustained under the Pinkerton theory

of liability.

The Pinkerton doctrine makes a person liable for

substantive offenses committed by a co-conspirator when their

commission is reasonably foreseeable and in furtherance of the
26

conspiracy.
Cir.

United States v. Ashley, 606 F.3d 135, 142-43 (4th

2010).

liability
reasonably

The

and

the

jury

was

properly

evidence

foreseeable

to

amply

Williams

conspirator would possess a firearm.

instructed

demonstrates
and

Edwards

on

Pinkerton

that
that

it

was

co-

At each meeting, Williams

and Edwards discussed the firearms the crew would bring and the
possibility of shooting the stash house guards.

At no point was

it suggested that the crew would proceed without firearms, even

in the context of Plan B.

Thus, any error in the aiding and

abetting instruction does not satisfy the plain error standard.

See Robinson, 627 F.3d at 954 (explaining that under the plain
error

prejudice

requirement,

under

multiple

[theories]

where

of

an

defendant

offense

but

was

indicted

subjected

to

erroneous jury instructions on one of those [theories,] the

defendant must demonstrate that the erroneous instruction given
resulted in his conviction, not merely that it was impossible to
tell under which [theory] the jury convicted).

See also United

States v. Saunders, 605 F. Appx 285, 288-89 (5th Cir. 2015)

(finding that Rosemond error in aiding and abetting instruction
did not affect defendants substantial rights because the jury
was

given

correct

Pinkerton

instruction

and

it

was

reasonably foreseeable that [defendants co-conspirator] would

carry a gun to a bank robbery); United States v. Young, 561 F.
Appx 85, 92 (2d Cir. 2014) (explaining that even if there had
27

been error regarding aiding and abetting in light of Rosemond,

it was harmless because ample evidence supported [defendants]
liability under Pinkerton).

B.
Appellants also challenge their firearm convictions on the
ground that, after the Supreme Courts decision in Johnson v.
United States, 135 S. Ct. 2551 (2015), a Hobbs Act robbery no
longer

qualifies

as

crime

of

violence.

Thus,

Appellants

claim, their convictions in Count 1 for committing a Hobbs Act

robbery

cannot

support

their

convictions

in

Count

for

possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

or a crime of violence, or the related conspiracy offense in
Count 3.
We need not reach the merits of this argument. 10

Section

924(c) prohibits the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a

10

In Johnson, the Supreme Court held that the definition of

violent felony found in the residual clause of the Armed
Career Criminal Act is unconstitutionally vague. 135 S. Ct. at
2557. That clause defines a violent felony as any felony that
involves conduct that presents a serious potential risk of
physical injury to another.
18 U.S.C. 924(e)(2)(B)(ii).
Section 924(c) similarly contains a residual clause that defines
a crime of violence as any felony that by its nature,
involves a substantial risk that physical force against the
person or property of another may be used in the course of
committing the offense. 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(3)(B). Appellants
argue that by extension of the logic in Johnson, the residual
clause in 924(c) is also unconstitutionally vague. Appellants
further argue that a Hobbs Act robbery does not otherwise
(Continued)
28

crime of violence or a drug trafficking crime.

As the district

court explained to the jury, Appellants could be found liable if

they

possessed

violence

charged

gun
in

either
Count

in
or

furtherance
in

shows

that

the

jury

the

furtherance

trafficking crime charged in Count 2.

clearly

of

of

the

of

drug

The special verdict form

found

Appellants

possessing a firearm in furtherance of both crimes.

978-81.

crime

guilty

of

See J.A.

Thus, even assuming that a Hobbs Act robbery is not a

crime of violence, Appellants verdicts may be sustained because

the jury found Appellants guilty of possessing, and conspiring
to possess, a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking
crime of which they were convicted in Count 2.

See United

States

Cir.

v.

Najjar,

300

F.3d

466,

480

n.3

(4th

2002)

(explaining that while [a] general verdict . . . should be set

aside in cases where the verdict is supportable on one ground,
but not another, and it is impossible to tell which ground the
jury

selected[,]

[s]pecial

verdicts

obviate

this

problem

by

allowing a court to determine upon what factual and legal basis

the

jury

decided

given

question

(quotation

omitted)).

Accordingly, we uphold Appellants convictions.

qualify as a crime of violence, and thus cannot be the basis for

a conviction under 924(c).
29

V.
Appellants
conviction

and

raise

various

sentences.

other
We

have

challenges
reviewed

arguments and find them to be without merit.

to

their

Appellants

Thus, we affirm

the district court. 11

AFFIRMED

11

Because Appellant Edwards is represented by counsel, we

deny his motions for leave to file pro se supplemental briefs.
See United States v. Penniegraft, 641 F.3d 566, 569 n.1 (4th
Cir. 2011).
30

SHEDD, Circuit Judge, concurring:

I agree completely with the legal analysis of the majority.
I write separately to note that, unlike the majority, I am not
troubled

by

the

investigation

and

prosecution

of

these

defendants. The evidence presented in this case shows that these

defendants

were

willing

to

undertake

criminal

actsincluding

violent actsin connection with the armed robbery of illegal

drugs.

Law

enforcement

did

not

independently

recruit

these

defendants; rather, they were part of a crew who were willing

to be involved in the armed robbery at the behest of their
leader, Bowden, who enlisted their involvement. Moreover, the
defendants

had

the

opportunity

to

present

their

theory

of

entrapment to the jury but, not surprisingly under the facts of

this case, the jury believed these defendants were predisposed
to be involved in the charged offenses.
In short, as the majority correctly holds, the Government
conducted itself lawfully, and these defendants were properly
convicted and sentenced. There is nothing troubling in that.

31