United States v. Matthews ( 1999 )

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
No. 98-40951
Summary Calendar
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
BILLIE MATLEN MATTHEWS,
Defendant-Appellant.
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Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Texas
USDC No. B-97-CR-447-1
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August 6, 1999
Before SMITH, BARKSDALE, and PARKER, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Billie Matlen Matthews appeals from his jury convictions for
knowingly and intentionally possessing with intent to distribute
more than 50 kilograms of marihuana and knowingly carrying a
firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Matthews argues
that the district court erred in denying his motion to suppress
because the initial traffic stop was unlawful and that there was
insufficient evidence prior to the traffic stop to prove that he
had knowingly possessed marijuana with intent to distribute it.
*
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that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent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.
No. 98-40951
-2-
Our review of the record and the arguments and authorities
convince us that no reversible error was committed. The district
court did not err in denying the motion to suppress as the
officers, through their collective knowledge, were able to point
to specific and articulable facts which, taken together with
rational inferences from those facts, reasonably warranted the
traffic stop. United States v. Shabazz, 993 F.2d 431, 435 (5th
Cir. 1993); United States v. Coleman, 969 F.2d 126, 129-30 (5th
Cir. 1992). The evidence was therefore not insufficient. United
States v. Ortega Reyna, 148 F.3d 540, 543-44 (5th Cir. 1998).
Accordingly, the judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.