PUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

No. 21-4231

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff – Appellee,

v.

MARTIN L. HUNT, a/k/a O.G. Martin,

Defendant – Appellant.

No. 21-4300

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff – Appellee,

v.

DESHAUN RICHARDSON, a/k/a Day Day,

Defendant – Appellant. USCA4 Appeal: 21-4358 Doc: 120 Filed: 04/16/2024 Pg: 2 of 49

No. 21-4334

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff – Appellee,

v.

ERIC NIXON, a/k/a Young Nix, a/k/a Lil Nix,

Defendant – Appellant.

No. 21-4349

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff – Appellee,

v.

XAVIER GREENE, a/k/a BJ,

Defendant – Appellant.

No. 21-4355

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff – Appellee,

v.

RAYMOND PALMER, a/k/a Ray Dog,

2 USCA4 Appeal: 21-4358 Doc: 120 Filed: 04/16/2024 Pg: 3 of 49

Defendant – Appellant.

No. 21-4358

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff – Appellee,

v.

RYAN TAYBRON, a/k/a 22, a/k/a Ryan Savage,

Defendant – Appellant.

No. 21-4509

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff – Appellee,

v.

GEOVANNI DOUGLAS, a/k/a Geo, a/k/a Twin,

Defendant – Appellant.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, at Newport News. Mark S. Davis, Chief District Judge. (4:17-cr-00052-MSD-RJK-1; 4:17- cr-00052-MSD-RJK-6; 4:17-cr-00052-MSD-RJK-8; 4:17-cr-00052-MSD-RJK-5; 4:17- cr-00052-MSD-RJK-10; 4:17-cr-00052-MSD-RJK-7; 4:17-cr-00052-MSD-RJK-9)

Argued: January 23, 2024 Decided: April 16, 2024

3 USCA4 Appeal: 21-4358 Doc: 120 Filed: 04/16/2024 Pg: 4 of 49

Before HEYTENS and BENJAMIN, Circuit Judges, and MOTZ, Senior Circuit Judge.

Affirmed by published opinion. Senior Judge Motz wrote the opinion, in which Judge Heytens and Judge Benjamin joined.

ARGUED: Rhonda Elizabeth Quagliana, MICHIEHAMLETT, PLLC, Charlottesville, Virginia; Kimberly Harvey Albro, OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER, Columbia, South Carolina; Jenny R. Thoma, OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER, Clarksburg, West Virginia, for Appellants. Brian James Samuels, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Newport News, Virginia, for Appellee. ON BRIEF: Lawrence H. Woodward, Jr., RULOFF, SWAIN, HADDAD, MORECOCK, TALBERT & WOODWARD, P.C., Virginia Beach, Virginia, for Appellant Martin L. Hunt. Gerald T. Zerkin, Richmond, Virginia, for Appellant Xavier Greene. Brendan S. Leary, OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER, Wheeling, West Virginia, for Appellant Ryan Taybron. Jamison P. Rasberry, RASBERRY LAW, P.C., Virginia Beach, Virginia, for Appellant Raymond Palmer. Nicholas R. Hobbs, SCHEMPF & WARE, PLLC, Yorktown, Virginia, for Appellant Eric Nixon. Daymen W. X. Robinson, LAW OFFICE OF DAYMEN W. X. ROBINSON, PC, Norfolk, Virginia, for Appellant Geovanni Douglas. Jessica D. Aber, United States Attorney

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