No. 23-2937 ___________________________

United States of America

Plaintiff - Appellee

v.

Markus Michael A. Patterson

Defendant - Appellant ___________________________

No. 23-3039 ___________________________

United States of America

Plaintiff - Appellee

v.

Gerald L. Ginnings

Defendant - Appellant ___________________________

No. 23-3099 ___________________________

United States of America

Plaintiff - Appellee v.

Trevor Scott Sparks

Defendant - Appellant ____________

Appeals from United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri - Kansas City ____________

Submitted: January 14, 2025 Filed: March 24, 2025 ____________ Before SMITH, BENTON, and ERICKSON, Circuit Judges. ____________ ERICKSON, Circuit Judge.

This consolidated appeal arises out of a large, violent methamphetamine conspiracy mainly centered in Kansas City, Missouri. Trevor Scott Sparks, the alleged leader of the conspiracy, proceeded to trial and was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, and two firearms-related offenses. Markus Michael A. Patterson and Gerald L. Ginnings both pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and using a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. They each raise various issues on appeal, including challenges to the district court’s1 evidentiary rulings, sufficiency of the evidence, objections to the jury instructions, calculation of their applicable Sentencing Guidelines range, and the reasonableness of their sentences. We affirm.

1 The Honorable Greg Kays, United States District Judge for the Western District of Missouri. -2- I. BACKGROUND

For over a decade, Sparks was involved in a methamphetamine trafficking ring that extended from Kansas City to St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri. He maintained a headquarters at 5501 Smart Avenue in Kansas City, which was typically stocked with multi-pound or multi-kilogram quantities of methamphetamine. Multiple co-defendants recounted delivering or storing methamphetamine in the house at Sparks’ direction. The evidence at trial portrayed Sparks as a violent man. Witnesses described Sparks’ use of firearms and brutality to protect and advance his drug trafficking activities. He would trade drugs for guns, point guns at people he believed were stealing drugs or money from the organization, and beat or torture people who got crossways with him. At one point, Sparks shoved a gun in the mouth of a co-conspirator because he suspected she was an informant. Sparks released her when he was satisfied that she was not working with law enforcement.

Markus “Unk” Patterson was a childhood friend of Sparks and an associate in the drug trafficking activity. Patterson worked as Sparks’ enforcer and debt collector in the organization—sometimes engaging in violence on his behalf. Like Patterson, Gerald Ginnings’ role in the drug trafficking conspiracy included transporting drugs, collecting proceeds, and occasionally disposing of evidence.

During the summer of 2018, Sparks suspected co-defendant David Richards had stolen $30,000 in cash and methamphetamine that Richards had been assigned to sell and collect. Another co-conspirator suggested that James Hampton might be aiding Richards. Sparks believed that Hampton’s girlfriend, Brittanie Broyles,