United States v. Zenon

United States Court of Appeals
For the First Circuit

Nos. 02-1207, 02-1208

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Appellee,

v.

CARLOS ZENÓN-RODRÍGUEZ, YABUREIBO ZENÓN-ENCARNACIÓN,

Defendants, Appellants.

APPEALS FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO
[Hon. José Antonio Fusté, U.S. District Judge]

Before

Selya, Circuit Judge,
Stahl, Senior Circuit Judge,
and Lynch, Circuit Judge.

Fermín L. Arraiza-Navas with whom Jose J. Nazario de la Rosa
and Pedro J. Varela were on brief for appellants.

Michael F. Hughes, Special Assistant United States Attorney,
with whom Guillermo Gil, United States Attorney, and Jorge E. Vega-
Pacheco, Assistant United States Attorney, were on brief for
appellee.

April 29, 2002
 LYNCH, Circuit Judge. Carlos Zenón-Rodríguez and

Yabureibo Zenón-Encarnación appeal their convictions for violating

18 U.S.C. § 1382 by trespassing on a United States Navy

Installation on October 4, 2001. The defendants were protesting

the military exercises conducted by the U.S. Navy at and around the

Camp Garcia Naval Installation at Vieques, Puerto Rico. They were

each sentenced to 180 days in prison, the maximum under the

statute. We affirm the convictions.

I.

For the purposes of the Zenóns' sufficiency of the
evidence claims, we describe the facts in the light most favorable

to the verdict. United States v. Van Horn, 277 F.3d 48, 54 (1st

Cir. 2002).
On October 4, 2001, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Puerto

Rico police found Carlos Zenón-Rodríguez and his son Yabureibo
Zenón-Encarnación on two separate small boats in the waters of
Bahia Salinas del Sur (or South Salinas Bay), about 150-200 feet

off Camp Garcia, the U.S. military installation on the island of
Vieques, Puerto Rico. The Navy was conducting military exercises
on that day and had given prior notice of that fact.

Kathleen Cossairt, a U.S. Navy security liaison, spotted

the two civilian vessels earlier that morning from an observation

post on Camp Garcia known as O.P. 1. The Rapid Action Force Unit

of the Puerto Rico Police Department, "FURA," was contacted and

informed that there were two civilian boats in South Salinas Bay.

FURA sent four vessels toward the civilian boats in the bay, which

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remained about 150-200 feet off shore.

The FURA boats had to chase the Zenóns' boats. When the

FURA officers reached the Zenóns, the officers informed them that
they were in a "restricted area." The son, Zenón-Encarnación,

refused to talk with the officers and told them as much. According

to one of the officers, the father, Zenón-Rodríguez, told them,
repeatedly, "you are our brothers and we don't want problems with

you, but we have to put an end to this."

After a forty-minute negotiation with the officers, at

approximately 12:10 p.m., the Zenóns agreed to leave the area, and

did leave, but only after the FURA boats left first. Despite the

warnings, the Zenóns did not leave the prohibited area for some

period after the FURA boats left. By this time, they had disrupted
the military exercises for about two hours because the range was

considered foul while they were in the bay.

When the FURA officers found the Zenóns in South Salinas
Bay, the Zenóns were within the danger zone1 around Camp Garcia

outlined in 33 C.F.R. § 343.1470.2

1
A danger zone is "[a] defined water area (or areas) used
for target practice, bombing, rocket firing or other especially
hazardous operations, normally of the armed forces. The danger
zones may be closed to the public on a full-time or intermittent
basis, as stated in the regulations." 33 C.F.R. § 334.2 (2001).
2
33 C.F.R. § 334.1470 reads:

(a) The danger zone. From Punta Conejo on the south
coast of Vieqeus at latitude 18/ 06'30", longitude
65/ 22'33"; thence to latitude 18/ 03'00", longitude
65/ 21'00"; thence to latitude 18/ 03'00", longitude
65/ 15'30"; thence to latitude 18/ 11'30", longitude
65/ 14'30"; thence to latitude 18/ 12'00", longitude
65/ 20'00"; and thence to Cabellos Colorados on the north

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 A regular weekly fishermen's warning notice, which in the

normal course is sent to nine locations, was distributed on

September 26, 2001, for the week of October 1 to October 7, 2001.
The notice is routinely posted in various locations, including the

Vieques post office, the Fishermen's Association, the Port

Authority, and marinas in the area. It clearly stated that there
would be "dangerous naval activities" in "Danger Area B" from 8:00

a.m. until 11:00 p.m. on October 4. The notice, as it normally

does, included a map which depicted Vieques and Danger Area B.

South Salinas Bay is in Danger Area B.

The Zenóns were charged with illegally entering naval

property in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1382. They filed a motion to

dismiss the indictment on January 3, 2002, which the district court
denied on January 14. A one-day bench trial was held on January

15, 2002. After the government rested its case, the Zenóns raised

coast of Vieques at latitude 18/ 09'49", longitude
65/ 23'27".
(b) Regulations. (1) It will be open to navigation
at all times except when firing is being conducted. At
such times, no persons or surface vessels, except those
patrolling the area, shall enter or remain within the
danger area. Prior to conducting each firing or dropping
of ordnance the danger area will be patrolled to insure
that no watercraft are within the danger area. Any
watercraft in the vicinity will be warned that practice
firing is about to take place and advised to vacate the
area.
(2) The regulations will be enforced by the
Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Caribbean, U.S. Naval
Station, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, and such agencies
and subordinate commands as he/she may designate.

33 C.F.R. § 334.1470 (2001).

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a motion for judgment of acquittal. Fed. R. Crim. P. 29. After

hearing argument on the motion, the court denied the motion and

found both the Zenóns guilty. The court sentenced each of them to
the maximum penalty of 180 days in prison.

Defendants now appeal their convictions. They make four

main arguments, which they made previously in their motion to
dismiss the indictment and in their Rule 29 motion. First, they

argue that the danger zone is not part of Camp Garcia and is not

U.S. property, and so they cannot be convicted for trespassing on

U.S. naval property under 18 U.S.C. § 1382. Second, they argue

that the court erred in not granting their Rule 29 motion, because

the government did not prove all the elements of the offense

charged. Third, they argue that under 33 C.F.R. § 334.3(c)3 they

3
33 C.F.R. § 334.3(c) states:

(c) Temporary, occasional or intermittent use. If
the use of the water area is desired for a short period
of time, not to exceed thirty days in duration, and that
planned operations can be conducted safely without
imposing unreasonable restrictions on navigation, and
without promulgating restricted area regulations in
accordance with the regulations in this section,
applicants may be informed that formal regulations are
not required. Activities of this type shall not reoccur
more often than biennially (every other year), unless
danger zone/restricted area rules are promulgated under
this part. Proper notices for mariners requesting that
vessels avoid the area will be issued by the Agency
requesting such use of the water area, or if appropriate,
by the District Engineer, to all known interested
persons. Copies will also be sent to appropriate State
agencies, the Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, Washington,
DC 20590, and Director, Defense Mapping Agency,
Hydrographic Center, Washington, DC 20390, ATTN: Code NS
12. Notification to all parties and Agencies shall be
made at least two weeks prior to the planned event, or
earlier, if required for distribution of Local Notice to

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were entitled to at least two weeks' advance notice of the military

exercise and the prohibition from entering the danger zone on

October 4, 2001. Fourth, they argue that the regulation creating
the danger zone is invalid because it unreasonably interferes with

Puerto Rico's food fishing industry. They say that the district

court was obligated to hold an evidentiary hearing on this issue.
II.

A. Whether Incursions into the Danger Zone May Violate
18 U.S.C. § 1382

Defendants' primary argument is a territorial one: they

say that the danger zone outlined in 33 C.F.R. § 334.1470 is not

part of Camp Garcia and is not U.S. property, and so trespassers
there may not be prosecuted under 18 U.S.C. § 1382. Defendants

claim that because they were in the waters of South Salinas Bay,

which is not owned by the U.S. government, they did not violate 18
U.S.C. § 1382.

Whether prosecutions under 18 U.S.C. § 1382 may include

trespassers in the danger zone around Camp Garcia is a question of

law, and "[w]e review the district court's construction of a

federal statute de novo," United States v. Maxwell, 254 F.3d 21, 24

(1st Cir. 2001). The statute, 18 U.S.C. § 1382, in relevant part,

prohibits, "within the jurisdiction of the United States," entry

"upon any military, naval, or Coast Guard reservation, post, fort,

Mariners by the Coast Guard.

33 C.F.R. § 334.3(c) (2001).

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arsenal, yard, station, or installation, for any purpose prohibited

by law or lawful regulation." The danger zone regulation itself

says that when firing is conducted in the area "no persons or
surface vessels . . . shall enter or remain within the danger

area." 33 C.F.R. § 334.1470(b).

The defendants' argument is premised on the erroneous
notion that the United States must own the portion of the danger

zone where the defendants were found in order to prosecute them for

trespassing. In United States v. Ventura-Meléndez, 275 F.3d 9 (1st

Cir. 2001), this court held that "'government ownership of the

property in question is not a requisite to violating Section

1382.'" Id. at 17 (quoting United States v. Allen, 924 F.2d 29, 31

(2d Cir. 1991)). Instead, "§ 1382 requires only that the
government demonstrate either a possessory interest in, or

occupation or control of, the area reserved by the miliary." Id.

Ventura-Meléndez also held that § 1382 extends to prosecution of
those who enter a danger zone in proximity to a military

installation. Id. at 17-18.

In this case, the United States demonstrated its

occupation and control of South Salinas Bay in two ways. First,

the regulation itself, 33 C.F.R. § 334.1470(a), is such a

demonstration. It outlines a large area, which extends from the

Camp Garcia beach, and designates it as a danger zone. As we

discuss later in the opinion, South Salinas Bay is within the

danger zone outlined by the coordinates in the regulation. Second,

as a matter of fact, the portion of the danger zone that includes

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South Salinas Bay was under the occupation and control of the U.S.

on October 4, 2001. Cossairt, the U.S. Navy security liaison,

testified that there were military exercises occurring on that day,
and that South Salinas Bay was in the live impact area. The U.S.

Navy observes the area to see if there are intruders and arranges

for vessels to apprehend the intruders. Because the U.S. exercised
control over the South Salinas Bay area on October 4, 2001,

unlawful entry onto that area was prohibited under 18 U.S.C. §

1382.

B. Rule 29 Motion: Elements of 18 U.S.C. § 1382

The Zenóns argue that the court erred in not granting

their Rule 29 motion, because the government did not prove all the

elements of the offense charged. They say the government presented
insufficient evidence to convict them. We review a district

court's denial of a Rule 29 motion de novo. Ventura-Meléndez, 275

F.3d at 17. The defendants have a high burden to meet on an
insufficiency of the evidence claim: we affirm the conviction

"unless the evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to the
government, could not have persuaded any trier of fact of the

defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt." United States v.

Hernández, 218 F.3d 58, 64 (1st Cir. 2000) (quoting United States

v. Paradis, 802 F.2d 553, 559 (1st Cir. 1986)). The defendants

fail to meet this burden.

To prove a prohibited purpose in violation of § 1382, the

government must prove that the defendants deliberately entered or

remained in the prohibited area without authorization, and that

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they knew or had notice, actual or constructive, that the entry was

prohibited. United States v. Sued-Jiménez, 275 F.3d 1, 6 (1st Cir.

2001); Maxwell, 254 F.3d at 24 (explaining that "an unauthorized
entry itself can constitute a prohibited purpose" under § 1382; the

only state of mind required is a purpose to enter with actual or

constructive notice that entry is prohibited). And, because the
regulation establishing the danger zone states that "[i]t will be

open to navigation at all times except when firing is being

conducted," 33 C.F.R. § 334.1470(b)(1), to prove a violation of §

1382, the government was required to prove that notice was given

that the danger zone was closed to the public at the time of

arrest. United States v. Ayala Ayala, No. 01-2148, slip op. at 13

(1st Cir. Apr. 29, 2002). The Zenóns argue that the government did
not prove either of these elements.

First, the Zenóns argue that the government did not

establish that they entered the prohibited area. They say the
government failed to show that either they or South Salinas Bay

were within the danger zone outlined in the regulation. Their

premise is that the government must "locat[e] defendants within the

longitudes, latitudes and degrees specified in the regulation

allegedly violated," a burden not met here. The argument

overstates the government's burden.

The government provided ample evidence that the

defendants were in South Salinas Bay, and that South Salinas Bay

was within the danger zone. As to the defendants' location,

Sergeant Luis Martinez, one of the FURA officers who intercepted

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the defendants, testified that he found them in South Salinas Bay,

and that his supervisors had earlier informed him that the bay was

part of a danger zone. He also testified that he recognized them
as "Mr. Zenon, the father, and . . . the son" from seeing pictures

of them in newspapers. Another FURA officer, Wilfredo Padilla

Sepulveda, who intercepted the defendants, testified that he found
the defendants "inside the restricted zone" in South Salinas Bay.

As to the bay being in the danger zone, Cossairt

testified that on the morning of October 4, 2001, she saw two

civilian boats in South Salinas Bay from her observation point.

She pointed out this location on an aerial photograph, which

depicted the danger zone. Schedules Officer Ramon DeJesus, who

supervises the processing of airspace and surface area requests and
is responsible for the creation of fishermen's warnings, also

testified that South Salinas Bay is within "Danger Area B,"

depicted on the map attached to the fishermen's warning for the
week of October 1 to October 7, 2001. In addition, the court took

judicial notice of 33 C.F.R. § 334.1470, which outlines the danger

zone in question in this case.

Second, the Zenóns say that they did not know or have

notice of the fact that South Salinas Bay was a prohibited area on

October 4, 2001, in the sense that the Navy did not alert people to

the use of the area for military exercises, and therefore, that it

was closed to navigation. In addition to contesting the facts

concerning notice, the Zenóns raise one issue of law, which we

discuss later, as to the timing of the prior notice required. The

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government counters that the Zenóns had both constructive and

actual notice that entry into South Salinas Bay was prohibited.

The evidence supports the government.
Officer DeJesus testified that he is responsible for the

creation and dissemination of a weekly fishermen's warning, which

includes, in Spanish and in English, notice of "what areas are to
be used [for military exercises] and what areas are off-limits for

non-participants." Such a notice is created and distributed each

Wednesday, and includes information about what military exercises,

if any, are scheduled for that week. The warnings are regularly

sent to, and posted in, nine locations around Vieques and on

mainland Puerto Rico. DeJesus testified that a routine weekly
fishermen's notice was sent out on Wednesday, September 26, to all

the usual locations. A copy of the warning, in evidence, included

information about the military exercises for the week of October 1
to October 7. The notice stated that there would be "dangerous

naval activities" in "Danger Area B" from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00
p.m. on October 4. The attached map indicated where Danger Area B
was, and South Salinas Bay is within it. Taking the evidence most
favorably to the verdict permits the conclusion that the warning

was actually posted as part of a regular weekly practice. The

fishermen's warning constituted constructive notice to the Zenóns

that military exercises were going to take place in South Salinas

Bay on October 4, 2001.

In addition, the Zenóns also had actual notice that their

presence in South Salinas Bay, on October 4, was not allowed.

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Sergeant Martinez informed the Zenóns in their boats that they were

in a "restricted area" and that they were not allowed to be there.

Officer Sepulveda also said that the FURA officers "informed one of
them that they could not be there, that this was a restricted

zone." Nevertheless, the Zenóns remained.

The defendants claim that because the FURA officers told
them that they were in a "restricted area" and not a "danger zone"

the notice was insufficient. Specifically, they say that because

the fishermen's warning referred to a "danger area," they did not

know that they were not allowed in the "restricted area." The

Zenóns attempt to rely on the separate definitions given to a

"danger zone" and to a "restricted area" in 33 C.F.R. § 334.2,4 but

their argument is to no avail. Whatever the differences, they are
not material in this case. The defendants knew from the FURA

officers' warnings that they were not allowed in the area, no

matter what the officers called that area.
Because the government presented sufficient evidence to

4
33 C.F.R. § 334.2 reads:

(a) Danger zone. A defined water area (or areas) used
for target practice, bombing, rocket firing or other
especially hazardous operations, normally for the armed
forces. The danger zones may be closed to the public on
a full-time or intermittent basis, as stated in the
regulations.

(b) Restricted area. A defined water area for the
purpose of prohibiting or limiting public access to the
area. Restricted areas generally provide security for
Government property and/or protection to the public from
the risks of damage or injury arising from the
Government's use of that area.

33 C.F.R. § 334.2 (2001).

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show both that South Salinas Bay was a prohibited area, and that

the Zenóns knew or had notice that it was a prohibited area, the

district court did not err in denying the Rule 29 motion, and the
defendants' insufficiency of the evidence claim fails.

C. Timing of Notice

The defendants say that the time period for adequate
notice is governed by 33 C.F.R. § 334.3(c), which requires two

weeks' advance notice, and here the fishermen's notice was posted

only nine days before October 4, 2001. Section 334.3(c) is simply

inapplicable in this case. It only applies to situations in which

the military's expected use of the water area is sufficiently short

and infrequent that "formal regulations are not required" and in

which a danger zone or restricted area has not been promulgated.
33 C.F.R. § 334.3(c) (2001); see also United States v. de Jesus,

108 F. Supp. 2d 68, 71 (D.P.R. 2000). Here a danger zone was

promulgated. Two weeks' notice in this case was unnecessary, and
the notice which was provided was sufficient.

D. Validity of 33 C.F.R. § 334.1470

The defendants argue that the indictment should have been

dismissed because 33 C.F.R. § 334.1470 was improperly promulgated

under 33 U.S.C. § 1, and that it should have been promulgated under

33 U.S.C. § 3, which requires that the regulation will not

"unreasonably . . . interfere with or restrict the food fishing

industry." 33 U.S.C. § 3 (1994). Because they raised this issue

before the district court in their motion to dismiss the

indictment, the Zenóns argue that the district court was obligated

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to hold an evidentiary hearing on whether the regulation

unreasonably interfered with the food fishing industry.

The defendants rely on United States v. Saade, 652 F.2d
1126 (1st Cir. 1981). Saade held that the appropriate statutory

authority for an almost identical regulation to § 334.1470 was 33

U.S.C. § 3 and not 33 U.S.C. § 1, because § 3 refers more
specifically to the promulgation of regulations for the prevention

of injuries from target practice. Id. at 1130-32. Saade remanded

the case to the district court to hold an evidentiary hearing to

determine whether the regulation unreasonably interfered with the

food fishing industry. Id. at 1133-34. The defendants urge us to

do the same here.

In our view, this case is not identical to Saade. The
regulatory context has changed significantly. In 1993, a new

provision, explicitly promulgated under 33 U.S.C. § 3, was added to

the danger zone and restricted area regulations. See Danger Zone

and Restricted Area Regulations, 58 Fed. Reg. 37,606, 37,606 (July

12, 1993). This added provision states:
The authority to prescribe danger zone and restricted
area regulations must be exercised so as not to
unreasonably interfere with or restrict the food fishing
industry. Whenever the proposed establishment of a
danger zone or restricted area may affect fishing
operations, the District Engineer will consult with the
Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Department of the Interior and the Regional Director,
National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic &
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

33 C.F.R. § 334.3(b) (2001). Although the danger zone regulation

in this case was promulgated under 33 U.S.C. § 1, both regulations

are found in part 334 of title 33 of the Code of Federal

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Regulations, which deals with danger zones and restricted areas.

33 C.F.R. § 334.3(b) applies to 33 C.F.R. § 334.1470, and so the

two must be read together, thus satisfying the concern in 33 U.S.C.
§ 3. Saade seems to have been satisfied by the addition of 33

C.F.R. § 334.3(b). To the extent that the defendants rely on

Saade, their reliance is misplaced.
Beyond that, at the district court level the defendants

made this argument about the effect on the food fishing industry in

only one sentence of their motion to dismiss the indictment. In a

nine-page motion they said only that "the Danger Zone in question

was improperly promulgated pursuant to 33 U.S.C. § 1, and not 33

U.S.C. § 3 . . . and . . . the regulation unreasonably affects the

food fishing industry in Vieques and Puerto Rico." In response,
the district court said that the defendants did not properly raise

the argument because they provided no legal or factual support for

it. We agree. For example, the defendants do not anywhere make
the argument that the government did not here follow the

notification procedure outlined in 33 C.F.R. § 334.3(b). An

argument made off-hand in one sentence of a motion is not

sufficient to preserve an issue. See United States v. Zannino, 895

F.2d 1, 17 (1st Cir. 1990) ("[I]ssues adverted to in a perfunctory

manner, unaccompanied by some effort at developed argumentation,

are deemed waived."). The defendants did not adequately raise this

issue before the district court, and have therefore forfeited the

argument on appeal. United States v. Slade, 980 F.2d 27, 30 (1st

Cir. 1992) ("It is a bedrock rule that when a party has not

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presented an argument to the district court, she may not unveil it

in the court of appeals.").

III.
The judgment of the district court is affirmed.

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