United States v. Strater
United States v. Strater
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
Dirk Thomas Strater appeals his jury trial conviction for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b), and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(b). Strater was caught in a sting operation initiated by local police in an adult romance chat room on Yahoo.com. Strater argues (1) that he was entrapped and (2) that the district judge should have granted a mistrial because a group of high school seniors attended a brief portion of the trial. We affirm.
I. ENTRAPMENT
Sufficient evidence supports the jury’s finding that Strater was not entrapped.
Even if the government had induced Strater to commit the offense, the government met its burden of proving that he was predisposed to commit the crime. See Jacobson v. United States, 503 U.S. 540, 548-49, 112 S.Ct. 1535, 118 L.Ed.2d 174 (1992). The most important factor
II. MISTRIAL
The district court did not abuse its discretion in denying a motion for a mistrial after a group of high school students visited the courtroom.
AFFIRMED.
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and may not be cited to or by the courts of this circuit except as provided by Ninth Cir. R. 36-3.
. We review de novo a defendant’s entrapment argument. See United States v. Si, 343 F.3d 1116, 1125 (9th Cir. 2003).
. Five factors are commonly used to evaluate predisposition:
(1) the character and reputation of the defendant; (2) whether the government made*612 the initial suggestion of criminal activity; (3) whether the defendant engaged in the activity for profit; (4) whether the defendant showed any reluctance; and (5) the nature of the government’s inducement.
United States v. Jones, 231 F.3d 508, 518 (9th Cir. 2000).
. We review for abuse of discretion a district court’s denial of a motion for mistrial. United States v. Allen, 341 F.3d 870, 891 (9th Cir. 2003).
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.