telephone conversations pertaining to cocaine distribution; and testimony from law enforcement agents, from would-be rival drug dealer Otis Todd Bivens, and from cooperating codefendants Joseph Pollard, Felicia Best, Charles Fluitt, Torrance Lee, and Troy Streater (Streater's cousin). The trial evidence, the sufficiency of which is not challenged on these appeals, revealed the following.

A. The Government's Evidence as to the Organization's Operations

Beginning in the late 1980s, Streater purchased multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine in New York and brought it back to Newhallville, where he had it diluted, packaged in distinctive tamper-proof bags, and sold primarily in areas near the intersection of Newhall and Lilac Streets (collectively the “Newhall/Lilac” area). Each of the cooperating codefendants testified that this narcotics organization was owned and run by Streater; as described in Part II.D.2.below, they testified that Blount was a lieutenant in the organization from 1994 or 1995 until the time of his arrest in late 1997.

As described in Part II.D.1. below, the cooperating witnesses described the quantities of cocaine purchased and sold by the organization. Pollard, who participated in 1989-1993 and again in 1995-1997, testified that he worked for Streater bagging cocaine during the earlier period, bagging between four ounces and a half-kilogram of cocaine once or twice a week. He testified that from 1995 through October 1997, he traveled to New York either alone, or with Streater, Blount, or Best, to purchase cocaine for the organization, making such trips at least once a week. On each trip, with money given to him by Streater, Pollard purchased between 250 grams