⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

The Seventh Circuit hears Bradley Shelton's appeal from a methamphetamine-conspiracy conviction. Prosecutors charged Shelton and five others with a distribution conspiracy and separately accused him and two codefendants of distributing at least fifty grams of methamphetamine in June 2022. After a joint jury trial, Shelton says evidence from that one transaction may show assistance with a sale, but not that he knowingly joined the larger conspiracy. The United States will argue that his words and conduct allowed the jury to infer membership. Shelton also challenges co-conspirator statements and the refusal of his proposed buyer-seller and mere-presence instructions. Under the co-conspirator rule, a statement may be used against another defendant only if the judge finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that a conspiracy existed, both people belonged to it, and the statement was made during the conspiracy and furthered it.

United States v. Bradley Shelton (No. 25-2661) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, argued September 17, 2026.