Case Explained: United States of America v. Alexzandra Blanco

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit Filed: 2026-08-10 The eighth-circuit upheld Alexzandra Blanco’s convictions for two fentanyl-distribution conspiracies under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, including the conspiracy that resulted in serious bodily injury when the buyer overdosed. The court said the district court did not reversibly err in admitting challenged evidence and properly denied Blanco’s motions for judgment of acquittal. Applying abuse-of-discretion review to the evidentiary rulings, the court held that testimony about unlabeled pill bottles found in the bedroom was relevant under Rules 401 and 403 because it tended to show possession of drugs and helped present the full picture of the room; testimony that buyers could text Blanco to reach Monroe was supported by sufficient personal knowledge and was not hearsay because it could be treated as Blanco’s own admissions or coconspirator statements under Rule 801(d)(2)(A) and (E); and evidence that officers found five pounds of methamphetamine in a laundry room across from the bedroom was admissible as res gestae evidence to complete the story of the charged fentanyl trafficking. The court added that any evidentiary error would have been harmless because the government’s proof was strong. On sufficiency of the evidence, the court applied the rule that a conviction stands if a reasonable jury, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, could find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. It concluded that Boldt’s testimony showed Blanco helped prepare fentanyl for use on March 18 by crushing pills and handing over a rolled dollar bill, after which Boldt overdosed, and that the later controlled buys, Blanco’s presence and participation during those transactions, and fentanyl and cash found in the shared bedroom were enough to show Blanco knowingly joined Monroe in the distribution conspiracy. The practical result is that Blanco’s convictions and 240-month sentence remain in place. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.