What is the burden of a defendant challenging the sufficiency of the evidence against him under Rule 29?

A defendant challenging the sufficiency of the evidence against him under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 29 after conviction by a jury "bears a heavy burden." United States v. Aguiar , 737 F.3d 251, 264 (2d Cir. 2013). "On such a challenge, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, drawing all inferences in the governments favor and deferring to the jurys assessments of the witnesses credibility." Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). We review a denial of a Rule 29 motion de novo, but will uphold the jurys verdict if "any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt." United States v. Coplan , 703 F.3d 46, 62 (2d Cir. 2012) (internal quotation marks and emphasis omitted).

A. Section 841(b)(1)(A) conviction: cocaine distribution conspiracy