United States v. Drewry
Opinion of the Court
ORDER AND JUDGMENT
Richard Wayne Drewry was convicted by a jury of five counts of physical and sexual abuse of four children in Indian country in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2241(c), 2244(c) and § 113(a)(5). The district court sentenced Mr. Drewry to 210
Subsequent to the Supreme Court’s decision in Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. 296, 124 S.Ct. 2531, 159 L.Ed.2d 403 (2004), Mr. Drewry filed a petition for a writ of certiorari, arguing for the first time that the district court violated his Sixth Amendment rights by imposing a sentence exceeding the maximum authorized by jury findings alone. The Supreme Court granted Mr. Drewry’s certiorari petition, vacated our judgment, and remanded the case to this court for further consideration in light of its decision in United States v. Booker, — U.S.-, 125 S.Ct. 738, 160 L.Ed.2d 621 (2005). See Drewry, 125 S.Ct. at 987. We asked the parties to file supplemental briefs addressing the impact of Booker on this case.
In Blakely, the Supreme Court applied the rule it expressed in Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000), to Washington state’s determinate sentencing regime. Blakely, 124 S.Ct. at 2536. In Booker, the Court extended Apprendi and Blakely to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, holding that the Sixth Amendment requires “[a]ny fact (other than a prior conviction) which is necessary to support a sentence exceeding the maximum authorized by the facts established by a plea of guilty or a jury verdict must be admitted by the defendant or proved to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt.” 125 S.Ct. at 756. To remedy the guidelines’ Sixth Amendment violation, the Court severed and excised 18 U.S.C. § 3553(b)(1), which had required sentencing courts to impose a sentence within the applicable guidelines range, subject to departures in limited cases. Id. at 764. As a result, the guidelines are now advisory in all cases. Id. at 769.
Due to a criminal history category of I and total offense level of 31,
Although Mr. Drewry objected in the district court to the application of the sentencing enhancement for use of force, he failed to raise a Sixth Amendment objection. We therefore review his claim for plain error. See Booker, 125 S. Ct at 769
The district court clearly erred in sentencing Mr. Drewry based on its finding that his offenses involved the use of force or threats and that the victim was in the custody, care, or supervisory control of the defendant. See Booker, 125 S. Ct at 756; Blakely, 124 S.Ct. at 2536-37. Moreover, the error is now “plain” or “obvious.” Johnson, 520 U.S. at 468 (holding that “where the law at the time of trial [or sentencing] was settled and clearly contrary to the law at the time of appeal—it is enough that an error be ‘plain’ at the time of appellate consideration”).
In order to demonstrate that an error affected his substantial rights, “a defendant must show a ‘reasonable probability’ that the defects in his sentencing altered the result of the proceedings.” Dazey, 403 F.3d at 1175 (citing United States v. Dominguez Benitez, 542 U.S. 74, 124 S.Ct. 2333, 2339, 159 L.Ed.2d 157 (2004)). “[T]he mere difference between the imposed Guidelines sentence and the sentence the defendant would have received based on the facts found by the jury ... is [not] sufficient to satisfy the third prong of plain error.” Id. A defendant may meet his burden in at least two ways:
First, if the defendant shows a reasonable probability that a jury applying a reasonable doubt standard would not have found the same material facts that a judge found by a preponderance of the evidence, then the defendant successfully demonstrates that the error below affected his substantial rights.... Second, a defendant may show that the district court’s error affected his substantial rights by demonstrating a reasonable probability that, under the specific facts of his case as analyzed under the sentencing factors of 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), the district court judge would reasonably impose a sentence outside the guidelines range.
Dazey, 403 F.3d at 1175. Mr. Drewry makes no argument that “if the court were entitled to greater latitude in considering the sentencing factors of 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a),” id. at 1176, his sentence would have been different. Nor are we persuaded there was insufficient evidence for a jury to find beyond a reasonable doubt the sentencing enhancing facts that the district court found by a preponderance of the evidence.
In asking whether “a jury applying a reasonable doubt standard would not have found the same material facts that a judge
Accordingly, we reinstate our prior opinion, United States v. Drewry, 365 F.3d 957 (10th Cir. 2004), and REAFFIRM Mr. Drewry’s convictions and sentence.
After examining appellant’s brief and the appellate record, this panel has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R.App. P. 34(a)(2) and 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is therefore submitted without oral argument. This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, or collateral estoppel. The court generally disfavors the citation of orders and judgments; nevertheless, an order and judgment may be cited under the terms and conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.
. In addition to addressing Booker's impact on the sentences in this case, Mr. Drewry asks us to revisit the sufficiency of evidence regarding the status of the victims as Indians. We decline to do so.
. The total offense level of 31 incorporates the four-level enhancement Mr. Drewry received due to a jury finding that his victim had not attained the age of twelve years.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- United States v. Richard Wayne DREWRY
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- 2 cases
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- Published