U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 2002

United States v. Pachaly

United States v. Pachaly
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit · Decided September 23, 2002 · Widener, Niemeyer, Gregory
46 F. App'x 204

United States v. Pachaly

Opinion

OPINION

PER CURIAM.

Robert Bruce Pachaly appeals his sentence of twelve months and one day’s confinement for four counts of making false statements in connection with a loans from federally insured banks in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1014 (2000). In a brief filed pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967), in which his counsel asserts there are no meritorious issues for appeal, Pachaly contests the district court’s refusal to depart downward in imposing his sentence. Although he was notified of his right to file a supplemental pro se brief, Pachaly failed to do so by the July 31, 2002 deadline. * For the following reasons, we affirm.

A decision to depart from the sentencing guidelines is a highly factual determination within the exclusive province of the sentencing court; accordingly, this Court will only review such a decision if it reflects a purely legal determination, such as the district court’s misapprehension of its authority to depart. See United States v. Wilkinson, 137 F.3d 214, 230 (4th Cir. 1998); United States v. Bayerle, 898 F.2d 28, 29 (4th Cir. 1990). However, because our review of the sentencing hearing transcript indicates the district court’s refusal to depart downward was based on the facts Pachaly presented at sen-tencing, the single issue raised in Pachaly’s brief is not reviewable. See United States v. Matthews, 209 F.3d 338, 352-53 (4th Cir. 2000).

In accordance with Anders, we have reviewed the entire record and have found no meritorious issues for appeal. We therefore affirm Pachaly’s conviction and sentence. We require that counsel inform his client, in writing, of his right to petition the Supreme Court of the United States for further review. If the client requests that a petition be filed, but counsel believes that such petition would be frivolous, then counsel may move in this court for leave to withdraw from repre-sentation. Counsel’s motion must state that a copy thereof was served on the client. We dispense with oral argument because the *205 facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before the court and argument would not aid the decisional process.

AFFIRMED.

*

We have reviewed Pachaly’s brief nevertheless, and find no abuse of discretion in the magistrate judge's denial of Pachaly's fifth request for a continuance. See United States v. LaRouche, 896 F.2d 815, 823 (4th Cir. 1990) (quoting Morris v. Slappy, 461 U.S. 1, 11-12, 103 S.Ct. 1610, 75 L.Ed.2d 610 (1983)).

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