United States v. Steven Justice
United States v. Steven Justice
Opinion
UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 18-4778
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
v.
STEVEN DEWAYNE JUSTICE, a/k/a Steven “Red” Justice,
Defendant - Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, at Abingdon. James P. Jones, District Judge. (1:10-cr-00028-JPJ-PMS-3)
Submitted: March 26, 2019 Decided: April 19, 2019
Before MOTZ and HARRIS, Circuit Judges, and HAMILTON, Senior Circuit Judge.
Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
Paul G. Beers, GLENN, FELDMANN, DARBY & GOODLATTE, Roanoke, Virginia, for Appellant. Jean Barrett Hudson, Assistant United States Attorney, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Charlottesville, Virginia, for Appellee.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit. PER CURIAM:
Steven Dewayne Justice appeals from the district court’s order revoking his
supervised release and imposing an 18-month term of imprisonment. Counsel has filed a
brief in accordance with Anders v. California,
386 U.S. 738(1967), asserting that there
are no meritorious issues for appeal. Although informed of his right to file a
supplemental brief, Justice has not done so.
Justice pled guilty in 2012 to multiple drug and firearms offenses and was
sentenced to concurrent terms of 110 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of
supervised release. In 2015, the district court reduced Justice’s sentence to 92 months on
each count, to run concurrently. He began serving his supervised release term in
December 2016. In March 2018, a petition to revoke Justice’s supervised release was
filed, citing numerous violations of the conditions of his release. Justice admitted all but
one of the alleged violations
Based on a Grade C violation and a criminal history category of VI, Justice’s
policy statement range was 10 to 14 months’ imprisonment. See U.S. Sentencing
Guidelines Manual § 7B1.4, p.s. (2016). The court imposed an above-Guidelines
sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently, followed by
three years of supervised release. Justice noted a timely appeal.
We review a district court’s decision to revoke supervised release for abuse of
discretion. United States v. Pregent,
190 F.3d 279, 282(4th Cir. 1999). A court may
revoke supervised release if it “finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the
defendant violated a condition of supervised release.”
18 U.S.C. § 3583(e)(3) (2012).
2 Because Justice admitted to the alleged violations, we find that the district court did not
abuse its discretion in revoking his supervised release.
“A district court has broad discretion when imposing a sentence upon revocation
of supervised release.” United States v. Webb,
738 F.3d 638, 640(4th Cir. 2013). We
will affirm a revocation sentence that “is within the prescribed statutory range and is not
plainly unreasonable.” United States v. Crudup,
461 F.3d 433, 440(4th Cir. 2006).
“When reviewing whether a revocation sentence is plainly unreasonable, [we] must first
determine whether it is unreasonable at all.” United States v. Thompson,
595 F.3d 544, 546(4th Cir. 2010). A revocation sentence is procedurally reasonable if the district court
adequately explains the sentence after considering the Chapter Seven policy statements
and the applicable
18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) (2012) factors. United States v. Slappy,
872 F.3d 202, 207(4th Cir. 2017); see
18 U.S.C. § 3583(e) (2012). A revocation sentence is
substantively reasonable if the court states a proper basis for concluding that the
defendant should receive the sentence imposed, up to the statutory maximum. Crudup,
461 F.3d at 440. “A court need not be as detailed or specific when imposing a revocation
sentence as it must be when imposing a post-conviction sentence, but it still must provide
a statement of reasons for the sentence imposed.” Thompson,
595 F.3d at 547(internal
quotation marks omitted). Only if a sentence is either procedurally or substantively
unreasonable is a determination then made as to whether the sentence is plainly
unreasonable. United States v. Moulden,
478 F.3d 652, 656(4th Cir. 2007).
In fashioning an appropriate sentence, “the court should sanction primarily the
defendant’s breach of trust, while taking into account, to a limited degree, the seriousness
3 of the underlying violation and the criminal history of the violator.” USSG ch. 7, pt. A,
intro. cmt. (3)(b). According to
18 U.S.C. § 3583(e) (governing supervised release
revocations), the court also must consider some of the specific factors enumerated under
18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), although the court is not permitted to consider the need for the
sentence “to reflect the seriousness of the offense, to promote respect for the law, and to
provide just punishment for the offense.”
18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(2)(A); see
18 U.S.C. § 3583(e); Crudup,
461 F.3d at 439. We have recognized, however, that the
§ 3553(a)(2)(A) factors “are intertwined with the factors courts are expressly authorized
to consider under § 3583(e).” Webb,
738 F.3d at 641. Thus, although the district court
may not rely “predominately” on the § 3553(a)(2)(A) factors in selecting a revocation
sentence, “mere reference to such considerations does not render a revocation sentence
procedurally unreasonable when those factors are relevant to, and considered in
conjunction with, the enumerated § 3553(a) factors.” Id. at 642.
Here, the district court accepted Justice’s policy statement range of 10 to 14
months’ imprisonment. The court adequately explained the higher sentence after
considering the Chapter Seven policy statements and the applicable § 3553(a) factors and
provided a proper basis for concluding that Justice should receive the statutory maximum
sentence of 18 months. Accordingly, we find that Justice’s sentence is both procedurally
and substantively reasonable.
In accordance with Anders, we have reviewed the entire record in this case and
have found no meritorious issues for appeal. We therefore affirm the revocation of
Justice’s supervised release and the sentence imposed. This court requires that counsel
4 inform Justice, in writing, of the right to petition the Supreme Court of the United States
for further review. If Justice requests that a petition be filed, but counsel believes that
such a petition would be frivolous, then counsel may move in this court for leave to
withdraw from representation. Counsel’s motion must state that a copy thereof was
served on Justice.
We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are
adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the
decisional process.
AFFIRMED
5
Reference
- Status
- Unpublished