United States v. Marvin Lewis
Opinion
Lewis was indicted for crimes related to a series of robberies. On appeal, Lewis raises three issues. First, he asserts that we should vacate his conviction and sentence on count 23 of the indictment-possession, use, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence: brandishing, in violation of
At oral argument, both parties agreed that under
United States v. Davis
,
I.
Lewis and his co-defendant, Brandon Grubbs, participated in a series of jewelry store robberies in Austin and Houston, Texas, between November 2014 and November 2015. Lewis was involved in a robbery in Strongsville, Ohio, in June 2015. After his arrest in November 2015, Grubbs reached a plea agreement to testify against Lewis at trial.
Lewis was charged in a second superseding indictment with twenty-seven counts, including conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats or violence, in violation of
The court granted the government's motion to dismiss count 24 for reasons unrelated to this appeal.
1
On the counts that did not require a mandatory minimum (counts 1, 4-22, and 27; collectively the "non- § 924(c) counts"), the court determined that the advisory guidelines yielded 360 months to life. Limited by the statutory maximums, however, the court imposed a sentence of 240 months on counts 1, 4-14, and 16-22 and 120 months on counts 15 and 27.
2
The court determined that the sentences on those counts should be served concurrently. The court then sentenced Lewis to an 84-month mandatory minimum on count 23,
see
II.
Lewis contends that his conviction and sentence on count 23-knowingly
*894
using, carrying, or brandishing a firearm to interfere with commerce by robbery, in violation of
Plain-error review proceeds in four steps. First, "there must be an error or defect ... [a] 'deviation from a legal rule' [ ] that has not been intentionally relinquished or abandoned,
i.e.
, affirmatively waived, by the appellant."
Puckett v. United States
,
III.
Section § 1951 (which codified the Hobbs Act) provides, in relevant part, that "[w]hoever ... obstructs, delays, or affects commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce, by robbery or extortion or attempts or
conspires
so to do, or commits or threatens physical violence to any person or property in furtherance of a plan or purpose to do anything" is liable under the statute.
3
Relatedly, § 924(c) punishes "any person who, during and in relation to any crime of violence ... uses or carries a firearm."
an offense that is a felony and [ ] (A) has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person or property of another, or (B) that by its nature, involves a substantial risk that physical force against the person or property of another may be used in the course of committing the offense. [ 4 ]
At oral argument, the government conceded, "[I]t is true in this case that Davis is presently binding precedent on this court, and that the [§] 924(c) count ... count 23, which is linked to Lewis's conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, which was count 1, must be vacated ...." Consequently, both sides agree that in the wake of Davis , the conviction for conspiracy *895 to commit Hobbs Act robbery (count 1) may not serve as the COV predicate for the § 924(c) conviction (count 23).
"[C]onspiracy to commit an offense is merely an agreement to commit an offense."
Davis
,
The reasoning in Davis mandates a similar result here, even under plain error review. The error was clear and affected Lewis's substantial rights. 5 Further, it seriously affected the fairness, integrity, and public reputation of judicial proceedings because Lewis's sentence was enhanced by an additional twenty-five years by the error. Failure to remedy the mistake would be manifestly unfair.
We vacate the conviction (and the sentenced imposed) on count 23 for knowingly using, carrying, or brandishing a firearm to interfere with commerce by robbery. Additionally, given that the sentencing enhancements applied to Lewis's subsequent § 924(c) convictions (counts 25 and 26) were predicated on his initial § 924(c) conviction (count 23), the sentence was improperly enhanced under § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii) and (C)(i). Therefore, we VACATE the entire sentence and REMAND for resentencing.
Nothing in this opinion should be taken to cast doubt on the district court's initial application of the § 3B1.1(a) sentencing enhancement or on the procedural or substantive reasonableness of the sentences imposed on the non- § 924(c) counts (1, 4-22, and 27). Although
Count 24 related to the "possession, use, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence: brandishing," in violation of
The statutory maximum for counts 1, 4-14, and 16-22 was 240 months, and the statutory maximum for counts 15 and 27 was 120 months.
See
Puckett
,
Kimbrough v. United States
,
United States v. Booker
,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Marvin LEWIS, Defendant-Appellant.
- Cited By
- 18 cases
- Status
- Published