United States v. Davis
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
Tyrone Davis appeals the sentence imposed by the district court for his role in a drug conspiracy. Davis and the government entered into a plea agreement pursuant to Fed.R.Crim.P. 11(c)(1)(C). The parties stipulated that an eighteen-year sentence was appropriate.
We review all sentencing decisions for an abuse of discretion. United States v. Carty, 520 F.3d 984, 993 (9th Cir. 2008) (en banc) (citing Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38, 128 S.Ct. 586, 597, 169 L.Ed.2d 445 (2007)). Whether the district court abused its discretion depends on the following factors. First, we must determine whether the district court committed significant procedural error. Id. It is procedural error for the district court to calculate the advisory Guidelines range incorrectly, to fail to consider the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors, or to fail adequately to explain the sentence selected. Id. Second, we review the sentence for substantive reasonableness, considering the totality of the circumstances. Id.
I. Criminal history category
Because there is no evidence that Davis made a tactical decision not to challenge the calculation of his criminal history category in the district court, he did not waive his right to appeal his sentence. See United States v. Jimenez, 258 F.3d 1120, 1124 (9th Cir. 2001) (holding that a defendant who conceded that the PSR correctly applied the Guidelines did not waive his right to challenge his sentence where there was no evidence that he considered objecting but for “some tactical
Davis argues that none of his prior convictions should have counted toward the calculation of his criminal history category. “A sentence imposed more than ten years prior to the defendant’s commencement of the instant offense is not counted” when calculating a defendant’s criminal history. U.S.S.G. § 4A1.1 cmt. n. 3 (2003); see also id. § 4A1.2(e).
Here, the instant offense is Davis’s involvement in the drug conspiracy. Davis stipulated in his plea agreement that he joined the conspiracy in fall 2003. The district court made no findings that Davis’s involvement in the conspiracy began earlier than 2003. Absent a finding that Davis’s involvement in the conspiracy began by 2001, Davis’s 1991 and 1992 convictions should not have counted toward the calculation of Davis’s criminal history category because none of the acts of his co-conspirators prior to fall 2003 can be considered “relevant conduct” to Davis’s offense under § 1B1.3.
II. “Organizer or leader” enhancement
We review for clear error the district court’s determination that a defendant is an organizer or leader. United States v. Rivera, 527 F.3d 891, 908 (9th Cir. 2008).
The Guidelines provide for a four-level increase in the defendant’s offense level if he was “an organizer or leader of a criminal activity that involved five or more participants or was otherwise extensive.” U.S.S.G. § 3Bl.l(a). The parties agree that the ultimate test in determining whether a defendant is an organizer or leader is whether the defendant “exercised some control over others involved in the commission of the offense or was responsible for organizing others for the purpose of carrying out the crime.” United States v. Avila, 95 F.3d 887, 889 (9th Cir. 1996) (internal quotation marks and alteration omitted).
The district court clearly erred in applying a four-level enhancement under § 3Bl.l(a) because it failed to identify any instance in which Davis actually controlled or organized another person in the conspiracy. In reaching its conclusion that Davis was a leader of the conspiracy, the district court relied primarily on testimony from Davis’s co-defendants about Davis’s role, which was provided in other eviden-tiary and sentencing hearings. At no point, however, did the PSR, the court, or the government cite a specific example of Davis controlling or organizing another person. Compare Rivera, 527 F.3d at 908-09 (citing multiple examples of the defendant directing another person to deliver or procure drugs or exercising decision making authority); United States v. Ponce, 51 F.3d 820, 827 (9th Cir. 1995) (affirming an enhancement where one defendant had managed two co-conspirators in distributing 77 tons of cocaine, but vacating where the record was “devoid of evidence” that a second defendant had controlled or organized another person); United States v. Avila, 905 F.2d 295, 298-99 (9th Cir. 1990) (finding enhancement
III. Disparity between powder cocaine and crack cocaine Guidelines
Davis argues that his sentence was unreasonable because the district court failed to take into account the disparity between the powder cocaine and crack cocaine Guidelines. Because we vacate and remand for resentencing based on the district court’s errors in calculating the Guidelines range, we do not address whether the district court imposed an unreasonable sentence under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). We note, however, that after Davis was sentenced, the United States Sentencing Commission reduced offense levels in most crack cocaine cases by two levels and made these changes retroactive. See United States Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual, Supplement to Appendix C, Amendments 706, 713 (2008). We leave it to the district court at resentencing to consider the effect on Davis’s sentence of the retroactive Guidelines amendments and the Supreme Court’s recent decisions in Kimbrough v. United States, 552 U.S. 85, 128 S.Ct. 558, 169 L.Ed.2d 481 (2007), and Spears v. United States, 555 U.S.-, 129 S.Ct. 840, 172 L.Ed.2d 596 (2009) (per curiam), under which district courts may reject and vary categorically from the crack cocaine Guidelines based on a policy disagreement with the crack-powder disparity.
VACATED AND REMANDED.
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.
. Davis pled guilty to five counts of a 36-count indictment against the members of the conspiracy. These were: Count 1, Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), 846; Counts 10 and 11, Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1,000 feet of a school, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), 860, and 18 U.S.C. § 2; Count 12, Possession with intent to distribute cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a school, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 860, and 18 U.S.C. § 2; and Count 13, Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 18 U.S.C. § 2.
. The district court sentenced Davis using the 2003 version of the United States Sentencing Guidelines Manual.
. The government concedes that Davis's 1991 conviction for "Reckless Driving and Failure to Stop and Give Information” should not have been included in Davis's criminal history calculation because it is a misdemeanor that is expressly excluded from the criminal history calculation. See U.S.S.G. § 4A 1.2(c)(1).
Concurring in Part
dissenting in part and concurring in the judgment.
I agree that resentencing is warranted but disagree that the district court’s calculation of Davis’s criminal history category should be disturbed. Davis did not object to the PSR’s calculation of Criminal History Category II; he affirmatively embraced that calculation in his sentencing memorandum; and failed to object at the sentencing hearing, despite specifically discussing his criminal history. Under these circumstances, I believe the objection is waived, not forfeited. See, e.g., United States v. Hernandez-Ramirez, 254 F.3d 841, 844-45 (9th Cir. 2001) (holding defendant waived ability to contest the district court’s increasing of his criminal history score by two points under U.S.S.G. § 4Al.l(d) because he did not challenge the calculation in district court); United States v. Gaither, 245 F.3d 1064, 1069 (9th Cir. 2001) (holding that defendant waived right to challenge two-level obstruction of justice enhancement where he expressly agreed with the PSR recommendation before the district court); United States v. Flores, 172 F.3d 695, 701 (9th Cir. 1999) (holding that defendant waived right to challenge leader enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.1 because he “agreed to the adjustment and failed to present the issue in the district court”); United States v. Bauer, 84 F.3d 1549, 1563 (9th Cir. 1996) (holding that defendant waived a challenge to the amount of marijuana attributed to him for sentencing by failing to challenge the amount attributed to him in the PSR); United States v. Visman, 919 F.2d 1390, 1393-94 (9th Cir. 1990) (holding that defendant waived ability to contest the district court’s imposition of two-level obstruction of justice enhancement by telling court he concurred in the PSR’s sentencing calculations, then failing to object when asked again by the court if he had any objections).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- United States v. Tyrone DAVIS
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- 5 cases
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- Published