Vatuvei v. United States

District Court, D. Utah

Vatuvei v. United States

Trial Court Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF UTAH

SIONE VATUVEI, MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER DENYING PETITIONER’S Petitioner, MOTION UNDER

28 U.S.C. § 2255

TO VACATE, SET ASIDE, OR CORRECT v. SENTENCE BY A PERSON IN FEDERAL CUSTODY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Case No. 2:20-CV-607 TS Criminal Case No. 2:09-CR-758 DB Respondent.

District Judge Ted Stewart

This matter is before the Court on Petitioner’s Motion Under

28 U.S.C. § 2255

to Vacate, Set Aside, or Correct Sentence by a Person in Federal Custody. For the reasons discussed below, the Court will deny the Motion and dismiss this case. I. BACKGROUND Petitioner was convicted of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a Hobbs Act Robbery in violation of 18 U.S.C § 924(c) and being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of

18 U.S.C. § 922

(g)(1). Petitioner now argues that his underlying § 924(c) conviction is no longer a crime of violence in light of United States v. Davis.1 II. DISCUSSION Petitioner asserts that his conviction under

18 U.S.C. § 924

(c) is no longer a crime of violence. In United States v. Davis, the Supreme Court held that the crime of violence definition in § 924(c)(3)(B) was unconstitutionally vague.2 However, the definition of crime of violence in

1

139 S. Ct. 2319

(2019). 2

Id. at 2336

. § 924(c)(3)(A) remains valid. The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has repeatedly held that Hobbs Act Robbery, Petitioner’s predicate offense, is categorically a crime of violence under § 924(c)(3)(A).° The Tenth Circuit has continued to so hold after Davis.* Because Petitioner’s § 924(c) conviction remains valid under the elements clause of § 924(c)(3){A), his Motion fails. Ill. CONCLUSION It is therefore ORDERED that Petitioner’s Motion Under

28 U.S.C. § 2255

to Vacate, Set Aside, or Correct Sentence by a Person in Federal Custody (Docket No. | in Case No. 2:20-CV-607 TS) is DENIED and DISMISSED. It is further ORDERED that, pursuant to Rule 8(a) of the Rules Governing § 2255 Cases, an evidentiary hearing is not required. It is further ORDERED that pursuant to Rule 11(a) of the Rules Governing § 2255 Cases, the Court DENIES Petitioner a certificate of appealability. DATED this 8th day of January, 2021. BY THE COURT:

Uarted States District Judge

3 See United States v. Melgar-Cabrera,

892 F.3d 1053, 1064-66

(10th Cir. 2018). * See United States v. Myers,

786 F. App’x 161

, 162 (10th Cir. 2019).

Reference

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