Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-04-03628/USCOURTS-ca8-04-03628-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Leslie D. Fisher
Appellee
United States of America
Appellant

Document Text:

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

 No. 04-3625

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellant, *

*

v. *

*

Scott E. Goodman, *

*

Appellee, *

___________ Appeals from the United States

District Court for the District 

 Nos. 04-3628/3738 of Nebraska.

___________

 [UNPUBLISHED]

United States of America, *

*

Appellant/Cross-Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Leslie D. Fisher, *

*

Appellee/Cross-Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: November 16, 2005

Filed: March 21, 2006

___________

Before ARNOLD, BEAM, and RILEY, Circuit Judges.

___________

Appellate Case: 04-3628 Page: 1 Date Filed: 03/21/2006 Entry ID: 2023111
1

542 U.S. 296 (2004).

2

543 U.S. 220 (2005). 

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PER CURIAM.

On June 24, 2004, Defendants Scott Goodman and Leslie Fisher pleaded guilty

to conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of pseudoephedrine,

knowing or having reason to know that it would be used to manufacture

methamphetamine. No drug quantities were set forth in the indictment and neither

plea involved a plea agreement. The district court sentenced Fisher to sixteen months

on each count to be served concurrently, and three years of supervised release on each

count, also concurrent. Goodman received twelve months and one day on each count

to be served concurrently, and three years of supervised release on each count, also

concurrent. The United States appeals from Fisher's and Goodman's sentences,

imposed by the district court post-Blakely1

 and pre-Booker.

2

 

Given its interpretation of the then-existing jurisprudence, the district court

determined that Goodman and Fisher could only be held responsible for the minimum

amount criminalized under the charging statute (that is possession of less than 2.5

grams of methamphetamine or less than 250 milligrams of actual methamphetamine)

and that the sentences could not be increased based upon any factors not charged in

the indictment and either admitted by the defendant or submitted to a jury beyond a

reasonable doubt. Under this approach, the district court imposed a sentence for each

defendant significantly less than that contemplated by an application of the thenmandatory sentencing guidelines. 

Because the district court was operating without the benefit of Booker or our

cases applying Booker, we remand to allow the district court the opportunity to

sentence Goodman and Fisher in light of our existing jurisprudence. The district court

is now free to conduct judicial factfinding, using the guidelines as advisory provisions

Appellate Case: 04-3628 Page: 2 Date Filed: 03/21/2006 Entry ID: 2023111
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There is no need, given the above analysis, to address Fisher's cross-appeal

challenging the denial of her motion to declare the guidelines unconstitutional. In light

of Booker, Fisher urges us to affirm her sentence–a request we deny.

-3-

in selecting a sentence that is responsive to the facts presented. United States v.

Booker, 543 U.S. 220, 233, 244-47 (2005); United States v. Hawk Wing, 433 F.3d

622, 631 (8th Cir. 2006) (discussing this circuit's three-step sentencing approach);

United States v. Shannon, 414 F.3d 921, 923-24 (8th Cir. 2005) (noting that a district

court should first determine the advisory guideline sentencing range based on the total

offense level, criminal history category, and any appropriate departures from the

guidelines; and then vary from the advisory guideline range, if necessary, based on the

factors set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) so long as such variance is reasonable); United

States v. Mashek, 406 F.3d 1012, 1014-15 (8th Cir. 2005) (setting forth this circuit's

post-Booker appellate review). 

For the reasons stated herein we remand for resentencing.3

______________________________

Appellate Case: 04-3628 Page: 3 Date Filed: 03/21/2006 Entry ID: 2023111