Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca5-15-11205/USCOURTS-ca5-15-11205-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Gary Howard
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 15-11205

Summary Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee

v.

GARY HOWARD,

Defendant-Appellant

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Northern District of Texas

USDC No. 4:15-CR-153-9

Before KING, DENNIS, COSTA, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Gary Howard appeals his 240-month, below-guidelines prison sentence 

for conspiring to possess intending to distribute a controlled substance. 

Specifically, he challenges sentencing enhancements he received under 

U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(b)(12) for maintaining a premises to distribute drugs and

under U.S.S.G. § 3A1.2(c)(1) for assaulting a law enforcement officer. 

 

* Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not 

be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH 

CIR. R. 47.5.4.

United States Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit

FILED

November 15, 2016

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

 Case: 15-11205 Document: 00513760384 Page: 1 Date Filed: 11/15/2016
No. 15-11205

2

After overruling Howard’s objections to the guidelines calculations in the 

presentence report, the district court explained that it would impose the same 

sentence even if those rulings were incorrect. It reasoned that a 240-month 

sentence was warranted based on the quantity of drugs involved in the offense 

and Howard’s other criminal conduct, including his role in running credit card 

scams. Accordingly, any error in applying the Guidelines would be harmless. 

See United States v. Gutierrez-Mendez, 752 F.3d 418, 430 (5th Cir. 2014); 

United States v. Ibarra-Luna, 628 F.3d 712, 714 (5th Cir. 2010). 

AFFIRMED.

 Case: 15-11205 Document: 00513760384 Page: 2 Date Filed: 11/15/2016