Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca11-23-10404/USCOURTS-ca11-23-10404-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Latavis Deyonta Mackroy
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

[DO NOT PUBLISH]

In the

United States Court of Appeals

For the Eleventh Circuit

____________________

No. 23-10404

Non-Argument Calendar

____________________

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 

Plaintiff-Appellee,

versus

LATAVIS DEYONTA MACKROY, 

Defendant-Appellant.

____________________

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Middle District of Florida

D.C. Docket No. 6:22-cr-00087-PGB-LHP-1

____________________

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 1 of 20
2 Opinion of the Court 23-10404

Before WILLIAM PRYOR, Chief Judge, and BRANCH and ANDERSON, 

Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:

Latavis Mackroy appeals his convictions and sentence for 

bank robbery and attempted bank robbery. 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a). 

Mackroy challenges the admission of testimony concerning two interviews and the denial of his motion for a judgment of acquittal. 

He also argues that the district court erred in applying an enhancement for a threat of death, imposed a substantively unreasonable 

sentence based on an upward variance, and erred by imposing conditions of supervised release not orally pronounced at sentencing.

We affirm.

I. BACKGROUND

A superseding indictment charged Mackroy with robbery of 

Fairwinds Credit Union, Chase Bank, and TD Bank and attempted 

robbery of Regions Bank. 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a). Before trial, the government provided notice under Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b) 

that it would introduce evidence of Mackroy’s prior robbery conviction for which he was serving his sentence at a halfway house 

because it was inextricably intertwined with the charged offense 

and was relevant to his identity.

At trial, the tellers from each bank testified that a man 

handed them a note stating it was a robbery and took the money 

they gave him. The teller at TD Bank testified that the robber left 

the note behind, and the teller at Regions Bank testified that the 

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 2 of 20
23-10404 Opinion of the Court 3

robber left without the money when the teller went to inform his 

boss about the robbery. Each teller testified that deposits at the 

bank were insured by the National Credit Union Association or the 

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. And the government introduced a picture of each bank from the day of each robbery with 

signs stating the bank was insured. Gina Nava, the teller at Chase 

Bank, testified that a man approached her and handed her a note 

that stated, “This is a robbery. Don’t try to protect what’s not 

yours.” She also remembered reading the word “gun.” She stated 

that the robber left one of his hands in his sweater, which scared

her because she believed he had a weapon.

Pamala Woehr, a latent fingerprint examination expert, testified that four prints on the note from TD Bank matched 

Mackroy’s fingerprints. Jimmy Jones, who worked for a halfway 

house where Mackroy was serving a sentence with the Bureau of 

Prisons at the time of the robberies, testified that records showed 

that Mackroy was signed out of the facility when each robbery occurred. Detective Ronald Budde testified that Mackroy’s car was a 

short distance from TD Bank before the alarm activated for the 

robbery. Detective Stephen White testified that Mackroy’s cell 

phone was used to search for banks the day of one of the robberies 

and for news stories about the robberies. Agent Timothy Pent testified that cell-phone data placed Mackroy’s phone close to the relevant banks at the time each was robbed.

FBI Special Agent Jonathan Hannigan testified that he investigated the robberies. He noted similarities between Mackroy and 

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 3 of 20
4 Opinion of the Court 23-10404

the robber from video recordings of the robberies, including his 

hair, tattoos, complexion, clothing, and hair wrap. Hannigan questioned Mackroy at the halfway house after advising him of his 

rights. Mackroy did not admit to being involved in the robberies, 

but he asked to speak with an assistant United States attorney “in 

order to broker some sort of deal,” and later asked to speak with 

FBI Special Agent Kevin Kaufman. After reinforming Mackroy of 

his rights, Hannigan and Kaufman conducted another interview.

Kaufman testified that he knew Mackroy because he had 

previously investigated him for Hobbs Act robbery. The government moved to introduce the interview recording and transcript 

into evidence. Mackroy objected to playing portions of the interview, but the district court overruled his objection. 

In the interview, Kaufman informed Mackroy that the prosecution had DNA and fingerprint evidence connecting him to the 

banks. Kaufman also made several comments regarding Mackroy’s 

previous conviction, including that he had received a 15-year sentence and that he had not “even started federal probation and [was] 

out committing federal crimes,” “didn’t learn his lesson” because 

he was “still doing bank robberies,” and was “back doing this sh*t.” 

When discussing an unsolved homicide Mackroy had information 

about, Kaufman stated they would not be able to trust Mackroy to 

obtain information when he was committing other crimes while 

living in a halfway house and that letting Mackroy meet with potential suspects would “put[] the public at risk.”

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 4 of 20
23-10404 Opinion of the Court 5

Kaufman explained at trial that he wanted to obtain truthful 

information about the instant robbery before Mackroy relayed information about other crimes, such as the unsolved homicide, but 

Mackroy refused to provide information about the instant offense. 

Kaufman stated that Mackroy did not deny he committed the offense because if he lied, the agents would not be able to trust him.

Kaufman stated that it would not be realistic for someone to cooperate with the FBI and not plead guilty. Kaufman also testified that 

Mackroy did not deny committing the robberies when shown pictures because “he did it,” that Mackroy smiled or smirked in response to being shown an image of the bank robber because he

“knew he was caught, that that was him in the picture,” and that

Mackroy’s demeanor during the interview “did not resemble a person that was innocent.”

The government rested. Mackroy moved for a judgment of 

acquittal arguing that the evidence did not establish his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The district court denied the motion. The 

jury found Mackroy guilty on all four counts. Mackroy moved for 

a new trial arguing that there was insufficient evidence the banks 

were federally insured, which the district court denied.

Mackroy’s final presentence investigation report reported a 

base offense level of 20, United States Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 2B3.1(a) (Nov. 2021), a 2-level enhancement because the targeted victim was a financial institution, id. § 2B3.1(b)(1), a 2-level 

enhancement because the note given to Nava at Chase Bank included a threat of death by referring to a gun, id. § 2B3.1(b)(2)(F), a 

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 5 of 20
6 Opinion of the Court 23-10404

2-level enhancement for obstruction of justice for denying under 

oath that he was the individual in the video of the Regions Bank 

robbery, id. § 3C1.1, and a 4-level multiple count adjustment because the offenses were counted separately as they involved harm 

to separate victims, id. §§ 3D1.2(a)-(d), 3D1.4, resulting in a total 

offense level of 30. The report listed Mackroy’s juvenile adjudications for aggravated assault with a firearm, resisting an officer without violence, battery, battery on a school employee, and carrying 

a concealed firearm, for which he did not receive any criminal history points. It also listed a prior conviction for interfering with 

commerce by robbery. It described multiple violations of probation for juvenile and adult offenses and disciplinary sanctions while 

in prison. It added two criminal-history points because he committed the instant offenses while serving his sentence for interfering 

with commerce by robbery. The report calculated a total of nine 

criminal-history points and a criminal-history category of IV. 

Mackroy’s guideline range was 135 to 168 months and the maximum term of imprisonment as to each of his convictions was 240 

months.

The report mentioned factors warranting a sentence outside 

the guideline range, including Mackroy’s difficult upbringing in foster care, lack of parental guidance, and history of substance abuse 

and mental health problems as possibly warranting a lower sentence. The report also mentioned Mackroy’s previous violations of 

probationary terms, history of substance abuse and mental health 

problems, and that he was serving a sentence when he committed 

the instant offenses as possibly warranting a higher sentence.

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 6 of 20
23-10404 Opinion of the Court 7

Mackroy objected to the enhancement for a threat of death and requested a downward variance based on his difficult upbringing and 

youthful incarceration. The government requested an upward variance of consecutive sentences totaling 25 years of imprisonment 

because the guideline range did not adequately reflect the seriousness of the series of robberies and his criminal history.

At the sentencing hearing, Mackroy argued against the enhancement for a threat of death on the ground that Nava’s written 

statement from the day of the robbery, which did not include information about a gun and stated she did not know what she read, 

was more accurate than her trial testimony. The district court overruled Mackroy’s objection because it found Nava’s testimony credible that the note used the word “gun,” which suggested there 

would be harm. It adopted the presentence investigation report, 

which calculated a total offense level of 30, criminal-history category of IV, and guideline range of 135 to 168 months. 

Mackroy argued for a sentence of 135 months of imprisonment based on his difficult upbringing, his history of incarceration, 

the nonviolent nature of the offenses, and his history of substance 

abuse. The government reiterated its request for 25 years of imprisonment based on the seriousness of the offenses involving four separate robberies, his potential for recidivism by committing these 

offenses before he completed his sentence for a prior robbery, and 

his dishonesty in committing perjury. The district court stated that 

it had considered the statutory sentencing factors. See 18 U.S.C. 

§ 3553(a). It discussed Mackroy’s difficult upbringing and legal and 

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 7 of 20
8 Opinion of the Court 23-10404

behavioral issues as a juvenile. It then recounted his probation violations, prison record, commission of the instant offenses while at 

a halfway house, dishonesty with the court, and violent criminal

history. It stated that Mackroy’s criminal-history category did not 

incorporate any of his violent behavior as a juvenile and that he 

was not compliant under supervision. The district court expressed 

its concerns about Mackroy’s likelihood of recidivism, the need to 

deter him, and the need to protect public safety. The district court 

also determined that the guideline range did not accurately reflect 

the seriousness of Mackroy’s conduct involving multiple robberies. 

It ruled that his propensity for criminal conduct and the fact that 

he committed the offenses while under supervision warranted the 

variance. It sentenced Mackroy to concurrent sentences of 240 

months of imprisonment as to each count followed by 3 years of 

supervised release. The district court stated that, while on supervised release, Mackroy would “comply with the standard conditions and mandatory conditions in the Middle District” of Florida. 

The written judgment contained 13 standard conditions of supervised release. After the district court solicited objections, Mackroy 

objected to the imposition of an upward variance.

II. STANDARDS OF REVIEW

We review the cumulative impact of trial errors de novo.

United States v. Daniels, 91 F.4th 1083, 1092 (11th Cir.), cert. denied, 

144 S. Ct. 2592 (2024). We review an unpreserved challenge to an 

evidentiary ruling for plain error. Id. To establish plain error, a defendant must prove that there was an error that is plain, that affected his substantial rights, and that seriously affects the fairness, 

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 8 of 20
23-10404 Opinion of the Court 9

integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings. Id. at 1095.

Although we generally review sufficiency challenges de novo, we review arguments not made in a motion for a judgment of acquittal

for plain error. United States v. Zitron, 810 F.3d 1253, 1260 (11th Cir. 

2016). We review de novo the interpretation and application of the 

Sentencing Guidelines, but issues raised for the first time on appeal 

are reviewed for plain error. United States v. Johnson, 694 F.3d 1192, 

1195 (11th Cir. 2012). We review the reasonableness of a sentence 

for abuse of discretion. Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38, 51 (2007).

When a defendant has notice of the standard conditions of supervised release and fails to object, we review for plain error. United 

States v. Hayden, 119 F.4th 832, 838 (11th Cir. 2024). 

III. DISCUSSION

We divide our discussion in five parts. First, we explain that 

no plain error occurred in admitting statements from Mackroy’s 

interviews. Second, we explain that no plain error occurred in 

denying the motion for a judgment of acquittal. Third, we explain 

that no error occurred in applying the enhancement for a threat of 

death. Fourth, we explain that there was no abuse of discretion in 

imposing an upward variance. Fifth, we explain that no plain error

occurred in imposing the standard conditions of supervised release 

without orally describing those conditions.

A. No Reversible Error Occurred in Admitting Statements From 

Mackroy’s Interviews.

Mackroy argues that the district court erred by admitting

testimony and exhibits from his two interviews. Because Mackroy 

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 9 of 20
10 Opinion of the Court 23-10404

failed to object to admitting the statements in the district court, we 

review his challenges for plain error. See Daniels, 91 F.4th at 1092. 

And when reviewing for cumulative error, we review each claim 

independently and then review the trial to determine if the defendant received a fundamentally fair trial. Id. at 1095. 

Mackroy argues that Kaufman’s testimony regarding his cooperation and knowledge of an unsolved homicide should not have 

been admitted under Federal Rule of Evidence 403 because those 

statements had no probative value and created the risk of unfair 

prejudice, confusion of the issues, and misleading the jury. Rule 403 

permits a district court to exclude relevant evidence if its probative 

value is substantially outweighed by a danger of unfair prejudice, 

confusing the issues, or misleading the jury. Fed. R. Evid. 403. 

“[W]e look at the evidence in a light most favorable to its admission, maximizing its probative value and minimizing its undue prejudicial impact.” United States v. Alfaro-Moncada, 607 F.3d 720, 734 

(11th Cir. 2010) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). 

Even when a challenge is preserved, exclusion under Rule 403 is an 

extraordinary remedy. Id. 

No error occurred. Kaufman described the content and context of his conversation with Mackroy and explained the reason for 

the conversation—Mackroy’s expressed desire to cooperate. 

Mackroy’s desire to cooperate and his demeanor during the interview were probative of his consciousness of guilt. Kaufman’s testimony regarding Mackroy’s failure to deny he committed the instant offense explained Mackroy’s actions instead of suggesting 

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 10 of 20
23-10404 Opinion of the Court 11

that Mackroy was untruthful. And Kaufman’s testimony about the 

unsolved homicide explained why Mackroy asked to speak to him 

without suggesting Mackroy was involved in the homicide. And 

this information was not so clearly prejudicial that the district court 

should have sua sponte excluded the evidence. See Daniels, 91 F.4th 

at 1095 (A district court plainly errs when evidence is “so obviously 

inadmissible and prejudicial that . . . the district court, sua sponte, 

should have excluded the evidence.” (citation and internal quotation marks omitted)). 

Mackroy also argues that Kaufman’s statements about his 

prior robbery conviction were inadmissible under Rule 404(b). He 

does not contest the evidence that he was serving a sentence at a 

halfway house. He instead argues that Agent Kaufman’s statements 

about Mackroy reoffending insinuated Mackroy was a danger to 

the public. 

Evidence is considered intrinsic to the charged conduct and 

falls outside of Rule 404(b) if it “is inextricably intertwined with the 

evidence regarding the charged offense.” United States v. Holt, 777 

F.3d 1234, 1262 (11th Cir. 2015). Evidence explaining context and 

forming an integral part of an account of the crime is intrinsic. Id.

We have refused to hold that evidence should be excluded under 

Rule 403 where acts are inextricably intertwined with the crimes 

charged. United States v. Horner, 853 F.3d 1201, 1214 (11th Cir. 2017). 

Again, no error occurred. That Mackroy was serving a sentence for his prior robbery conviction in a halfway house was inextricably intertwined with the evidence regarding his instant offense 

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 11 of 20
12 Opinion of the Court 23-10404

because surveillance video and records of his whereabouts from 

the halfway house were necessary circumstantial evidence. See 

Holt, 777 F.3d at 1262. And to the extent Kaufman’s comments alluding to the nature of the prior offense, the length of Mackroy’s 

prior sentence, Mackroy’s recommission of the same crimes, and 

any danger Mackroy posed to the public were unduly prejudicial, 

any error in failing to exclude those statements is not plain where 

we have refused to exclude such intrinsic evidence under Rule 403. 

See Horner, 853 F.3d at 1214. 

Mackroy also argues that Agent Kaufman’s opinion about 

his demeanor was impermissible lay testimony. Lay opinions must 

be rationally based on the witness’s perception, helpful to understanding the testimony or determining a fact at issue, and not based 

on specialized knowledge. Fed. R. Evid. 701. Opinion testimony 

that embraces the ultimate issue is not automatically objectionable. 

Id. R. 704(a). Lay opinions regarding the ultimate issue are properly 

admitted if they are based on the personal observations of the witness. United States v. Campo, 840 F.3d 1249, 1266–67 (11th Cir. 2016). 

And lay witnesses may draw on their professional experiences to 

guide their opinions without being treated as expert witnesses. 

United States v. Jeri, 869 F.3d 1247, 1265 (11th Cir. 2017). 

No error occurred. Kaufman’s testimony about Mackroy’s 

demeanor during the interview was based on his personal observations of Mackroy during the interview and his professional experience. See Campo, 840 F.3d at 1266–67; Jeri, 869 F.3d at 1265. These 

observations were not automatically objectionable because they 

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 12 of 20
23-10404 Opinion of the Court 13

embraced the ultimate issue of Mackroy’s guilt. Fed. R. Evid. 

704(a). 

Last, Mackroy argues that Kaufman’s statement that his

DNA had been recovered from the targeted banks was inadmissible 

hearsay, but we disagree. Kaufman’s statement was not hearsay because it was not offered to prove that there was DNA at the scene. 

See id. R. 801(c). The district court did not plainly err in admitting 

this evidence.

Even if Mackroy could establish plain error in admitting any 

of these statements, he has not proved that the error affected his 

substantial rights by establishing a reasonable probability that, but 

for the error, a different outcome would have occurred. United 

States v. Margarita Garcia, 906 F.3d 1255, 1267 (11th Cir. 2018). Even 

without Kaufman’s statements, there is not a reasonable probability that the jury would have acquitted Mackroy. The government 

established Mackroy’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt through evidence of his fingerprints on the robbery note, consistencies in his 

appearance and surveillance footage of the robberies, his absences 

from the halfway house during each robbery, his cell phone’s location near the banks, his car’s location near the banks, and searches 

regarding the robberies. And because there was no error in admitting the evidence, there was no cumulative error. Daniels, 91 F.4th 

at 1101 (“Where there is no error or only a single error, there can 

be no cumulative error.”).

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 13 of 20
14 Opinion of the Court 23-10404

B. No Plain Error Occurred in Denying Mackroy’s Motion for a

Judgment of Acquittal.

Mackroy argues that the district court erred in denying his 

motion for a judgment of acquittal because the government had 

failed to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the banks were 

federally insured at the time of the offense, instead of at the time 

of trial, and that the tellers’ testimony based on signs was unreliable hearsay. The government argues that we should review 

Mackroy’s challenge for plain error because he failed to raise this 

argument in his motion for a judgment of acquittal, but Mackroy 

argues we should review his challenge de novo.

We review Mackroy’s challenge for plain error. Although he 

made a general motion for a judgment of acquittal, he did not argue that the government had not proved that the banks were federally insured. See Zitron, 810 F.3d at 1260. And he does not challenge the denial of his motion for a new trial on appeal. 

The district court did not plainly err in denying Mackroy’s 

motion for a judgment of acquittal. To prove a violation of section 2113(a), the government must establish that the bank was insured at the time of the robbery. United States v. Caldwell, 963 F.3d 

1067, 1076 (11th Cir. 2020). Although we have stated that ideally 

the government would provide contemporaneous evidence of insurance or evidence of insurance both before and after the offense, 

we have set a low threshold of proof. Id. We held on plain error 

review that testimony that a bank was insured at the time of trial, 

combined with the “nearly universal prevalence” of banks having 

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 14 of 20
23-10404 Opinion of the Court 15

their deposits insured allows jurors to infer that the bank was insured at the time of the offense. Cook v. United States, 320 F.2d 258, 

259–60 (5th Cir. 1963). Mackroy relies on United States v. Platenburg, 

657 F.2d 797, 799–800 (5th Cir. 1981), and United States v. Dennis, 237 

F.3d 1295, 1304–05 (11th Cir. 2001), to argue that the evidence was 

insufficient. But Platenburg involved a challenge to a years old certificate of insurance, and Dennis involved a statement by an FBI 

agent with no personal knowledge of the bank’s insured status. See 

657 F.2d at 799–800; 237 F.3d at 1304–05. Instead, as in Cook, the 

government provided testimony from an employee at each bank 

that the banks were insured at the time of trial— just six months 

after the robberies. This testimony, combined with the “nearly universal prevalence” of banks being federally insured, was sufficient 

evidence for a reasonable jury to find that the banks were insured 

at the time of the robberies under our precedent. See Cook, 320 F.2d

at 259–60. 

C. The District Court Did Not Err in Applying the Enhancement

for a Threat of Death.

Mackroy argues that the district court erred by applying the 

enhancement for a threat of death because Nava’s testimony that 

the note used the word “gun” and that she believed Mackroy kept 

his hands in his sweater because he had a gun was insufficient. The 

government argues we should review Mackroy’s challenge for plain 

error because his challenge below focused on the credibility of 

Nava’s statements. But we review Mackroy’s argument de novo because he objects to the enhancement on appeal under the same 

basic legal theory that he raised before the district court at 

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 15 of 20
16 Opinion of the Court 23-10404

sentencing—that Nava’s testimony about the presence of a gun 

was insufficient to support the enhancement. 

The district court did not err in applying the enhancement

for a threat of death. A two-level enhancement applies where a 

threat of death was made during a robbery. U.S.S.G. 

§ 2B3.1(b)(2)(F). We “consider whether the defendant’s overall conduct would have instilled the fear of death in a reasonable person.” 

United States v. Perez, 943 F.3d 1329, 1333 (11th Cir. 2019). “[T]he 

actual victim’s subjective fear is not dispositive, though it may be 

indicative of whether a reasonable person would have feared death

based on the defendant’s conduct.” Id. In United States v. Murphy, 

we held that a defendant handing a bank teller a note stating, “You 

have ten seconds to hand me all the money in your top drawer. I 

have a gun. Give me the note back now,” constituted a threat of 

death because the teller would have reasonably thought that if he

did not give the money to the robber, he would be shot. 306 F.3d 

1087, 1089 (11th Cir. 2002). Nava’s testimony that she was handed 

a note which included the word “gun” supported the inference that 

a reasonable person would believe if they did not hand over the 

money they would be shot. See id. This inference is especially reasonable considering the additional context that Mackroy left one of 

his hands in his sweater, which scared Nava, and led her to believe 

that he had a weapon. That conduct combined with a statement 

about a gun would have instilled a fear of death in a reasonable 

person. See Perez, 943 F.3d at 1333. 

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 16 of 20
23-10404 Opinion of the Court 17

D. The District Court Did Not Abuse its Discretion by Imposing 

an Upward Variance.

Mackroy argues that the district court abused its discretion 

by imposing a sentence above the guideline range in the light of 

mitigating factors, including his disadvantaged childhood, his history of substance abuse, and the nonviolent nature of the offense. 

He argues that the district court should not have relied on his criminal history and propensity for criminal conduct because they had 

already been accounted for in the guideline range. We disagree.

The district court imposes a substantively unreasonable sentence when it fails to afford consideration to relevant factors that 

were due significant weight, gives significant weight to an improper or irrelevant factor, or commits a clear error of judgment 

in considering the proper factors. United States v. Taylor, 997 F.3d 

1348, 1355 (11th Cir. 2021). We will disturb a sentence “only if we 

are left with the definite and firm conviction that the district court 

committed a clear error of judgment in weighing the § 3553(a) factors by imposing a sentence that falls outside the range of reasonableness as dictated by the facts of the case.” Id. (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). The district court may “attach great 

weight” to one factor over others and this discretion is “particularly 

pronounced when it comes to weighing criminal history.” United 

States v. Riley, 995 F.3d 1272, 1279 (11th Cir. 2021) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). “We do not presume that a sentence outside the guideline range is unreasonable and must give 

due deference to the district court’s decision that the § 3553(a) factors, as a whole, justify the extent of the variance.” United States v. 

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 17 of 20
18 Opinion of the Court 23-10404

Goldman, 953 F.3d 1213, 1222 (11th Cir. 2020). “Although there is no 

proportionality principle in sentencing, a major variance does require a more significant justification than a minor one—the requirement is that the justification be sufficiently compelling to support the degree of the variance.” United States v. Irey, 612 F.3d 1160,

1196 (11th Cir. 2010) (en banc) (citation and internal quotation 

marks omitted).

The district court did not abuse its discretion in imposing an

upward variance because it sufficiently justified its variance. See id. 

The district court discussed the statutory sentencing factors and recounted the mitigating circumstances of Mackroy’s difficult youth. 

But it found that his propensity for criminal conduct and likelihood 

of recidivism supported the upward variance, recounting his violent criminal history from a young age, misconduct in prison and 

on supervision, and commission of the instant offense while finishing his sentence. The district court was allowed to “attach great 

weight” to Mackroy’s likelihood of recidivism and violent criminal 

history and weigh those factors more heavily than any mitigating 

circumstances. See Riley, 995 F.3d at 1279. And it explained that the 

guideline range did not reflect his violent criminal history as a juvenile and the seriousness of the offense in committing four robberies. We cannot say the district court committed a clear error of 

judgment in imposing a substantial upward variance. See Taylor, 

997 F.3d at 1355.

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 18 of 20
23-10404 Opinion of the Court 19

E. No Plain Error Occurred in Failing to Describe Orally the 

Standard Conditions of Supervised Release.

The parties dispute the applicable standard of review for

Mackroy’s argument that the district court erred by imposing 

standard conditions of supervised release not orally pronounced at 

sentencing. The government argues that plain error review applies 

because Mackroy had adequate notice of the standard conditions 

of release and failed to object, and Mackroy argues that we should 

review his challenge de novo because he had no opportunity to object. 

Hayden controls our standard of review. Mackroy had adequate notice of the standard conditions of supervised release when 

the district court orally pronounced that he must “comply with the 

standard conditions and mandatory conditions in the Middle District” of Florida and solicited objections. See Hayden, 119 F.4th at 

838. Because Mackroy did not object, we review his challenge for 

plain error. See id.

Under Hayden, the district court did not err, much less 

plainly err, when it failed to describe the conditions of supervised 

release in its oral pronouncement. In Hayden, we held that the district court did not err by failing to describe each condition of supervised release in its oral pronouncement when it referred to the 

standard conditions adopted by the Middle District of Florida, 

which were publicly available, tracked the standard conditions in 

the relevant sentencing guideline, and did not conflict with the 

written judgment. Id. at 838–39. Here too the district court stated 

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 19 of 20
20 Opinion of the Court 23-10404

that Mackroy would need to comply with the publicly available 

standard conditions of supervised release adopted by the Middle 

District of Florida, which matched the standard conditions in the 

relevant sentencing guideline and did not conflict with the written 

judgment. See id.; AO 245B Judgment in a Criminal Case, U.S. DIST.

CT. FOR THE M.D. OF FLA., at 6, https://perma.cc/ZHW3-727A 

(last visited Jan. 21, 2024); U.S.S.G. § 5D1.3(c). 

IV. CONCLUSION

We AFFIRM Mackroy’s convictions and sentence.

USCA11 Case: 23-10404 Document: 70-1 Date Filed: 01/21/2025 Page: 20 of 20