Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-05-03133/USCOURTS-ca8-05-03133-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Octavio Monzalvez-Salinas
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

*

The Honorable James E. Gritzner, United States District Judge for the Southern

District of Iowa. 

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 05-3133

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellee, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the Southern

* District of Iowa.

Octavio Monzalvez-Salinas, also *

known as Fredy Herrera, also known * [UNPUBLISHED]

as Juan Cogles-Pagan, *

*

Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: March 13, 2006

Filed: March 20, 2006

___________

Before WOLLMAN, FAGG, and RILEY, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Octavio Monzalvez-Salinas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five

hundred grams or more of actual methamphetamine, and to illegally reentering the

United States after deportation. The district court*

 sentenced Monzalvez-Salinas

post-Booker to 151 months in prison and five years of supervised release. 

Appellate Case: 05-3133 Page: 1 Date Filed: 03/20/2006 Entry ID: 2022567
-2-

On appeal, Monzalvez-Salinas contends the district court committed error in

enhancing his offense level under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.4 for using a minor to commit the

offense and under § 3B1.1(c) for being an organizer, leader, manager or supervisor in

his offense. According to Monzalvez-Salinas, there is no factual basis for the

enhancements because he did not admit the underlying facts and a jury did not make

the necessary findings. Because the district court applied the guidelines in an advisory

manner, however, the court could properly find sentence-enhancing facts by a

preponderance of the evidence. United States v. Garcia-Gonon, 433 F.3d 587, 593 (8th

Cir. 2006). The district court did not commit clear error in making its findings. The

evidence supports the court’s conclusion that Monzalvez-Salinas recruited and then

directed another person in the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, see United

States v. Bahena, 223 F.3d 797, 804 (8th Cir. 2000), and that the person recruited and

directed was a minor, see United States v. Paine, 407 F.3d 958, 964-65 (8th Cir. 2005).

Monzalvez-Salinas also argues the district court committed error in denying

him relief under the safety valve provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f) and U.S.S.G. §

5C1.2(a). To qualify for safety valve relief, Monzalvez-Salinas must show, among

other things, that he does not have more than one criminal history point, and that he

did not organize, lead, manage, or supervise others in the offense. United States v.

Marshall, 411 F.3d 891, 895 (8th Cir. 2005). We have already rejected MonzalvezSalinas's contention that the district court improperly found he was the organizer,

leader, manager, or supervisor of another in the offense. Monzalvez-Salinas also

argues his criminal history category of II overstates the seriousness of his past

criminal history. Even if the seriousness of a defendant’s past criminal conduct is

overstated, criminal history points cannot be deleted for the purposes of the safety

valve. United States v. Langmade, 236 F.3d 931, 932 (8th Cir. 2001) (per curiam).

Thus, Monzalvez-Salinas is not eligible for safety valve relief. 

We affirm the district court.

______________________________

Appellate Case: 05-3133 Page: 2 Date Filed: 03/20/2006 Entry ID: 2022567