Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-05-01344/USCOURTS-ca8-05-01344-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Jorge Leyva
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

*

The Honorable Donovan W. Frank, United States District Judge for the District

of Minnesota. 

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 05-1344

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellee, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the District

* of Minnesota.

Jorge Leyva, also known as Jorge *

Leyva Hernandez, * [UNPUBLISHED]

*

Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: March 7, 2006

Filed: March 13, 2006

___________

Before MELLOY, FAGG, and BENTON, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Jorge Leyva appeals the 90-month prison sentence the district court*

 imposed

after Leyva pleaded guilty to a drug-conspiracy charge. On appeal, counsel has

moved to withdraw and has filed a brief under Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738

(1967).

Appellate Case: 05-1344 Page: 1 Date Filed: 03/13/2006 Entry ID: 2019925
-2-

Construing the Anders brief as raising a challenge to the denial of a minor-role

reduction under the advisory Guidelines, the argument fails. Leyva admittedly helped

his co-conspirators hide a large quantity of drugs in the bumper of a car in which one

of his co-conspirators transported the drugs for distribution. We conclude the district

court's finding that Leyva’s role in the drug conspiracy was not minor compared to his

co-conspirators is not clearly erroneous. See U.S.S.G. § 3B1.2(b) & comment (n.5)

(minor participant is one “who is less culpable than most other participants, but whose

role could not be described as minimal”); United States v. Johnson, 408 F.3d 535,

538-39 (8th Cir. 2005) (propriety of § 3B1.2 adjustment is determined by comparing

acts of each participant in relation to relevant conduct for which participant is held

accountable and by measuring each participant’s individual acts and relative

culpability against elements of offense); United States v. Bustos-Torres, 396 F.3d 935,

947-48 (8th Cir.) (district court’s factual determination of defendant’s role in offense

may be reversed only if it is clearly erroneous, and it is defendant’s burden to prove

role reduction is warranted), cert. denied, 125 S. Ct. 2557 (2005) and 126 S. Ct. 203

(2005); United States v. Belitz, 141 F.3d 815, 818-19 (8th Cir. 1998) (defendant’s

voluntary and knowing storage of substantial amount of drugs was sufficient to

preclude minor-role decrease).

Having carefully reviewed the record and finding no nonfrivolous issues, we

affirm the district court’s judgment, and grant counsel leave to withdraw.

______________________________

Appellate Case: 05-1344 Page: 2 Date Filed: 03/13/2006 Entry ID: 2019925