Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-06-02901/USCOURTS-ca8-06-02901-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Kobyashi Jones
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

1

The Honorable Rodney W. Sippel, United States District Judge for the Eastern

District of Missouri. 

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 06-2901

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellee, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the

* Eastern District of Missouri.

Kobyashi Jones, * [UNPUBLISHED]

*

Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: May 31, 2007

Filed: June 4, 2007

___________

Before WOLLMAN, MURPHY, and BYE, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

In this direct criminal appeal of his 180-month prison sentence for being a felon

in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), Kobyashi Jones

challenges the district court’s1

 determination that one of his prior convictions is a

“violent felony” within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(1), which resulted in his

classification as an armed career criminal under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.4(a). Upon de novo

review, see United States v. Bockes, 447 F.3d 1090, 1092 (8th Cir. 2006), we affirm.

Appellate Case: 06-2901 Page: 1 Date Filed: 06/04/2007 Entry ID: 3315553
-2-

It is undisputed that Jones had a prior felony conviction for the offense of

tampering in the first degree, in violation of Mo. Rev. Stat. § 569.080.1(2) (1999),

based on his conduct in operating a jeep without the owner’s consent. Jones’s

argument on appeal is therefore foreclosed by United States v. Johnson, 417 F.3d 990,

997 (8th Cir. 2005) (holding that Missouri offense of tampering by operation is

violent felony for purposes of § 924(e)), cert. denied, 127 S. Ct. 285 (2006). Although

Jones contends that Johnson is wrongly decided, we are not, sitting as a panel, at

liberty to overrule Johnson. See Jackson v. Ault, 452 F.3d 734, 736 (8th Cir. 2006)

(only en banc court can overturn panel decision), cert. denied, 127 S. Ct. 946 (2007).

Accordingly, we affirm.

______________________________

Appellate Case: 06-2901 Page: 2 Date Filed: 06/04/2007 Entry ID: 3315553