Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-04-02609/USCOURTS-ca8-04-02609-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Kurtis Ray Easter
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

1

The Honorable William R. Wilson, Jr., United States District Judge for the

Eastern District of Arkansas. 

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 04-2609

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellee, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the

* Eastern District of Arkansas.

Kurtis Ray Easter, * [UNPUBLISHED]

*

Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: March 7, 2005

Filed: March 11, 2005

___________

Before WOLLMAN, MURPHY, and BENTON, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Kurtis Ray Easter appeals the sentence that the district court1

 imposed after he

pleaded guilty to mailing a threatening communication, in violation of 18 U.S.C.

§ 876(c). Easter argues that the court plainly erred by making factual findings that

increased his punishment under U.S.S.G. §§ 3A1.2(a)(1)(A) (official victim) and

4B1.1 (career offender).

Appellate Case: 04-2609 Page: 1 Date Filed: 03/11/2005 Entry ID: 1877618 
-2-

Assuming arguendo that we should review for plain error under United States

v. Booker, 125 S. Ct. 738 (2005), we conclude that any error in making the section

3A1.2(a)(1)(A) finding did not affect Easter’s substantial rights. Even without that

enhancement, the same total offense level and criminal history category would have

resulted from Easter’s classification as a career offender, which was based on the

district court’s finding that Easter had two prior felony convictions for crimes of

violence, see id. at 756 (reaffirming that fact of prior conviction need not be

established by guilty plea or jury verdict). 

The judgment is affirmed. 

 ______________________________

Appellate Case: 04-2609 Page: 2 Date Filed: 03/11/2005 Entry ID: 1877618