Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca7-15-01532/USCOURTS-ca7-15-01532-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Dewayne Hill
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

United States Court of Appeals

For the Seventh Circuit

Chicago, Illinois 60604

Submitted October 23, 2015

Decided October 26, 2015

Before

MICHAEL S. KANNE, Circuit Judge

ILANA DIAMOND ROVNER, Circuit Judge

DIANE S. SYKES, Circuit Judge

No. 15-1532

Appeal from the

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.

DEWAYNE HILL,

Defendant-Appellant.

United States District Court for the 

Southern District of Illinois.

No. 13-CR-30091-03-MJR

Michael J. Reagan,

Chief Judge.

O R D E R

Dewayne Hill joined a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the St. Louis area and, 

as part of that conspiracy, served as an armed guard at a meeting to pick up a cocaine 

shipment. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute more than five kilograms of 

cocaine, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); possessing a firearm in furtherance of that conspiracy, 

18 U.S.C. § 924(c); and possessing a firearm as a felon, id. § 922(g). He was sentenced to

10 years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy, 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A), plus a consecutive 

five-year term for possessing a firearm in furtherance of that conspiracy, § 924(c)(1)(A).

Although his plea agreement included an appeal waiver, Hill filed a notice of appeal. 

His lawyer asserts that the appeal is frivolous and seeks to withdraw under Anders v. 

California, 386 U.S. 738, 744 (1967). Hill opposes the motion. See 7th CIR. R. 51(b). Counsel 

NONPRECEDENTIAL DISPOSITION

To be cited only in accordance with Fed. R. App. P. 32.1

Case: 15-1532 Document: 20 Filed: 10/26/2015 Pages: 2
No. 15-1532 Page 2

has submitted a brief that explains the nature of the case and addresses the issues that an 

appeal of this kind might be expected to involve. Because the analysis in the brief 

appears to be thorough, we limit our review to the subjects that counsel discusses plus 

the additional arguments in Hill’s response. See United States v. Bey, 748 F.3d 774, 776 (7th 

Cir. 2014); United States v. Wagner, 103 F.3d 551, 553 (7th Cir. 1996).

Counsel informs us that Hill does not wish to withdraw his plea, and Hill’s 

response confirms that he is “only asking for a sentencing modification.” Thus, we need 

not discuss the plea colloquy or the voluntariness of the guilty plea. See United States v. 

Konczak, 683 F.3d 348, 349 (7th Cir. 2012); United States v. Knox, 287 F.3d 667, 670–71 

(7th Cir. 2002). 

Counsel and Hill, in his Rule 51(b) response, propose various arguments related 

to Hill’s sentence and the amount of fines imposed, but his broad appeal waiver 

forecloses any such claims of error. Hill waived his right to appeal “any aspect of his 

conviction and sentence” unless his sentence exceeded the guidelines range or statutory 

minimum, “whichever is greater.” Because an appeal waiver stands or falls with the 

guilty plea, United States v. Zitt, 714 F.3d 511, 515 (7th Cir. 2013); United States v. 

Sakellarion, 649 F.3d 634, 639 (7th Cir. 2011), we must enforce Hill’s waiver. The district 

court did not rely on any impermissible factors when it imposed his sentence, Dowell v. 

United States, 694 F.3d 898, 902 (7th Cir. 2012); United States v. Bownes, 405 F.3d 634, 637 

(7th Cir. 2005), and the 15-year combined term is below the statutory maximum of life, 

21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A); Bownes, 405 F.3d at 637. Further, as counsel properly points out, 

Hill’s sentence did not exceed his guidelines range or his statutory minimum sentence.

See 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A); 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A); U.S.S.G. § 5G1.1(b).

Hill also appears to claim that his counsel was ineffective, but such claims are best 

raised as a collateral attack where a fuller record can be developed. See Massaro v. United 

States, 538 U.S. 500, 504–05 (2003); United States v. Flores, 739 F.3d 337, 341 (7th Cir. 2014).

The motion to withdraw is GRANTED, and the appeal is DISMISSED.

Case: 15-1532 Document: 20 Filed: 10/26/2015 Pages: 2