Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-09-03866/USCOURTS-ca8-09-03866-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Keldron L. Carlton
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 09-3866

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellee, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the

* Eastern District of Arkansas.

Keldron L. Carlton, *

* [UNPUBLISHED]

Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: June 18, 2010

Filed: July 20, 2010 

___________

Before MELLOY, BOWMAN, and SMITH, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

After Keldron L. Carlton pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a

firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), the district court1

 found that he had

three violent felonies within the meaning of the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA),

and sentenced him to the ACCA’s mandatory minimum of 180 months in prison. In

this appeal, Carlton argues that (1) his Arkansas felony conviction for fleeing was not

a violent felony as defined under the ACCA; (2) his two burglary convictions should

not have been counted as separate offenses for purposes of the ACCA, because they

1

The Honorable J. Leon Holmes, Chief Judge, United States District Court for

the Eastern District of Arkansas.

Appellate Case: 09-3866 Page: 1 Date Filed: 07/20/2010 Entry ID: 3685139
occurred during one episode and were not interrupted by an intervening arrest; and (3)

his counsel was ineffective. For the following reasons, we affirm. 

First, Carlton’s fleeing conviction is a “violent felony” under the ACCA. He

was convicted under an Arkansas statute that makes it a felony to flee from a law

enforcement officer by means of any vehicle or conveyance directly resulting in

serious physical injury to any person. This conduct presents a serious potential risk

of physical injury, is purposeful, and is necessarily and typically aggressive and

violent. See United States v. Richardson, 581 F.3d 824, 824-25 (8th Cir. 2009) (per

curiam) (Kansas statute making it felony to be involved in motor vehicle accident

when fleeing or attempting to elude police is “crime of violence” pursuant to U.S.S.G.

§ 4B1.2(a); statute categorically involves substantial risk of physical injury in ordinary

case and is purposeful conduct that falls within “otherwise” clause of § 4B1.2(a)),

cert. denied, 130 S. Ct. 1538 (2010); United States v. Hudson, 577 F.3d 883, 884-87

(8th Cir. 2009) (Missouri statute making it felony to resist arrest by fleeing in such

manner as to create substantial risk of serious physical injury or death to any person

is “crime of violence” under § 4B1.2(a); conduct involves serious potential risk of

injury to another, is purposeful, and involves violent and aggressive conduct), cert.

denied, 130 S. Ct. 1310 (2010); see also United States v. Williams, 537 F.3d 969, 971

(8th Cir. 2008) (Eighth Circuit has never recognized distinction between “crime of

violence” and “violent felony”). 

Second, the two burglary convictions were properly counted separately under

the ACCA, because they were committed months apart. See United States v. Mason,

440 F.3d 1056, 1057-58 (8th Cir. 2006) (criminal episodes underlying convictions

trigger ACCA). Finally, the ineffective-assistance claim should be raised in 28 U.S.C.

§ 2255 proceedings, not in this direct criminal appeal. See United States v. RamirezHernandez, 449 F.3d 824, 826-27 (8th Cir. 2006). Accordingly, we affirm.

______________________________

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