Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca5-19-40682/USCOURTS-ca5-19-40682-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Kendrick Wayne Thompson
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 19-40682

Summary Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee

v.

KENDRICK WAYNE THOMPSON,

Defendant-Appellant

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Consolidated with No.19-40684

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 

Plaintiff-Appellee

v.

KENDRICK WAYNE THOMPSON, also known as Ken Ken,

Defendant-Appellant

Appeals from the United States District Court

for the Eastern District of Texas

USDC No. 4:17-CR-165-1

USDC No. 4:18-CR-93-2

United States Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit

FILED

May 14, 2020

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

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c/w No. 19-40684

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Before JOLLY, JONES, and SOUTHWICK, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Kendrick Wayne Thompson appeals the sentence imposed following his 

guilty-plea convictions for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more 

than one kilogram of heroin and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 

more than 400 grams of heroin. He argues that the district court erred in 

denying him credit for acceptance of responsibility. We affirm.

Section 3E1.1 of the United States Sentencing Guidelines provides for 

either a two or three-level adjustment in a defendant’s offense level where he 

has “clearly demonstrat[ed]” acceptance of responsibility for the offense. 

United States v. Juarez-Duarte, 513 F.3d 204, 211 (5th Cir. 2008). We will 

affirm a district court’s refusal to award credit under § 3E1.1 unless the court’s 

decision is “without foundation,” which is a standard of review more deferential 

than the clear error standard. Id. (internal quotation marks and citation 

omitted). 

The record reveals that while in federal custody pursuant to the

indictment charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 

more than one kilogram of heroin, Thompson became involved in the drugtrafficking activities that formed the basis of the second indictment charging 

him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams 

of heroin. Thompson’s sole contention on appeal is that, despite continuing the 

same pattern of illicit activity while in custody, he is entitled to credit for 

acceptance of responsibility because he did not deny any facts or put the 

Government to its burden of proof and six weeks after his arraignment in the 

* Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not 

be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH 

CIR. R. 47.5.4.

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second case, he pleaded guilty in open court with a written factual basis for the 

plea.

His guilty plea, however, does not entitle him to credit for acceptance of 

responsibility “as a matter of right.” See U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1, comment. (n.3); 

United States v. Patino-Cardenas, 85 F .3d 1133, 1135 (5th Cir. 1996). While 

a defendant’s entry of a guilty plea prior to trial in conjunction with the 

truthful admission of any relevant conduct constitutes “significant evidence of 

acceptance of responsibility,” such evidence may be outweighed by conduct that 

is inconsistent with acceptance. § 3E1.1, comment. (n.3). The district court 

found that Thompson’s guilty plea to the second-charged offense and his 

admission to the elements thereof was overshadowed by his engaging in a 

second, near-identical drug trafficking offense while in custody for the first. 

Because Thompson engaged in conduct inconsistent with acceptance of 

responsibility, the district court’s refusal to award him any credit was not 

without foundation. See § 3E1.1, comment. (n.3); Juarez-Duarte, 513 F.3d at 

211.

AFFIRMED.

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