Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-05-02234/USCOURTS-ca8-05-02234-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Gary Sembler
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

1

The Honorable Fernando J. Gaitan, Jr., United States District Judge for the

Western District of Missouri.

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 05-2234

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellee, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the

* Western District of Missouri.

Gary Sembler, *

* [UNPUBLISHED]

Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: May 5, 2006

Filed: May 11, 2006

___________

Before WOLLMAN, MURPHY, and COLLOTON, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Gary Sembler appeals the sentence the district court1

 imposed after he pleaded

guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States, see 18 U.S.C. § 286, and presenting

false claims against the United States, see 18 U.S.C. § 287. On appeal, counsel has

moved to withdraw and filed a brief under Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967),

noting Sembler’s belief that he should have been sentenced as a minor participant.

Appellate Case: 05-2234 Page: 1 Date Filed: 05/11/2006 Entry ID: 2043627
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We conclude that it was not clear error for the district court to deny a minorrole reduction under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.2 upon finding that the conspiracy could not have

taken place without Sembler’s involvement. See United States v. Casares-Cardenas,

14 F.3d 1283, 1289 (8th Cir.) (decision whether to accord minor-role status is factual

finding reviewed for clear error; denial of minor-role reduction was not clear error

where defendant’s role was “integral to the advancement of the purpose of the

conspiracy”), cert. denied, 513 U.S. 849 (1994). 

Having reviewed the record independently under Penson v. Ohio, 488 U.S. 75

(1988), we find no other nonfrivolous issues. Accordingly, we affirm, and we grant

counsel’s motion to withdraw.

______________________________

Appellate Case: 05-2234 Page: 2 Date Filed: 05/11/2006 Entry ID: 2043627