# U n i t e d S t a t e s C o u r t o f A pp e a l s

For the Eig hth Circu it

_ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

No . 1 8 -3 4 88

_ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Un i t ed St at es o f Am eri ca

l ll l l l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l Pl a i n t i

f f - Ap pel l ee

v

.

Gi o v an y Fran k Gu zm an

l ll l l l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l Def

en da n t - Ap pel l an t

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Ap p eal fro m

Un i t ed St at es Di s t ri ct Co u rt

fo r t h e So u t h ern Di s t ri ct o f Io wa - Dav en p o rt

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Su b m i t t ed : No v em

b er 1 5 , 2 0 1 9

Fi l ed : J an u ary

2

, 2 0 2 0

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

Befo re COLLOTON, W OLLM AN, an d BENTON, Ci rcu it J u d g es

.

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

W OLLM AN, Ci rcu i t J u dg e

A ju ry fo u nd G i o van y Fran k Gu zm an g u i l t y o n t h ree c o u n t s : co n s pi racy to

p o s s es s wi t h i n ten t t o d i st ri b u t e co cai n e, i n v i o l at i o n o f 2 1 U.S.C. § § 8 4 1 (a)(1 ),

8 4 1 (b )(1 )(B), an d 84 6 ; co n sp i racy t o i m po rt co cai n e i n t o t h e Un i t ed St at es

, in

v i o l at i o n o f 2 1 U.S.C. § § 9 6 0 (a)(3 ), 9 6 0 (b )(2 )(B), an d 9 63 ; an d at t em p t ed p o s s es s i o n

wi t h i n ten t t o d i s tri b u t e co cai n e, i n v i o l at i o n o f 2 1 U.S.C. § § 8 4 1 (a)(1 ), 84 1 (b )(1 )(B),an d 84 6

. Th e d i s t ri ct co u rt 1 s en t en ced Gu zm an t o 1 9 0 m o n t h s ’ i m p ri s on m en t o n each

co u nt

, t o ru n co n cu rren t l y

. Gu zm an ap p eal s h i s sen t en ce, c h al len g i n g h i s d ru g

q u a n t i ty b as ed o ffen se lev el an d th e ro l e-en h an cem en t i m p os ed u n d er U

. S

.

Sen ten ci n g Gu i d el in es (Gu i d el i n es ) § 3 B1

. 1 (b ). G u zm an al s o ch al l en g es t h e

s u ffi ci en cy

o f t h e ev i d en ce t o s u s t ai n h i s co n v i ct io n . W e affi rm

.

Fo l l owi n g a t ri p t o M ex i co wi t h Os car Go m ez, Gu zm an ’ s u n cl e a n d c o

d efen d an t

, Gu zm an s en t Go m ez t h e n am es an d ad d res ses o f fo u r i n d i v i d ual s

. Th es e

ad d res s es were p ro v i d e d t o h im b y Sh el b y W i l li am s

, an o t h er co -d efen d an t

. On

J an u ary 2 4

, 2 0 1 7, Cu s t o m s an d Bo rd er Pro tect i o n i n t ercep t ed a s u s p i ci o u s p ack ag e

s en t t o o n e o f t h e ad d res s es Gu zm an h ad t ex t ed t o Go m ez. T h e p ack ag e was l ab el ed

as “ fi b er s t ai rs ,” b u t aft er fu rt h er i n s p ect i o n

, Cu s t o m s an d Bo rd er Pro t ect i o n

d i s co v ered t h at t h e p ack ag e co n t ai n ed 2 ,9 9 0 g ram s of co cai n e. Th e p ack ag e was t h en

ret u rn ed t o UPS fo r a co n t ro l l ed d el i v e r y. Aft er co m m u n i cat i n g wi t h Gu zm an

,

W i ll i am s p i ck ed u p t h e p ack ag e fro m t h e UPS s t o re an d d el i v ered t h e p ack ag e t o h i m

.

Lat er t h at ev en i n g

, l aw en fo rcem en t ex ecu t ed a s earch warran t at Go m ez’ s h o u s e an d

s ei zed t h e p ack ag e.

Aro u n d t h e s am e t im e, a s eco n d p a c k a g e o f “ s t ai rs fo r aero b i cs ” was

i n t ercep ted b y C u s t o m s a n d Bo rd er Pro t ect i o n

. Th e pack ag e m at ch ed o n e o f t h e

n am es an d ad d res s es Gu zm an h ad t ex t ed t o G o m ez an d co n t ai ned t wo ki l o gram s o f

co cai n e. No co nt ro l l ed d el i v ery was at t em p t ed o f t h i s p ack ag e. A t h i r d an d fi n al

p ack ag e, wei g h i ng 8.7 k i l o g ram s

, was p ick ed up at a Fed Ex lo cat io n in M ol i n e, Io wa.

Law en fo rcem en t d i d n o t s ei ze o r i n sp ect t h is p ack ag e b ecau s e t h ey d i d n o t l earn o f

i t s d el i v ery u n t i l l at er i n t h e i n ves t i g at i o n

. Th e p ack ag e’ s d es cri p t i o n, “ aero b i c s t ep ,”

was s i m i l ar t o th e o t h er t wo i n tercep t ed pack ag es an d m at ch ed an ad d res s p ro v i d ed

t o Gu zm an b y

W i l li am s

.

1 Th e Ho n o rab l e Jo h n A

. J arv ey

, Ch i ef J u d g e, Un i t ed St at es Di s t ri ct Co u rt fo r

t h e So ut h ern Di st ri ct o f Io wa.

-2

-At s en t en ci n g

, t h e di st ri ct co u rt

, ad o p t i n g t h e p res en t en ce rep o rt (P S R )

,

at t ri b u t ed al l t hree pack ag es t o Gu zm an

, fo u n d t h at t h e am o u n t o f co cai n e i n v o l v ed

ex ceed ed fi v e k il o g ram s

, an d h el d t h at Gu zm an ’ s b as e o ffen s e l ev el was 3 0

. See

U.S.S.G. § 2 D1 .1 (a)(5 ), (c)(5 )

. T h e d i s t ri ct co u rt al s o ap p l i ed a t h ree-l ev el

en h an cem en t t o Gu zm an ’ s b as e o ffen s e l ev el as a m an ag er o r su p erv is o r o f W i l l i am s

.

See U.S.S.G. § 3 B1 .1 (b ). T h e co u rt d et erm in ed t h at Gu zm an ’ s to t al o ffen s e l ev el was

3 5

, t h at h i s cri m in al h i st o ry cat eg o ry was IV, an d t h at hi s ad v i s ory s en t en ci n g ran g e

was 2 35 t o 2 9 3 m on t h s ’ i m pri so n m en t

.

Gu zm an fi rs t arg u es t h at i n s u ffi ci en t ev i d en ce ex i s t s t o s u p p o rt h i s co n v i ct i on s

o n al l co u n t s

. He co n ten d s t h at t h e g o v ern m en t fai l ed t o p ro ve t h at h e h ad k n o wl ed g e

o f t h e co n t en t s o f an y

o f t h e p ack ag es

.

In rev iewi n g s u ffi ci en cy

o f t h e ev i d en ce cl ai m s

, w e v iew t h e ev i d en ce i n t h e

l i gh t m os t fav o rab l e t o t h e g o v ern m en t

. Un i t ed St at es v

. V i n t o n

, 4 2 9 F.3 d 8 1 1

, 8 1 5

(8 t h Ci r. 2 0 0 5 ). “ W e m

u st u p h ol d th e v erd i ct i f an y reas o n ab l e ju ry co u l d h av e fo u n d

t h e el em en t s o f t h e cri m e b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o u b t .” Id

. (q uo t i n g U n i t ed St at es

v

. M cDo u g al

, 1 37 F.3 d 5 47

, 55 3 (8 t h Ci r. 1 9 9 8 )). Th e ev i d en ce su p po rt s t h e ju ry ’ s

fi nd i ng t h at Gu zm an k n ew t hat t h e p ack ag es co nt ai n ed co cai n e an d k new t h e p u rp o s e

o f t h e a g reem en t in wh i ch h e h ad jo i n ed

. Th e g o v ern m en t p res en t ed ev i den ce t h a t

Gu zm an h ad t rav el ed to Leo n

, M ex i co wi t h Go m ez. S o o n a f t e r t h ei r t ri p

, Gu zm an

t ex t ed Go m ez ad d res s es an d n am es o f i n d i v i d u al s. Pack ag es were s h i pp ed fro m

Leo n, Mex i co to t h e ad d res s es p ro v i d ed b y G u zm an

. Gu zm an recei v ed t h e p ack ag es

fro m W i l l i am s an d t h en g av e t h em t o Go m ez. G u zm an ’ s s u rrep t i ti o u s b eh av i o r wi th

res p ect t o t h e p ack ag es an d h is i n v o lv em en t wi t h recei v i ng t h e p ack ag es co u l d l ead

a ju ry t o co n cl u d e t hat Gu zm an k n ew of t h e p ack ag es ’ i l li ci t co n t en t s

. W e t h u s h o ld

t h at t h ere was s u ffi ci en t ev id en ce to s u pp o rt al l t h ree co un t s of Gu zm an ’ s

co n vi ct i o n s

.

-3

-G u z m an al so ch al l en g es t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt ’ s cal cu l at i o n o f h i s o ffen s e l ev el

,

arg u i n g th at t he d i s t ri ct co u rt cl earl y e r r e d i n d et erm i n i ng t h at t he co n s p i racy

i n v o l v ed fi v e or m o re k i lo g ram s o f co cai n e. See Un i t ed St at es v

. M ars h al l, 41 1 F.3 d

8 9 1

, 89 4 (8 t h Ci r. 2 00 5) (s t an d ard o f rev i ew). W e d i s t u rb t h e d is t ri ct co urt ’ s

d et erm i n at i o n “ o n l y if th e e n t i r e r e co rd d efi n i t el y an d fi rm l y co n v i n ces u s t h at a

m i s t ak e h as been m ad e.” U n it ed S t a t e s v

. T i t l b ach

, 3 0 0 F.3 d 9 1 9

, 9 2 3 (8 t h Ci r.

2 0 0 2 ).

Th e d i s tri ct co u rt c o n cl u ded t h at Gu zm an was res p o ns i b l e fo r al l t h ree

p ack ag es

, t h e co m

b i n ed co n t en t s o f wh i ch co n s i s t ed o f m o re th an fi v e ki l o g ram s o f

co cai n e. Al t h o u gh G u zm an co n ced es t h at t h e fi rs t t wo p ack ag es t o g et h er am o u n t ed

t o at l eas t 4 ,9 9 0 gram s

, h e arg ues t h at t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt cl earl y erred in at t ri b u t i n g t h e

t h i rd p ack ag e t o h i m

, wi t h t h e res u l t t h at t h e det erm in at io n of an y am o u n t o f co cai n e

i n t he t h i rd p ack ag e co n s t i t u ted “ m ere s p ecu l at io n ” b y t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt

.

Th e d i st ri ct co u rt d i d no t cl earl y err wh en i t h el d t h at t h e t h i rd p ack ag e h ad

s o m e am o u n t o f co cai ne at t ri bu t ab l e to Gu zm an

. Th e p ack ag e’ s n am e an d a d d r e s s

m at ch ed a n am e an d ad d res s pro v i d ed b y Gu zm an t o Go m ez. As wi t h t h e ot h er t wo

p ack ag es

, t h i s p ack ag e o ri g in at ed fro m Leo n

, Mex ico an d was l ab el ed as an “ aero b i c

s t ep .” W i l l i am s al s o ad m i t t ed t o p i ck i n g u p a pack ag e fro m Fed Ex fo r Gu zm an

.

Al t h o u g h t h e th i rd p ack ag e was n ev er i ns p ect ed b y l aw en fo rcem en t

, su ffi ci en t

ci rcu m s t a n t i al ev id en ce co nn ect ed t h e p ack ag e to G u zm an

, an d g iv en t he t em p o ral

p ro x im it y t o th e d el i v ery o f t h e o t h er p ack ag es

, i t was reas o n ab l e t o co n cl ud e t h at at

l eas t t en g ram s o f co cai n e were i n t h e t h i rd p ack ag e. See Un i t ed St at es v

. At k i n s

, 2 5 0

F.3 d 1 2 0 3

, 1 2 1 2 (8 th Ci r. 2 0 0 1) (“ [Th e G u i d el i n es ] g iv es t he co u rt th e au t h o ri t y to

ap p ro x i m at e t he q uan t i t y o f dru g s wh ere th ere i s n o s ei zu re o r w h ere th e am o u nt

s ei zed do es n o t refl ect t h e s cal e of t h e o ffen s e.”). Th e d i s t ri c t co urt t h u s d i d n ot

cl earl y err wh en i t fo u n d t h at t h e q u an t it y o f co cai n e ex ceed ed fi v e k i l o g ram s

.

-4

-Fi n al l y

, Gu zm an arg u es t h at t he d i s t ri ct co urt c l e a rl y erred i n fi n d i n g t h at h e

h ad act ed as a m an ag er o r s up erv i s o r. See Un it ed St at es v

. Co sey

, 6 0 2 F.3 d 9 4 3

, 9 4 7

(8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 0 ) (s t an d ard o f rev i ew). Un der Gu id el i n es § 3B 1. 1( b), Gu zm an ’ s o ffen s e

l ev el w as s u b

ject t o a t h ree-l ev el i n creas e i f h e was a “ m an ag er o r s u p erv i s o r (b u t n ot

an o rg an izer o r l ead er) an d t h e cri m i n al act i v it y i nv o l v ed fi ve o r m o re part i ci p an t s o r

was ot h erwi s e ex t en si v e.” W e h av e h el d t h at a d efen d an t m a y b e s u b ject t o t h e

en h an cem en t ev en i f h e m an ag ed o r s u p erv i s ed o n l y o n e part i ci p an t

, l im i t ed t o a

s i ng l e t ran s act i o n

. See Un i t ed St at es v

. V al en c i a

, 8 2 9 F. 3 d 1 0 0 7

, 1 0 1 2 (8 t h Ci r.

2 0 1 6 ). Th e ev i d en ce s u p p o rt s t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt ’ s ap p l i cat i o n o f t h e en h an cem en t

.

Gu zm a n u s ed W i l l i am s t o pro vi d e t h e nam es an d ad d res s es o f i nd i vi d u al s

, s o t h at

Gu zm an co u l d t ran sm i t t h es e t o Go m ez. Gu zm an al so d irect ed W i l li am s t o p i ck u p

p ack ag es at UPS an d Fed Ex an d t o l d h er wh ere t o m eet h i m

. Gi v en t h is ev i d en ce, t h e

d i s t ri ct co u rt ’ s fi n d in g t h at Gu zm an was a m an ag er o r s u perv i s o r o f W i l l i am s was n ot

cl earl y erro n eo u s.

Th e ju d g m en t i s affi rm ed

.

__ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _

-5

-