2009 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit 5-26-2009 

# U SA v . Mich a el D e an P r e c e de nt i al or N on-P r e c e de nt i al : N on-P r e c e de nt i al D ocke t N o . 08-3721

F o llow thi s and a dd it ion al work s at : http://d i git alc ommon s .l a w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2009

Thi s de c i sion i s br ou ght t o you for f r e e and ope n a c c e s s b y the O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit at V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Reposit ory

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w Di git al Reposit ory

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w . vi ll anova . e du . Re c omme nde d C it at ion " U SA v . Mich a el D e an" (2009). 2009 D e cisio n s . P ape r 1316. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2009/1316H onor abl e J ohn R . Padova, Seni orJ udge of the U ni t ed St at es D i s t r i ctC our tforthe * E as t ern D i s t r i ctof Penns y l vani a, s i t t i ng bydes i gnat i on. NOT P RE CE DE NT I AL UN I TED STATES CO UR T OF A PP EALS F O R T H E T H IR D C IR C U IT N o. 08- 3721 UNI TE D ST ATE S OF AM ERI CA

v. M IC H A E L D E A N , A ppel l ant

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ro m th e U n ited S tate s D istric t C o u rt f o r th e M id d le D istric t o f P e n n sy lv a n ia ( D . C . N o. 06- cr - 00412) D i s t r i ctJ udge: H onor abl e R i char d P. C onaboy

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L.A.R. 34 .1(a) on M ay19, 2009 B e f o re : R E N D E L L a n d G A R T H , C i r cui tJudges , a n d P A D O V A , Seni orD is tr i ct Judge * ( Fi l ed: M ay26, 2009)

___________2 OPI NI ON O F THE COURT

___________ P A D O V A , Seni orD is tr i ct Judge . A ppel l antM i chae l D ean a ppeal s hi s A ugus t22, 2008 j udgm entof s ent ence , ar gui ng t hatt he D i s t r i ctC our terr ed i n cons i der i ng a s t at e convi ct i on form ar i j uana pos s es s i on i n cal cul at i ng hi s cr i m i nal hi s t oryunderthe U ni t ed St at es Sent enci ng G ui del i nes . W e have j ur i s di ct i on overthi s appea l pur s uantt o 28 U . S. C . § 1291 and 18 U .S .C . § 3 7 4 2 (a ). F o r t h e f o llo w in g re a s o n s , w e w ill a f f ir m . I . A s w e w r i t e exc l us i vel yfort he part i es , w ho ar e fa m i l i arw i t h t he fa ctual cont ext a n d le g a l h is to ry o f

th is c a s e , w e w ill s e t f

o rt h o n ly th o s e f

a c ts n e c e s s a ry to o u r a n a lysis . O n F e b ru a ry7 , 2 0 0 8 , A p p e llan t p led g u iltyto a sin g le c o u n t o f “ P a p e r U se d a s M o n e y ” in viol at i on of 1 8 U . S . C . § 4 91 . U nd er the S entenci ng G uidel i nes, A pp el l ant’ s t otal off ense leve l w as 1 0 . T h e p rob ati o n o ff icer ca lculated that A p p ell an t had fo u r crim inal h ist o ry poi nt s , r es ul t i ng i n a cr i m i nal hi s t or ycat egoryof I I I . A s the s t atut orym axi m um t erm of i m pr i s onm entforvi ol at i on of § 491 i s one y ear , A ppel l ant ’ s advi s oryG ui del i nes r ange w a s 1 0 -1 2 m o n th s . A ts ent enci ng, A ppel l antobj ect ed t o hi s cr i m i nal hi s t orycat egory , ar gui ng thathe s houl d nothave r ece i ved one c r i m i nal hi s t orypoi ntfora convi ct i on i n N ew J er s eyfor p o s s e s s io n o f

5 0 g ra m s o r l e s s o f

m a ri ju a n a , f o r w h ic h h e w a s s e n te n c e d to a $ 9 3 0 f in e . T he D i s tr i ctC our toverrul ed A ppel l ant ’ s obj ect i on and s ent ence d hi m t o a t erm of3

im p ri s o n m e n t o f

1 0 m o n th s . II. A ppel l ant ’ s s ol e ar gum enton appea l i s thatthe D i s t r i ctC ourterr ed i n cal cul at i ng h is cri m inal h ist o ryca tego ryp u rsua n t t o U . S . S . G . § § 4 A 1 . 1 an d 4 A 1 . 2 , b ec au se th e C o u rt at tr i but ed one c r i m i nal hi s t or ypoi ntt o hi s N ew J er s eyconvi ct i on forpos s es s i on of a contr ol l ed s ubs t ance ( 50 gr ams orl es s of m ar i j uana) , w hen thatconvi ct i on s houl d not have gi ven r i s e t o anypoi nt s . “W e r evi ew the D i s t r i ctC our t ’ s i nt erpr et at i on of the S en tenc ing G u idelines d e n o v o . ” U n it ed S tat es v . L an g fo rd, 51 6 F . 3 d 2 0 5 , 2 0 9 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 8 ). Pur s uantt o U . S. S. G . § 4A 1. 1( c) , one cr i m i nal hi s t orypoi nt( up t o a maxi m um of fou r poi nts ) i s ass essed for each p ri or sent ence thatdid not r esul ti n at l east60 day s’ i m pr i s onm ent , exce ptt o t he ext entpr ovi ded i n U . S. S. G . § 4A 1. 2( c) . U . S. S. G . § 4A 1. 2( c) stat es th at prior se n tenc es f o r ce rt ain e n u m era ted m isde m ea n o r or p ettyo ff en ses a re co u n ted o n lyif (1) the “se n tenc e w as a term o f p rob ati o n o f m o re tha n o n e y ea r or a term of im pri sonm ent of atl eastt hirt yday s, ” or ( 2) the p ri or m i sdem eano r orpettyoff ense “w as s i m i l art o an i ns t antoffe ns e. ” U . S. S. G . § 4A 1. 2( c) ( 1) . “D i s or der l yconductor d istu rb in g th e p e a c e ” a re a m o n g th e e n u m e ra ted m isd e m e a n o r a n d p e ttyo f f e n se s in U . S. S. G . § 4A 1. 2( c) . M eanw hi l e, t he G ui del i nes defi ne “pr i ors ent ence ” t o m ean “ any s ent ence pr evi ous l yi m pos ed upon adj udi cat i on of gui l t , w hetherbygui l t ypl ea, tr i al or p l e a o f n o l o c o n t e n d e r e , f

o rc o n d u c tn o tp a r to f

th e i n s t a n to f

f e n s e . ” U. S . S . G.4

§ 4 A 1 .2 (a )( 1 ). H er e, A ppel l antw as convi ct ed i n N ew J er s eyof pos s es s i ng 50 gr ams orl es s of m a r i j u a n a i n v i o l a t i o n o f

N . J . S t a t . A n n . § 2 C : 3 5 - 1 0 ( a ) ( 4 ) , a n d h e w a s s e n t e n c e d t o p a y a $930 fi ne. T he N ew J er s eyl egi s l atur e def i nes pos s es s i on of 50 gr ams orl es s of m ar i j uana t o be a “ di s or der l yper s on” off ens e. N . J . St at . A nn. § 2C : 35- 10( a) ( 4) . U nder N ew J er s eyl aw , “[d] i s or der l yper s ons offe ns es . . . ar e pett yoffe ns es and ar e notcr i m es w ith in th e m e a n in g o f

th e [ N e w Je rse y ] C o n stitu tio n .” Id . § 2 C :1 -4 (b ). In d iv id u a ls convi ct ed of s uch off

ens es m aybe s ent ence d t o a t erm of i m pr i s onm entnott o exce ed 6 m onths . I d. § 2C : 43- 8. T he N ew J er s eyl egi s l atur e has furt herdecl ar ed that convi ct i ons of di s or der l yper s ons offe ns es “s hal l notgi ve r i s e t o anydi s abi l i t yorl egal d is a d v a n ta g e b a s e d o n c o n v ic tio n o f a c ri m e .” Id . § 2 C :1 -4 (b ). I n th i s a p p e a l , Ap p e l l a n ta r g u e s th a tth e Di s t r i c tCo u r te r r e d i n a s s i g n i n g h i m a cr i m i nal hi s t or ypoi ntforhi s m ar i j uana pos s es s i on convi ct i on beca us e the N ew J er s ey l egi s l atur e has ( 1) decl ar ed thatt he off ens e i s nota “c r i m e” i n N ew J er s ey , ( 2) s t at ed that convi ct i on of the off

ens e s hal l gi ve r i s e t o “no l egal di s advant age ba s ed on convi ct i on of a cr i m e, ” and ( 3) decl ar ed the mar i j uana pos s es s i on offe ns e t o be a di s or der l yper s on offe ns e, the s ent ence s forw hi ch ar e notcount ed forcr i m i nal hi s t orypurpos es acc or di ng to U .S .S .G . § 4 A 1 .2 (c ). H ow ever , “[i ] n det erm i ni ng w hatcons t i tut es a ‘ pr i ors ent ence ’ underthe Sent enci ng G ui del i nes , court s m us tl ook t o fede r al , nots t at e l aw . ” U ni t ed St at es v.5

M c Ko y , 4 5 2 F . 3 d 2 3 4 , 2 3 7 ( 3 d Ci r . 2 0 0 6 ) . L i k e wi s e , th e o f f e n s e s l i s t e d i n U. S . S . G. § 4A 1. 2( c) ( 1) , i ncl udi ng “di s or der l yconduct , ” ar e def i ned pur s uantt o fede r al l aw , not s t at e l aw . See U ni t ed St at es v. E l m or e, 108 F. 3d 23, 25 ( 3d C i r . 1997) ( “W e det erm i ne the meani ng of ‘ di s or der l yconduct ’ pur s uantt o fede r al , nots t at e, l aw . ”) ; s ee a l s o U ni t ed S t at es v. R oy , 12 6 F . 3d 95 3, 95 4 (7t h C i r. 19 97 ) ( “‘[E ]ven t ho ug h the predi cat e off ense and s ent ence ar e def

i ned unders t at e l aw , the cl as s i fi cat i on of ea ch off ens e as excl uded or i ncl uded undergui del i ne § 4A 1. 2( c) i s a mat t erof fe der al l aw . ’ ” ( quot i ng U ni t ed St at es v. B o o k e r, 7 1 F .3 d 6 8 5 , 6 8 8 -8 9 (7 th C ir . 1 9 9 5 )) ). A “pr i ors ent ence ” underfede r al l aw i s “anys ent ence pr evi ous l yi m pos ed upon adj udi cat i on of gui l t , ” U . S. S. G . § 4A 1. 2, and the G ui del i nes pr ovi de thatw hen the pr i or s ent ence i s forl es s t han 60 day s i m pr i s onm ent , as A ppel l ant ’ s w as , i tgi ves r i s e t o one cr i m i nal hi s t or ypoi nt . U . S. S. G § 4A 1. 1( c) . A ppel l antdoes notar gue thathe di d not r ece i ve a “ pr i ors ent ence ” undert hi s defi ni t i on. R ather , he ar gues thatthe “pr i or sen tenc e” w as f

o r a p ettyo ff

en se, no t a crim e, an d thu s sh o u ld n o t be c o u n ted. H o w ev er, th e G u id e lin e s d o n o t ex c lu d e p rio r se n ten c e s f o r p e ttyo f

f e n se s f ro m c o n sid e ra tio n in cal cul at i ng a def

endant ’ s cr i m i nal hi s t ory . T o t he contr ary , theys peci fi cal l ypr ovi de that

“ p e t tyo f f e n s e s , ” l i k e o t h e ro f

f e n s e s , g i v e r i s e t o c r i mi n a l h i s t o r yp o i n t s . S e e U. S . S . G § 4 A 1. 2 (c) (“Sentences for m i sdem eano r and pe t t yoff enses are coun t ed . . . . ”); see al so U ni t ed St at es v R us s el l , F. 3d , , N o. 07- 4731, 2009 W L 1081284, at*5 ( 3d C i r . A pr . 23, 2009) ( comm ent i ng thati tw oul d be “a bs ur d” i f convi ct i ons forT he N ew J er s eyl egi s l atur e’ s decl ar at i on thatdi s or der l yper s ons offe ns es “ar e not 1 c ri m e s w ith in th e m e a n in g o f th e [ N e w J e rs e y ] C o n s titu tio n ” is ir re le v a n t to o u r a n a lysis . N . J . St at . A nn. § 2C : 1- 4( b) . A s s t at ed above , i ti s fede r al l aw , nots t at e l aw that d e t e r m i n e s w h a tc o n s t i tu t e s a c o u n t a b l e “ p r i o rs e n t e n c e ” u n d e rth e G u i d e l i n e s . M c K o y, 4 5 2 F .3 d a t 2 3 7 . M o re o v e r, w e d o n o t re a d th e leg isla tu re ’s s tate m e n t th a t a d iso rd e rly p e rso n o f

f e n se is n o t a c rim e “ w ith in th e m e a n in g o f th e [ N e w Je rse y ] C o n stitu tio n ” to su g g e st th a t su c h a n o f

f e n se c a n n e v e r b e c o n sid e re d a c rim e in a n yc o n tex t. N .J. S tat. A nn. § 2C : 1- 4( b) ( emphasi s added) . R ather , the dec l ar at i on, byi t s ow n t erm s , onl ys t at es th a t s u c h o f

f e n s e s d o n o t f

it w ith in th e S ta te C o n s titu tio n ’s d e f in itio n o f a c ri m e . S e e U n ited S tate s v . M a rtin e z , 9 0 5 F .2 d 2 5 1 , 2 5 3 (9 th C ir. 1 9 9 0 ) (re f u sin g to a p p ly 2 O r egon l aw i n det erm i ni ng w hethera s t at e off ens e w as anal ogous t o anyof the off ens es excl uded byU . S. S. G . § 4A 1. 2( c) ( 2) , s t at i ng thats uch an a ppr oach w oul d be “i ncons i s t ent (c o n tin u e d ...) 6 pos s es s i on of a s m al l amount of m ar i j uana w er e notcount ed i n a def endant ’ s cr i m i nal hi s t orycal cul at i on) . T hus , A ppel l ant ’ s ar gum entthathi s s ent ence s houl d notbe count ed i n hi s cr i m i nal hi s t or ybeca us e N ew J er s eyonl ycons i der s hi s m ar i j uana pos s es s i on t o be a “pe t tyoffe ns e, ” nota “c r i m e, ” i s unavai l i ng. 1 S i mi l a r l y , b e c a u s e t h e o f f e n s e s e x c l u d e d f

r o m c o u n t i n g p u r s u a n tt o U. S . S . G. § 4 A 1 . 2 (c)(1) a re d ef

ined b yfe d era l l aw , n o t st ate law , there is no m eritto A p p ell an t’ s a rg u m e n t th a t th e D istric t C o u rt sh o u ld n o t h a v e a ss ig n e d a c rim in a l h isto ryp o in t f o r h is m ar i j uana c onvi ct i on s i m pl ybeca us e N ew J er s eyhas char act er i zed hi s m ar i j uana pos s es s i on offe ns e as a “di s or der l yper s on” off ens e. I ndeed, beca us e “the l ar gergoal of the Sent enci ng G ui del i nes i s t o acc om pl i s h uni form i t y , ” the off ens es thatqual i fyas “di s or der l yconduct ” off ens es m us tbe cons i s t entacr os s s t at e l i nes , and one s t at e ca nnot u n il aterall yd ec lare an o ff en se to b e a “d isord erlyco n d u ct” a n d b ind the f ed era l j u d ici ary w ith that d ec larati o n . T h u s, w e re ject A p p ell an t’ s arg u m en t th at N ew Jerse y ’s 2( . . . cont i nued) 2 w i th the pr i m arypurpos e of the Sent enci ng R eform A ctof 1984 t o ‘ pr ovi de ce r t ai ntyand fai rnes s i n m eet i ng t he purpos es of s ent enci ng [and t o avoi d] unw arr ant ed s ent enci ng d ispa ri ti es a m o n g d ef

en d an ts w ith sim il ar rec o rds’” (qu o ti n g 2 8 U . S . C . § 9 9 1 (b)(1 )(B )); s ee a l s o M cK oy , 452 F. 3d at237- 38 ( not i ng thatj uveni l e r ecor ds i n N ew J er s eycons i s tof “di s pos i t i ons ” r athert han “s ent ence s , ” and s t at i ng thati tw oul d “underm i ne the l ar ger goal of . . . uni form i t yi n s ent enci ng . . . i f N ew J er s eyj uveni l e court‘ di s pos i t i ons ’ ar e not tr eat ed as ‘ s ent ence s ’ undert he Sent enci ng G ui del i nes , ” bec aus e “de fenda nt s w oul d be i m m une fr om r ece i vi ng cr i m i nal hi s t orypoi nt s forj uveni l e off ens es comm i t t ed i n N ew Jerse y , y et w o u ld rec eive p o ints fo r j u v en il e o ff en ses c o m m itted in o ther states” ). 7 charact eri zat i on of h i s m ari j uan a po sses si on off

ense as a “dis orderl yperson” o ffen se req u ir ed the D istri ct C o u rtto ex clud e itfro m co n side rati o n in ca lculati n g A p p ell an t’ s c ri m in a l h is to ry. III . W e have cons i der ed al l ot herar gum ent s m ade bythe part i es on appea l , and c o n c lu d e th a t n o f

u rth e r d isc u ss io n is n e c e ss a ry . F o r th e f o re g o in g re a so n s, w e w ill A FFIRM the j udgm entof s ent ence of the 

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