FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT O c t obe r 20, 2005 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 05- 11773 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D. C . Do c k e tNo . 0 4 - 0 0 4 6 7 - C R - T - 2 6 - E AJ U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A , P la in tif f - A p p e lle e , v ersu s A N T O N I O E S T U P I N A N - Y E S Q U A N , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f orthe M i ddl e D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( O c t obe r20, 2005) B efo re B L A C K , H U L L an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

A nt on i o E stup i nan-Y es qu an appeal s hi s 135 -m on th sent ence for: (1) pos s e s s i on w i th i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e 5 ki l ogr a m s orm or e of c oc a i ne w hi l e aboa r d a ve s s e l s ubj e c tt o U ni t e d S t a t e s j ur i s di c t i on, i n vi ol a t i on of 46 U . S . C . A pp. § 1 9 0 3 ( a ) , ( g ) , a n d 2 1 U .S .C . § 9 6 0 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( B ) ( ii) ; a n d ( 2 ) c o n s p ir a c y to p o s s e s s w ith in te n t to d is tr ib u te 5 k ilo g r a m s o rm o r e o f c o c a in e w h ile ab o a r d av e s s e l s u b je c t to U ni t e d S t a t e s j ur i s di c t i on, i n vi ol a t i on of 46 U . S . C . § 1903( a ) , ( g) , a nd ( j ) , a nd 21 U .S .C . § 9 6 0 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( B ) ( ii) . E stup i nan-Y es qu an w as se nt ence d aft erB oo ker und er a n a d v is o ry G u id e lin e s s c h e m e . A f te rr e v ie w , w e a f

f irm . I . B AC KG RO UN D A . Pl e a C o l l o quy E s tupi na n- Y e s qua n pl e d gui l ty w i thoutaw r i tt e n pl e aa gr e e m e ntt o the above - s t a t e d c ha r ge s . D ur i ng the pl e ac ol l oquy , the gove rnm e nts e tf or th the f ol l ow i ng f

a c t s . O n oraboutS e pt e m be r23, 2004, i n the e a s t e rn P a c i f i c O c e a n, E s tupi na n- Y e s qua n a nd s e ve n c o- de f e nda nt s w e r e tr a ve l i ng i n the S a n J os e , a77- f ootf i s hi ng ve s s e l r e gi s t e r e d i n B e l i z e . T he f i s hi ng ve s s e l c ont a i ne d al a r ge qu ant i ty of c ocai ne packaged i n 2 0-ki l og ra m bal es se cr et ed i n a hi dd en c o m p a rtm e n t, w h ic h w a s lo c a te d in th e f o rw a r d s e c tio n o f

th e h u ll. O n the m orni ng of S ept em ber 23, 20 04 , the U ni t ed S t at es C oastG uard b o ard ed th e S an Jo se an d n o t i ced th atfl o o ri n g t i l es h ad b een p l aced i n fresh3

c onc r e t e i n both the porta nd s t a rboa r d be r thi ng c om pa r tm e nt s . B e ne a th the n e w ly - la id tile s , th e C o a s t G u a r d f o u n d tw o e n try w a y s to th e h id d e n c o m p a r tm e n t. I ns i de the c om pa rtm e nt , the C oa s tG ua r d f ound 525 ba l e s of

c oc a i ne w e i ghi ng ap p r o x im a te ly 1 0 ,5 0 0 k ilo g r a m s . E s tu p in a n - Y e s q u a n a n d h is s e v e n c o - d e f e n d a n ts w ere d et ai n ed an d tran sp o rt ed t o th e U n i t ed S t at es. P r i ort o the t i m e tha tthe S a n J os e l e f tthe por ti n C ol om bi a , E s tupi na nY es qu an and h i s c o-defendant s m etw i th the capt ai n o f the S an Jose and l earned th a t th e y w o u ld b e tr a n s p o rtin g th e d ru g s to atr a n s f e rp o in t in th e e a s te rn P a c if ic O c e a n a nd w oul d the n di s tr i but e i tt o a nothe rpe r s on. A tthe e nd of

the gove rnm e nt ’ s pr of

f e r , E s tupi na n- Y e s qua n a dm i tt e d t o the fa ct s, exce ptthe qu ant i ty of c ocai ne. E stup i nan-Y es qu an adm i tt ed on l y thatthere w e r e a tl e a s t5 ki l ogr a m s of c oc a i ne on boa r d the s hi p. B. PSI a nd Se nt e nc i ng T he P re se nt ence Invest i gat i on R eport(“ P S I” ) a ss es se d a base offe nse l evel o f 3 8 , h o ld in g E s tu p in a n - Y e s q u a n r e s p o n s ib le f o r1 0 ,5 0 0 k ilo g r a m s o f

c o c a in e . T h e P S I r e c o m m e n d e d ( 1 ) atw o - le v e l s a f e ty - v a lv e r e d u c tio n , U .S .S .G . § 5 C 1 .2 a nd 18 U . S . C . § 3553( f

) ; a nd ( 2) athr e e - l e ve l r e duc t i on f ora c c e pt a nc e of re spon si bi l i ty, U . S . S . G . § 3 E 1. 1. W i th an o ff ense l evel of 33 and a cri m i nal h i st o ry cat eg o ry o f I, E tu p i n an -Y esq u an ’ s G u i d el i n es ran g e w as 1 3 5 -1 6 8 m o n th s’4

im p r is o n m e n t. E stup i nan-Y es qu an obj ec t ed t o the P S I’ s f ai l ure t o i ncl ud e atw o-l evel d o w n w a r d d e p a rtu r e f

o rh is r o le in th e o f

f e n s e p u r s u a n t to U .S .S .G . § 3 B 1 .2 ( b ) . E s tupi na n- Y e s qua n a r gue d tha the w a s am i norpa r t i c i pa ntbe c aus e the drugs aboard the S an Jose di d n otbel on g t o h i m , and h e w as re crui t ed si m pl y t o b e a s a ilo ro n th e v e s s e l. E s tu p in a n - Y e s q u a n a ls o a s s e r te d th a t h e w a s to h a v e n o r o le i n the di stri bu t i on of the cocai ne no r i t s e ventual sa l e. T he P robat i on O ff

i ce r r es po nd ed by st at i ng thatE stup i nan-Y es qu an w as be i ng he l d a c c ount abl e onl y f orthe a m ountof

drugs on the s hi p, the 10, 500 ki l og ra m s, w hi ch w as the sa m e a m ou ntattri bu t abl e t o h i s c o-defendant s. F urther, the P S I not e d tha tE s tupi na n- Y e s qua n’ s r ol e w a s of tr a ns por t i ng “ ave ry l a r ge s hi pm e ntof

c oc a i ne , ” w hi c h w a s notdi s t i ngui s habl e f r om tha tof

othe rc od e f e n d a n ts ab o a r d th e s h ip . A tthe s e nt e nc i ng he a r i ng, E s tupi na n- Y e s qua n r e ne w e d hi s a r gum e nt r e ga r di ng am i nor - r ol e r e duc t i on. T he di s tr i c tc our tove rrul e d the obj e c t i on, a dopt i ng the r e a s ons s t a t e d i n the P S I a nd f ur the rs t a t i ng tha t“ w e ha ve 10, 500 ki l ogr a m s of

c oc a i ne w i th as tr e e tva l ue of 157 m i l l i on, pl us he ’ s am a r i ne r . I ’ ve a l r e a dy s e nt e nc e d s om e othe rm a r i ne r s i n thi s c a s e t o 135 m onths w hi c h i s the bo tt om of the gu i del i nes. ”5

T h e d i stri ctco u rtth en sen t en ced E stu p i n an -Y esq u an t o 1 3 5 m o n th s’ i m pri sonm ent , st at i ng , “ I i nt end t o g i ve hi m the bo tt om of the gu i del i nes a ft er c o n s id e r in g a ll o f

th e f a c ts u n d e rT itle 1 8 , U n ite d S ta te s c o d e 3 5 5 3 ( a ) .”

I I . DI S CUS S I ON A . M i n or R ol e R e d u c t i on O n appe a l , E s tupi na n- Y e s qua n f i r s ta r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our te rr e d by d en yin g h im a m in o r- ro le re d u ctio n . W e r ev iew fo r c learer ro r a d istrict co u rt’s de t e rm i na t i on of

ade f e nda nt ’ s qua l i f

i c a t i on f orar ol e r e duc t i on. U ni t e d S t a t e s v. D e V a r o n , 1 7 5 F .3 d 9 3 0 , 9 3 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 9 ) ( e n b a n c ) . T h e d efen d an th as th e b u rd en o f est ab l i sh i n g h i s ro l e i n th e o ffen se b y a p re p o n d er an ce o f th e e v id en ce . Id . at 9 3 9 . T w o p rin cip les g u id e a d istrict co u rt’s c o n s id e r a tio n : ( 1 ) th e c o u rt m u s t c o m p a r e th e d e f e n d a n t’s r o le in th e o f

f e n s e w ith the r e l e va ntc onduc ta ttr i but e d t o hi m i n c a l c ul a t i ng hi s ba s e of f e ns e l e ve l ; a nd ( 2) th e c o u rt m a y c o m p a r e th e d e f e n d a n t’s c o n d u c t to th a t o f o th e rp a r tic ip a n ts i nvol ve d i n the of

f e ns e . I d. a t943- 44. W he n the r e l e va ntc onduc ta ttr i but e d t o a de f e nda nti s i de nt i c a l t o hi s a c tua l c onduc t , he c a nnotpr ove tha the i s e nt i t l e d t o a m i nor - r ol e a dj us tm e nts i m pl y by poi nt i ng t o s om e br oa de rc r i m i na l s c he m e f or w h ic h h e w a s n o t h e ld a c c o u n tab le . I d . a t 9 4 1 . T he di stri ctcourtdi d n otcl earl y e rri n ref usi ng t o g rantE ustup i nan-Y es qu an6

a m i no r- rol e r educt i on . U nd erthe fi rs tpron g o f the D e V ar on t es t , the di stri ct c ourthe l d E s tupi na n- Y e s qua n a c c ount abl e f oronl y the 10, 500 ki l ogr a m s of coca i ne attri bu t abl e t o h i m . S ee D e V ar on , 17 5 F . 3d at94 2-43 (“ T here fore , w hen a drug cou ri er ’ s r el evantcond ucti s l i m i t ed t o h erow n actof i m po rt at i on , a di stri ct courtm ayl egi t i m at el y c on cl ud e thatthe couri erpl ay ed an i m po rt antor es se nt i al r o le in th e im p o rta tio n o f th o s e d ru g s .” ) . A s t o the se cond pron g o f the D e V ar on t es t , E stup i nan-Y es qu an ar gu es that hi s r ol e w as m i no r bec ause he di d n otow n the drug s, w as re crui t ed t o b e asa i l or, an d o n ly p ar ti cip ated in th e im p o rtatio n . H o w ev er , ev en if E stu p in an -Y es q u an ’s r ol e w a s l e s s than tha tof s om e othe rpa r t i c i pa nt s , thi s C our ts t a t e d i n D e V a r on thatthe fa ctthata def

endant ’ s r ol e i s l es s than thatof other part i ci pant s i nv ol ved d o e s n o t au to m a tic a lly e n title h im to am in o r - r o le r e d u c tio n b e c au s e it is p o s s ib le tha tnone of

the i ndi vi dua l s i s e nt i t l e d t o be am i norpa r t i c i pa nt . D e V a r on, 175 F . 3d a t944. M or e ove r , the di s tr i c tc our ts pe c i f i c a l l y not e d tha ti ti m pos e d the s a m e s e n te n c e o n E s tu p in a n - Y e s q u a n a s it im p o s e d o n o th e rc o - c o n s p ir a to r s w ith the s a m e r ol e . T hus , the di s tr i c tc our tdi d note rri n de t e rm i ni ng tha tE s tupi na nY e s qua n di d notqua l i f

y f oram i nor - r ol e r e duc t i on. B . B oo k er Es tu p i n a n - Y e s q u a n a l s o a r g u e s th a ta f t e rU n i t e d St a t e s v . Bo o k e r , 5 4 3 U . S.7

__, 125 S . C t . 738 ( 2005) , hi s 135- m onth s e nt e nc e w a s unr e a s onabl e be c aus e he pr e s e nt e d m i t i ga t i ng c i r c um s t a nc e s r e ga r di ng hi s l i f e , i nc l udi ng hi s l a c k of e d u c a tio n . I n B ooke r , the S upr e m e C our the l d tha tthe m a nda t ory na tur e of the S en ten cin g G u id elin es re n d er ed th em in co m p atib le w ith th e S ix th A m en d m en t’ s gu ar ant ee t o the ri gh tt o a j ury tri al . Id. at74 9-51 . T he S up re m e C ou rtdeci ded thatthe approp ri at e r em edy w as t o exci se tw o speci fi c s t atut ory provi si on s that m ade the G ui del i nes m andat ory, there by re nd er i ng the G ui del i nes a dv i sory . Id. at 764. T he S upr e m e C ourte xpl a i ne d tha t , “ [ w ] i thoutthe ‘ m a nda t ory ’ pr ovi s i on, the A c t n o n e th e le s s r e q u ir e s ju d g e s to ta k e a c c o u n t o f th e G u id e lin e s to g e th e rw ith other s ent enci ng go al s” cont ai ned i n § 35 53 (a ). Id. S ec t i on 35 53 (a ) provi des that di s tr i c tc ourt s i m pos i ng as e nt e nc e m us tc ons i de r , i nt e ra l i a , the na tur e a nd c i r c um s t a nc e s of

the of f e ns e , the hi s t ory a nd c ha r a c t e r i s t i c s of the de f e nda nt , the need for the se nt ence t o ref l ec tthe se ri ou snes s of the offens e, t o p rom ot e r es pect f orthe l a w , a nd t o pr ovi de j us tpuni s hm e ntf orthe of f e ns e , a nd the s e nt e nc i ng r a n g e e s tab lis h e d b y th e G u id e lin e s . S e e 1 8 U .S .C . § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) . P o s t- B o o k e r , w e r e v ie w s e n te n c e s f o ru n r e a s o n ab le n e s s . B o o k e r , 1 2 5 S . C t. a t765 ( quot a t i on a nd a l t e r a t i on om i tt e d) ; s e e a l s o U ni t e d S t a t e s v. C r a w f or d, 407 F . 3d 1174, 1178 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( not i ng tha t“ B ooke re s t abl i s he d a8

‘ re as on abl enes s’ st andard for the se nt ence fi nal l y i m po se d o n a defendant ”) . W e r e c e n tly h e ld th a t “n o th in g in B o o k e ro re ls e w h e r e r e q u ir e s th e d is tr ic t c o u r t to s t a t e on the r e c or d tha ti tha s e xpl i c i t l y c ons i de r e d e a c h of the § 3553( a ) f

a c t or s or t o di s c us s e a c h of

the § 3553( a ) f

a c t or s . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. S c ott , – F . 3d –, 2005 W L 2 3 5 1 0 2 0 , a t * 4 ( 1 1 th C ir . S e p t. 2 7 , 2 0 0 5 ) . W e c o n c lu d e th a t E s tu p in a n - Y e s q u a n ’s 1 3 5 - m o n th s e n te n c e is r e a s o n ab le . A s not ed abov e, E stup i nan-Y es qu an’ s s ent ence w as w i thi n the G ui del i nes r ange, on e of the expl i ci t§ 3 55 3(a) fa ct ors. 18 U . S . C . § 3 55 3(a) (4). A s the B oo ker C ou rt n o te d , “[ t]h e d is tr ic t c o u rts , w h ile n o t b o u n d to ap p ly th e G u id e lin e s , m u s t c o n s u lt th o s e G u id e lin e s a n d ta k e th e m in to a c c o u n t w h e n s e n te n c in g .” B o o k e r , 1 2 5 S . C t. at76 7. F urther, i ti s c l ear the di stri ctcourtconsul t ed the G ui del i nes a s a dv i sory a n d m a d e a n a c c u r a te c o m p u ta tio n o f th e G u id e lin e s r a n g e . T he di stri ctcourtal so consi dere d the other § 35 53 (a ) f ac t ors. T he di stri ct c ourts pe c i f

i c a l l y s t a t e d tha ti tw a s i m pos i ng as e nt e nc e a tthe l ow e nd of the G ui de l i ne s r a nge “ c ons i de r i ng a l l of the f a c t s unde rT i t l e 18, U ni t e d S t a t e s c ode 3 5 5 3 ( a ) .” N o th in g in th e r e c o r d c o n v in c e s u s th e s e n te n c e w a s u n r e a s o n ab le in l i g h to f th e § 3 5 5 3 (a) factors. W e are sati sfi ed u n d er th e ci rcu m st an ces o f th i s case tha tthe s e nt e nc e w a s r e a s onabl e . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. W i ni nge a r , – F . 3d –, 2005 W L 2 0 7 7 0 8 7 , a t * 4 ( 1 1 th C ir . A u g . 3 0 , 2 0 0 5 ) ( c o n c lu d in g s e n te n c e w a s r e a s o n ab le in9

l i gh tof the G ui del i nes r ange and the other f ac t ors out l i ned i n § 35 53 (a )) . I I I . CONCL US I ON U pon c a r e f

ul r e vi e w of

the r e c or d on appe a l , a nd upon c ons i de r a t i on of the pa rt i e s ’ br i e f

s , w e di s c e rn no r e ve r s i bl e e rr or . A c c or di ngl y , w e a f f i rm E s tupi na nY es qu an’ s s ent ence . AF F I RME D.