FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT N ove m be r 15, 2007 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

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________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 0 0 3 6 5 - CR- T- 2 7 - TBM 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 U L P I A N O M I N A , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

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________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 0 0 3 6 5 - CR- T- 2 7 TBM 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 s2

T E O F I L O R E N T E R I A - B R A V O , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

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________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 0 0 3 6 5 - CR- T- 2 7 - TBM 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 R I C H A R V A L L E C I L L A - V E L E Z , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

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________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 0 0 3 6 5 - CR- T- 2 7 - TBM 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 s3

J O S E C A R L O S B E L A L C A Z A R - V A L L E A L L A , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

________________________ N o. 06- 15769 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 0 0 3 6 5 - CR- T- 2 7 - TBM 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 L E O N A R D O A N C H I C O - J I M E N E Z , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

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________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 0 0 3 6 5 - CR- T- 2 7 - TBM 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 s4

S E R G I O P O R T O C A R R E R O - R E I N A , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

________________________ N o. 06- 15869 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 0 0 3 6 5 - CR- T- 2 7 - TBM 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 V I R G I L I O C A I C E D O , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

________________________ N o. 06- 15910 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 0 0 3 6 5 - CR- T- 2 7 - TBM 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 B E N I T O M U R I L L O - C U E R O , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.5 ________________________ A pp ea l s f

rom 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

_________________________ ( N ove m b e r 15, 2007) B efo re M A R C U S , W IL S O N an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: In these consol i dat ed appeal s, U l pi ano M i na, S er gi o P ort ocarre ro-R ei na, V i rgi l i o C ai ce do , T eofi l o R ent er i a- B ra vo , L eonardo A nchi co-J i m enez , R i char V al l ec i l l a- V el ez , Jose C ar l os B el al ca zar- V al l ea l l a, and B eni t o M uri l l o-C uero appe a l the i rc onvi c t i ons f orpos s e s s i on w i th i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e f i ve ki l ogr a m s or m ore of c ocai ne w hi l e on b oard a ves se l subj ec tt o the j uri sdi ct i on of the U ni t ed S t a t e s a nd c ons pi r a c y t o pos s e s s w i th i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e f i ve ki l ogr a m s orm or e of coca i ne w hi l e on b oard a ves se l subj ec tt o the j uri sdi ct i on of the U ni t ed S t at es . S ee 4 6 U .S .C . ap p . § § 1 9 0 3 ( a ) , ( g ) , ( j) ( 1 9 9 4 ) ; 1 8 U .S .C § 2 ; 2 1 U .S .C . § 96 0(b)(1)(B)(i i ). M i na, B el al ca zar- V al l ea l l a, V al l ec i l l a- V el ez , and M uri l l o-C uero a ls o ap p e a l th e irs e n te n c e s im p o s e d b y th e d is tr ic t c o u rt. T he de f e nda nt s pr e s e ntthr e e a r gum e nt s . F i r s t , a l l of the de f e nda nt s c ont e nd th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u rt la c k e d s u b je c t m a tte rju r is d ic tio n . S e c o n d , f o u rd e f e n d a n ts c ont e nd tha tthe y w e r e e nt i t l e d t o m i norr ol e r e duc t i ons i n the i rs e nt e nc e s . T hi r d, th r e e d e f e n d a n ts a r g u e th a t th e irs e n te n c e s a r e u n r e a s o n ab le .6

A . T he D ef enda nt s W ai ve d T hei r A rgum ent

T ha t T hei r C on vi ct i on s A re Inval i d In T h e irU n c o n d itio n a l G u ilty P le a s . T he defendant s argue thatthei r c on vi ct i on s are i nv al i d b ec ause the di stri ct courtl ac ked subj ec tm att erj uri sdi ct i on . T he defendant s c on t end thatthe di stri ct courterroneou sl y c on cl ud ed thatthe “ R i o M arI w as , atthe t i m e i tw as i nt er di ct ed by the U ni t ed S t at es C oastG uard, a ves se l subj ec tt o the j uri sdi ct i on of the U ni t ed S t a t e s , [ be c aus e ] the gove rnm e ntof [ C ol om bi a ] , the F /V R i o M a rI ’ s f l a g na t i on, c ons e nt e d t o the e nf

or c e m e ntof

U ni t e d S t a t e s l a w by the U ni t e d S t a t e s . ” S e e 46 U .S .C . A p p . § § 1 9 0 3 ( a ) , ( c ) ( 1 ) ( C ) , ( f ) . W e d is a g r e e . T he pr obl e m f

ore a c h de f

e nda nti s tha te a c h e nt e r e d a n unc ondi t i ona l pl e aof g u ilty . W e r e v ie w d e n o v o w h e th e rav o lu n ta ry , u n c o n d itio n a l p le ao f g u ilty w a i ve s the abi l i ty t o appe a l apa rt i c ul a ri s s ue . S e e U ni t e d S t a t e s v. P a tt i , 337 F . 3d 13 17 , 13 20 n. 4 (11 th C i r. 20 03 ). “ [A ] vo l un t ary, un cond i t i on al gu i l ty pl eaw ai ves a ll n o n ju r is d ic tio n a l d e f

e c ts in th e p r o c e e d in g s .” I d . a t 1 3 2 0 . T h e d e f e n d a n ts ’ a r g u m e n t th a t ju r is d ic tio n d id n o t e x is t o v e rth e R io M a rI is di f f e r e ntf r om ac ha l l e nge t o the author i ty of the di s tr i c tc ourtove rthe c a s e a nd c ontr ove r s y . U nde rthe M a r i t i m e D rug L a w E nf or c e m e ntA c t , “ [ i ] ti s unl a w f ul f or an y p erso n . . . o n b o ard a v essel su b j ectt o th e j u ri sd i ct i o n o f th e U n i t ed S t at es” know i ngl y t o pos s e s s w i th the i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e ac ontr ol l e d s ubs t a nc e . 46 U . S . C . A pp . § 1 90 3(a) . B ec ause the i nd i ctm ent s of the defendant s c harged them w i th a vi ol at i on of thi s l aw of the U ni t ed S t at es , the di stri ctcourthad sub j ec t7

m a tt e rj ur i s di c t i on ove rthe i ra c t i ons . S e e M c C oy v. U ni t e d S t a t e s , 266 F . 3d 1245, 1252 n. 11 ( 11th C i r . 2001) ; 18 U . S . C . § 3231. T he de f e nda nt s w a i ve d the a r gum e nttha tthe R i o M a rI w a s notave s s e l s ubj e c tt o the j ur i s di c t i on of the U ni t ed S t at es w hen they pl ea ded g ui l ty uncon di t i on al l y. S ee P att i , 33 7 F . 3d at 1 3 2 0 . B . T he A r gum e nt of Mi na, B e lalc az ar - V

al le al la, V

al le c i l la- V

e lez, and Mur i l loCu e r o Th a t

Th e y We r e En t i t le d

To A Mi n o rRo le Re du c t i o n I s Su b j e c t To An E n fo r c e a b le Ap

p e a l W a iv e r . M i na, B el al ca zar- V al l ea l l a, V al l ec i l l a- V el ez , and M uri l l o-C uero argue that the di s tr i c tc ourte rr e d w he n i tde ni e d the m am i norr ol e r e duc t i on, butthe g o v e rn m e n t c o n te n d s th a t a n e n f o r c e ab le ap p e a l w a iv e rb a r s th is a r g u m e n t. A de f e nda ntm a y w a i ve hi s s t a tut ory r i ghtt o appe a l . S e e U ni t e d S t a t e s v. G r i na r dH e nry , 399 F . 3d 1294, 1296 ( 11th C i r . 2005) . “ W a i ve rw i l l be e nf or c e d i f the gove rnm e ntde m ons tr a t e s e i the r : ( 1) the di s tr i c tc ourts pe c i f i c a l l y que s t i one d the d e f e n d a n t ab o u t th e w a iv e rd u r in g th e p le ac o llo q u y , o r( 2 ) th e r e c o r d c le a r ly show s thatthe defendantotherw i se un ders t oo d the ful l si gn i fi cance of the w ai ver. ” I d. ( quot i ng U ni t e d S t a t e s v. B e ni t e z - Z apa t a , 131 F . 3d 1444, 1446 ( 11th C i r . 1997) ( in te rn a l q u o ta tio n m a rk s o m itte d ) . W e a gree w i th the go vernm ent . T he re cord es t abl i shes thatthe di stri ctcourt s pe c i f i c a l l y que s t i one d M i na , B e l a l c a z a r - V a l l e a l l a , V a l l e c i l l a - V e l e z , a nd M ur i l l oC uero du ri ng the pl eacol l oq uy abou tthe appeal w ai ver and adequat el y e xp l ai ned8

the si gn i fi cance of the w ai ver. B ec ause M i na, B el al ca zar- V al l ea l l a, V al l ec i l l aV el ez , and M uri l l o-C uero kn ow i ng l y and vo l un t ar i l y w ai ved the ri gh tt o app ea l th e irs e n te n c e s o n th is g r o u n d , w e d is m is s th is p o rtio n o f th e irap p e a ls . C . T h e Sen ten ces o

f Mi n a , V a l leci l la -V

elez, a n d B ela lca za r-V

a l lea l la A re R e a s o n a b le . T h ree o f th e d efen d an t s ch al l en g e th e reaso n ab l en ess o f th ei r sen t en ces. M in aa r g u e s th a t h is s e n te n c e o f 1 8 8 m o n th s o f

im p r is o n m e n t is u n r e a s o n ab le be c aus e the gove rnm e ntof f e r e d t o r e c om m e nd as e nt e nc e of e i ghty e a r s of i m pri sonm entand M i na’ s hi st ory and char ac t er i st i cs supp orti m po si t i on of a l ow er s e nt e nc e . V a l l e c i l l a - V e l e z ar gue s tha thi s s e nt e nc e of 235 m onths of

i m pr i s onm e nt is g r o s s ly d is p r o p o rtio n a te to s im ila r ly s itu a te d d e f e n d a n ts . B e la lc a z a r - V a lle a lla c ha l l e nge s hi s be l ow - G ui de l i ne s s e nt e nc e of 144 m onths of

i m pr i s onm e nta nd ar gu es thathi s “ se nt ence i s di spar at e f rom the other s i m i l ar l y s i tuat ed defendant . ” T h e s e a r g u m e n ts f

a il. W e r e vi e w as e nt e nc e f orr e a s onabl e ne s s . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. T a l l e y , 431 F . 3d 7 8 4 , 7 8 5 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . “R e v ie w f o rr e a s o n ab le n e s s is d e f e r e n tia l.” I d . a t 7 8 8 .

“ [ T ] he pa rty w ho c ha l l e nge s the s e nt e nc e be a r s the bur de n of e s t abl i s hi ng tha tthe s e nt e nc e i s unr e a s onabl e i n the l i ghtof both [ the ] r e c or d a nd the f a c t or s i n s e c t i on 3553( a ) . ” I d. “ W he n w e r e vi e w as e nt e nc e f orr e a s onabl e ne s s , w e do not , a s the d i stri ctco u rtd i d , d et erm i n e th e ex actsen t en ce t o b e i m p o sed . ” Id . “ W e m u st e va l ua t e w he the rthe s e nt e nc e i m pos e d by the di s tr i c tc ourtf a i l s t o a c hi e ve the9

pu rposes of se nt enci ng as st at ed i n sec t i on 35 53 (a ). ” I d. “ [W ] hen the di stri ctcourt i m po se s ase nt ence w i thi n the advi soryG ui del i nes r ange, w e ordi nari l y w i l l expect th a t c h o ic e to b e ar e a s o n ab le o n e .” I d . T he transcr i ptof the se nt enci ng hear i ng es t abl i shes thatthe di stri ctcourt s e nt e nc e d M i na , V a l l e c i l l a - V e l e z , a nd B e l a l c a z a r - V a l l e a l l aa f t e rc a r e f ul c ons i de r a t i on of

the i ra r gum e nt s i n f

a vorof m i t i ga t i on, the G ui de l i ne s , a nd the s e nt e nc i ng f

a c t or s of s e c t i on 3553( a ) . M i naw a s s e nt e nc e d a tthe l ow - e nd of the G ui de l i ne s r a nge . V a l l e c i l l a - V e l e z ’ s s e nt e nc e w a s w i thi n the G ui de l i ne s - r a nge a nd hi gh erthan the se nt ence s of hi s c od ef endant s bec ause the di stri ctcourtdet erm i ned that , un l i ke som e of the other defe nd ant s, V al l ec i l l a- V el ez w as no tent i t l ed t o an re du ct i on for a cc ept ance of re spon si bi l i ty. B el al ca zar- V al l ea l l a’ s s ent ence w as be l ow the G ui de l i ne s r a nge . T he s e nt e nc e s of M i na , V a l l e c i l l a - V e l e z , a nd B e la lc a z a r - V a lle a llaa r e r e a s o n ab le . A F F I R M E D I N P A R T ; D I S M I S S E D I N P A R T .