# 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 -2 5 37

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

Co rey Dam on Key s

l l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l l l ll Pet i t i o n er - Ap p el l a n t

v

.

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

l l l l l ll l ll l l l l l l l l l l l R es

p o nd en t - Ap p el lee

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Ap p eal fro m

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

fo r t he So ut hern Di s t ri ct o f Io w a - Des M o i n es

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Su bm i t t ed : Sep tem

ber 2 5, 2 0 19

Fi l ed : Decem

b er 5 , 2 0 1 9

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

Befo re BENTON, SHEPHERD, an d GRASZ, Ci rcu i t J ud g es

.

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

SHEPHERD, Ci rcu i t J u dg e.

Co rey Dam o n Key s fi l ed a m o t io n t o vacat e, s et as id e, o r co rrect s en t en c e

u n d er 2 8 U.S.C. § 2 25 5

, arg u i ng t h at t h e g ov ern m en t v i o l at ed Brad y v

. M ary l an d,

3 7 3 U.S. 8 3 (1 96 3 ), wh en i t fai l ed to d i s cl o s e p r o ffer i nt erv i ews th at were m at eri al

t o h i s arg u m en t at s en t en ci n g t h a t h e was n ot a career o ffen d er u n d er t h e Un i t edSt at es Sen t en ci n g G u id el i n es (USSG). Th e d i s tri ct co u rt 1 d en i ed hi s m o t i o n an d

g ran t ed a cert i fi cat e o f ap p eal ab i l i t y

. Hav in g j u ri s d i ct i o n u n d er 28 U.S.C. § 22 5 3

, we

affi rm

.

I.

C o rey Key s p l ed g u i lt y t o co n s p i racy t o d i st ri b u t e a s u b s t an ce co n t ai n i n g

co cai n e i n vi o l at i o n o f 2 1 U.S.C. § § 8 4 1 (a)(1 ), (b )(1 )(C), an d 8 46

. At sen t en ci n g

, t h e

p art i es d i s p u t ed w h et h er Key s s h o u l d b e d es i g n at ed as a career o ffen d er u n d er USSG

§ 4 B1 .1 b as ed o n h is Io wa d ru g t raffi ck i n g co n v i ct i o n s fro m 2 00 5

, 2 0 08

, an d 2 0 0 9.

Key s o b ject ed t o th e career-o ffen d er en h an cem en t, arg u i n g t h a t h i s 2 0 08 an d 2 0 0 9

c on v i ct io n s sh ou l d n o t b e co u n t ed as p red i cat es b ecau s e t h e co n d u ct u n d erl y i n g t ho se

c o nv i ct i o n s was “ rel ev an t co n d u ct ” to t h e fed eral o ffen s e o f co n vi ct io n

. In o t h er

wo rd s

, h e as s ert ed t h at h is 2 0 0 8 an d 2 0 0 9 Io wa d ru g t raffi ck i n g co n vi ct i o n s were p art

o f th e s a m e c o n s p i racy fo r wh i ch he p l ed g u i l t y an d was b ei ng s en t en ced

. Th e

d i s t ri ct co u rt reject ed t hi s arg u m e n t

, des i g n at ed Key s as a career offen d er, an d

s en t en ced h i m t o 1 5 1 m o n t hs i m p ri s o nm en t. W e affi rm ed o n d i rect ap p eal

. Un i t ed

St at es v . Key s , 7 8 5 F.3 d 1 2 4 0 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 5 ).

K e ys l at er fi l ed a m o t i o n t o v acat e, s et as i d e, or co rrect sen t en ce u n d er 2 8

U.S.C. § 2 2 5 5

. H e arg u ed t h at t h e g ov ern m en t v i o l a t e d Brad y wh en i t fai l ed to

d i s cl os e cert ai n p ro ffer i n te r v i e w s t h at were m at eri al t o hi s arg u m en t at s en t en ci n g

t h at h e was n o t a career o ffen d er. Sp eci fi cal l y

, Key s as s ert ed t h at t h e s e p ro ffer

i n t erv i ews p ro v i d ed fact u al s u p p o rt fo r h i s arg u m en t t h at h i s 2 0 0 8 an d 2 00 9 Io wa

d ru g -t raffi ck in g co n v i ct io n s were part o f t h e s am e co n s p i racy as h i s fed eral o ffen s e

o f co n vi ct i o n . He s u g g es t ed t h at t h e p ro ffer i n t erv i ews s h o wed t h at Key s ’ s fed eral

o ffen s e o f co n vi ct i o n was act u al l y p art o f a m u ch l o n g er co ns p iracy th at b eg an b efo re

1 Th e Ho n orab l e J o h n A. J arv ey

, Ch ief Ju 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

-h e was i n carcerat ed i n 2 00 8

, t h at Key s di d n o t wi t h d raw fro m t h i s co n s p i racy wh i l e

i n p r i s o n

, an d t hat Key s co n t i n u ed t o p art i ci p at e i n t h at co n s p i racy fo ll o wi n g h i s

rel eas e i n 2 0 1 2

.

Aft er n ot in g t h at i t wa s u n cl ear wh et h er t h e p ro ffer i n terv i ews fact u al l y

s u p p ort ed Key s ’ s arg u m en t, t h e d i s t r i c t co u rt co n cl u d ed t h at i t wo u ld h av e ap p l i ed

t h e s am e s e n t e n c i n g ran g e reg ard l es s o f wh et her Key s was a career o ffen d er.

Acco rd in g ly

, t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt fo u n d t h at t h e p ro ffer i n t erv i ews “ wo u l d n o t h av e h ad

an y i m p act o n t he o u t co m e o f t h e s en t en ci n g heari n g ” an d d en ied Key s ’ s m o t i o n o n

t h i s b as i s . It i ss u ed a cert i fi cat e o f ap p eal ab i li t y , an d t hi s ap p eal fo l l o w s

.

II.

“ To es t ab li sh a Brad y v i o l at i o n

, a d efen d an t m u s t s ho w t h a t t h e g o v ern m en t

s u p p res s ed ev i d en ce t h at w as fav o rab l e t o t he d efen d an t an d m at eri al ei th er t o g u i l t

o r t o p u n i s h m en t .” Un i t ed St at es v

. H e p p n e r

, 5 1 9 F.3 d 7 4 4, 7 5 0 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 0 8 ).

“ [E] v id en ce i s m at eri al o n l y i f th ere i s a reas on ab le p ro b ab i l i t y t h at

, h ad t h e ev i d en ce

b een d is cl os ed t o t h e d e f e n s e, t he res u l t o f t h e p ro ceed i n g wo ul d h av e b een

d i fferen t.” Un it ed St at es v

. Lad o u cer, 5 7 3 F.3 d 6 28

, 6 3 6 (8 t h Ci r. 20 0 9 ) (al t erat i o n

i n o ri g i n al ) (q u o t i n g Pen n s y l v an i a v

. Ri t ch i e, 4 8 0 U.S. 3 9

, 5 7 (1 9 8 7 )). W e rev i ew t h e

d i s t ri ct co u rt ’ s fact u al f

i n d i n g s f o r cl ear erro r an d i t s l eg al co n cl u s i on s d e n o v o.

W h i t e v . St eel e, 8 5 3 F.3 d 4 86 , 4 8 9 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 7 ).

Th e Gu i d el i n es d es i g n at e a d efen d an t “ as a career o ffen d er i f, a m o n g o t h er

t h i n g s

, h e ‘ h as at l eas t t wo p ri o r fel o n y co nv i ct i o n s of ei t h er a cri m e o f v i o l en ce o r

a co n t ro l led s u b s t an ce offen s e.’ ” Un i t ed St at es v

. Grad y

, 9 3 1 F.3 d 7 2 7

, 7 2 9 (8 t h Ci r.

2 0 1 9 ) (q u o t i n g USSG § 4 B1 .1 (a)). “ A pri o r fel o n y co n v i ct i o n co u n t s u n d er t h e

career o ffen d er p ro v i s i on i f t h e co n v i ct i o n i s ‘ co un t ed s ep arat el y u n der t h e p ro v i s i on s

o f § 4 A1 .1 (a), (b ), o r ( c ) ’ f r o m t he pres en t co n vi ct i o n .” Key s

, 7 8 5 F.3 d at 1 2 4 2

(q u o ti n g USSG § 4 B1

. 2 (c)). U n d e r USSG § 4 A1 .1

, a d efen d an t’ s cri m i n al h i s t o ry

-3

-s co re i n creas es fo r e ach “ p ri o r s en t en ce,” wh ich i s d efi n ed as “ an y s en t en ce

p rev i o u s l y i m

p o s ed u p o n ad

ju d i cat i on o f gu i l t

, wh et h er b y g u i lt y p l ea, t ri al

, o r p l ea

o f n o l o co n t en dere, fo r co n d u ct n o t p art o f t h e in s t an t o ffen s e.” Id . (q u o t i ng USSG

§ 4 A1 .2 (a)(1 )). Th e rel ev an t Ap p l i cat i o n No t e fu rt h er ex p l ai n s th at “ [c] o n du ct t h at

i s p art o f t h e i n s t an t o ffen s e m ean s co n d u ct t h at i s rel ev an t co n d u ct t o th e i n s t an t

o ffen s e u n d er t h e p ro v i s i o n s o f § 1B1 .3 .” U SSG § 4 A1

. 2

, cm t

. n

. 1

. Acco rd i n g l y

, “ i f

a p ri o r co n v i ct i o n i s rel ev an t co n d u ct un d er USSG § 1 B1 .3

, i t can n o t co u nt as a p ri o r

co n vi ct i o n u n d er t h e career o ffen d er p ro v is i o n .” Key s , 7 8 5 F.3 d at 1 24 2

.

Ev en as s u m i n g t h at t h e p ro ffer i nt erv i ews l e n d fact u al s up p o rt t o Key s ’ s

arg u m en t t h at h i s 2 00 8 an d 2 0 0 9 Io wa d ru g co nv i ct i o n s are rel ev an t co n d u ct t o t h e

fed eral o ffen s e o f co n v i ct io n, t h e g o v ern m en t ’ s fai l u re t o d is cl os e t he m d i d n ot

p reju d i ce Key s at s en t en ci n g . Th i s i s b ecau s e, as a m at t er o f l aw, Key s ’ s arg u m en t

was fo re c l o s ed b y Ap p li cat i o n No t e 8 t o USSG § 1 B1 .3

. See Un i t ed St at es v.

W al t erm an

, 3 4 3 F .3 d 9 3 8

, 9 4 1 n.3 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 0 3 ) (“ Sen t en ci n g g u i d el i n e

co m m en t ary is au t h o ri t at i ve u n l es s i t v i ol at es t h e Co n s t i t u ti o n o r i s in co n si s t en t wi th

fed eral l aw.”).

Ap p li cat i o n No t e 8 s tat es as fo l l o ws :

Fo r th e p u rp o s es o f s u b s ect i o n (a)(2 ), o f f e n s e co n d uct

as s oci at ed wi t h a s en t en ce t h at was i m p o s ed pri o r t o th e

act s o r o m i s si o n s co n s t i t u t i n g t h e i n st an t fed eral offen s e (t h e o ffen se o f co nv i ct io n ) i s n o t co n s i dered as p art of th e

s am e co urs e o f co nd u ct o r co m m o n s ch em e o r p l an as th e

o ffen s e o f co n v i ct i o n

.

USSG § 1B1 .3

, cm t. n .8 (No v

. 2 0 1 3 ). In reject i n g Key s’ s arg u m en t o n d i rect ap p eal

,

we ex p l ai n ed t h at :

-4

-Ap p li cat i o n N o te 8 p lai n l y p ro v i d es t hat p ri o r cri m i nal

co n d u ct f

o r w h i ch a s en t en ce was im po s ed befo re th e

co n d u ct ch arg ed i n t h e i n d i ct m en t i s no t rel ev an t co n d u ct

.

Ap p ly i n g A p p l i cat i o n No te 8 t o Key s

, hi s 2 0 08 an d 2 0 0 9

co n v i ct i o ns each res u l t ed i n “ a s en t en ce th at was im p o s ed

p ri o r t o t h e act s o r o m i s s i o n s co n s t it u t i n g t h e i n st an t

fede r a l of f e nse ” becau se t h e i n d i ct m en t an d p l ea ag reem en t

s p eci fi ed a co n sp i r a c y b eg i n n i n g o n o r ab o u t M arch 6

, 2 01 2

. Ap p l i cat io n No t e 8 pro v i d es t h at Ke y s’ s 2 0 0 8 an d

2 00 9 co n v i c ti o n s are n o t rel ev an t co n d u ct t o t h e p res en t

o ffen s e an d t hu s co u n t u n d er t h e career o ffen d er p ro v i s i o n

. Th e d i s t r i ct co u rt d id n o t err, cl earl y o r ot h erwi s e, i n

ap p l y i n g t h e career o ffen d er p ro v i si o n

.

Key s

, 7 8 5 F.3 d at 1 2 4 3 (i nt ern al ci t a t i o n s o m i t t ed ). Th e ab ov e an al y s i s i s n ot

affect ed b y t h e ex i s t en ce o f t h e p ro ffer i n terv i ews o r b y t h e i nfo rm at i o n p u rp o rt ed l y

co n tai n ed t h erei n

. Ev en i f t h ey t en d t o s h ow t h at t h e co n d uct u n d erl y in g Key s ’ s 2 0 0 8

an d 2 0 0 9 co n v i ct i o n s was part of t h e s am e o verarch i ng d ru g co ns p iracy as t h at

en co m p as s i n g t h e co n d u ct s u p p o rt i n g h i s fed eral offen se o f co n v i ct i o n

, K e ys

n ev ert h el es s was i n d i ct ed fo r, an d p l ed g u il t y t o

, a co n s pi racy t h at b eg an o n o r ab o ut

M arch 6

, 2 0 1 2

. Un d er t h e t erm s o f h i s p l ea ag reem en t

, h e ack n owl ed g ed t h at h e

jo i n ed th i s co ns p i racy at s o m e p o i n t aft er t h at d at e. Key s ’ s 2 00 8 an d 2 0 0 9 Io wa

co n vi ct i o n s led t o th e i m po s it i o n o f s en t en ce s p r i o r t o M arch 6, 2 0 1 2

. Th erefo re,

u n d er A p p l i cat i o n N o te 8

, t h e co n d uct u n d erl y i n g t h e 2 0 08 a n d 2 0 0 9 co n v i ct i on s

c a n n o t b e co n s i d ered as rel ev an t co n d u ct to t he fed eral o ffen s e o f co nv i c t i o n

.

Acco rd in g l y, K ey s ’ s 2 0 0 8 an d 2 0 0 9 Io wa co n v i ct io ns were p ro perl y cl as s i fi ed as

p red i cat es fo r t h e career-o ffen d er en h an cem en t

.

Becau s e we h o l d t h at Ap p l icat i o n No t e 8 fo recl o s e d Key s ’ s s en t en ci n g

arg u m en t

, we n eed no t co n s i d er wh et h er t h e d i s tri ct co u rt erred i n fi n di n g t h at i t was

u n cl ear w h e t h e r th e p ro ffer i n t erv i ews su p po rt ed Key s ’ s arg u m en t

. Si m i l arl y

, we

-5

-d ecl i ne t o co n s i d er wh et h er t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt co m m it ted a p ro ced u ral erro r i n fi n d i n g

t h at i t wo u l d h av e u s ed t h e s am e s en t en ci n g ran g e reg ard les s o f w h et h er Key s was

a career o ffen d er.

III.

Fo r t h es e reas on s , we affi rm t h e ju d g m en t o f t he d i s t ri ct co u rt

.

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

-6

-