FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEV EN T HC IRC U IT NOV 19, 2007 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ 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. 07- 10457 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 6 - 0 0 2 7 9 - CR- T- 1 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 J O H N J A I R O P E R L A Z A C A R V A J A L , 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

_________________________ ( N ove m b e r 19, 2007) B efo re C A RN E S , B A R K E T T an d H U L L , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: A f te rp le a d in g g u ilty , J o h n J a ir o P e r la z aC a rv a ja l ap p e a ls h is 1 6 8 - m o n thOn Oc tob er 6 , 2 00 6, thea

pp endix to T itl e46 wa s repe aled and reco di fi e d a s 4 6 U .S. C. 1 §§ 70503 and 70506 with no re levant cha ng es. See Pub. L . No. 109-304, 120 Stat. 1485 (2006). 2 s e nt e nc e f

orc 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 c oc a i ne w hi l e aboa r d a v e s s e l s u b

j e c tt o th e j u r i s d i c t i o n o f th e U n i t e d St a t e s , i n v i o l a t i o n o f 4 6 U . S. C. A p p . § 1 9 0 3 ( a ) , ( g ) , (

j) a n d 2 1 U .S .C . § 9 6 0 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( B ) ( ii) , a n d p o s s e s s io n w ith i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e c oc a i ne w hi l e aboa r d ave s s e l s ubj e c tt o the j ur i s di c t i on of the U n i t e d St a t e s , i n v i o l a t i o n o f 4 6 U . S. C. A p p . § 1 9 0 3 ( a ) , ( g ) , 2 1 U . S. C. § 960( b) ( 1) ( B ) ( i i ) a nd 18 U . S . C . § 2. 1 I . B AC KG RO UN D C a rva j a l w a s one of

ni ne c r e w m e m be r s on as m a l l ve s s e l tr a ns por t i ng appr oxi m a t e l y 5, 000 ki l ogr a m s of c oc a i ne . C a rva

j a l w a s one of

the ve s s e l ’ s f

our d eck h an d s. W he n the U ni t e d S t a t e s C oa s tG ua r d ( “ U S C G ” ) c a m e upon the ve s s e l , one o f th e c r e w m e m b e r s in s tru c te d th e o th e r s to p o u rg a s o lin e o n th e v e s s e l a n d s e t it on f i r e i n a n a tt e m ptt o de s tr oy the c oc a i ne . T he U S C G boa r de d the ve s s e l a nd ext i ng ui shed the fi re , bu tno tbefore tw o cre w m em bers sust ai ned sec on d and thi rd de gr e e burns tha tr e qui r e d s e ve r a l da y s of hos pi t a l i z a t i on. O ne of the burne d c ode f e nda nt s a s ke d a ge nt s tr a ns por t i ng hi m t o the hos pi t a l t o dr i ve f a s t e rbe c a us e he w a s in s u c h e x tr e m e p a in a n d h a d to b e h e a v ily s e d a te d s o th a t d o c to r s c o u ld r e m ove hi s burne d s ki n.3

C arvaj al w as i nd i ct ed and p l ed gu i l ty t o b oth cou nt s. T he pres ent ence in v e s tig a tio n r e p o r t ( “P S I ” ) s e t C a rv a ja l’s b a s e o f

f e n s e le v e l a t 3 8 , p u r s u a n t to U . S . S . G . § 2D 1. 1( a ) ( 3) , ba s e d on the 5, 000 ki l ogr a m s of c oc a i ne di s c ove r e d on the ve s s e l . T he P S I r e c om m e nde d athr e e - l e ve l r e duc t i on f ora c c e pt a nc e of r e s p o n s ib ility p u r s u a n t to U .S .S .G . § 3 E 1 .1 , r e s u ltin g in ato ta l o f f e n s e le v e l o f

3 5 . W i th a cr i m i nal hi st ory c at egory of I , the P S I r ec om m ended an adv i sorygu i del i nes r a n g e o f 1 6 8 to 2 1 0 m o n th s ’ im p r is o n m e n t. C a rva j a l obj e c t e d t o the P S I ’ s f a i l ur e t o i nc l ude atw o- l e ve l s a f e ty - va l ve re du ct i on and a tw o-l evel m i no r- rol e r educt i on . A tse nt enci ng , the di stri ctcourt ove rrul e d C a rva

j a l ’ s obj e c t i ons a nd a dopt e d the f a c tua l a l l e ga t i ons a nd the g u id e lin e c a lc u la tio n s in th e P S I . I n m i t i ga t i on, C a rva

j a l not e d hi s pove r ty i n C ol om bi a , hi s l a c k of e duc a t i on and h i s pas tand p re se ntfa m i l y c i rc um st ance s. C arvaj al al so no t ed the di spar i t i es a m o n g s e n te n c e s in d if

f e r e n t d is tr ic ts a r o u n d th e c o u n try f o rim p o r ta tio n o f

f e n s e s . C arvaj al as ked for a s ent ence bel ow the advi sorygu i del i nes r ange. T h e d is tr ic t c o u r t n o te d th e s ig n if ic a n t a m o u n t o f

d ru g s in v o lv e d in C a rva j a l ’ s of f e ns e s , the s e r i ous ne s s of the of f e ns e s a nd the ne e d f

orpuni s hm e nt tha tr e f l e c t e d the s e r i ous ne s s of the of f e ns e s . S t a t i ng tha ti tha d c ons i de r e d the advi sorygu i del i nes r ange and the 18 U . S . C . § 3 55 3(a) fa ct ors, the di stri ctcourtWere v iewa dis tric t c o urt’ s s a f

e ty- v alv e f

a c t- f inding f o r c le ar er ro r . Un ite d

St ate s v . Cr

uz, 2 106 F.3d 1553, 1557 ( 11th Cir. 1997). 4 i m po se d a 16 8-m on th sent ence , atthe l ow end o f the advi sorygu i del i nes r ange. C a rv a ja l f ile d th is ap p e a l. I I . DI S CUS S I ON A . S af

e t y - V al ve R e d u c t i on O n appe a l , C a rva

j a l a r gue s tha the w a s e nt i t l e d t o atw o- l e ve l s a f e ty - va l ve r e d u c tio n in h is o f

f e n s e le v e l. 2 U nde rthe s a f

e ty - va l ve pr ovi s i on, i f

ade f e nda ntc onvi c t e d of

c e r t a i n drug c r i m e s s a t i s f

i e s c e r t a i n c r i t e r i a , adi s tr i c tc our ts ha l l i m pos e as e nt e nc e w i thout r e g a r d t o a n y s t a tu t o ry m a n d a t o ry m i n i m u m , 1 8 U. S . C . § 3 5 5 3 ( f ) , U. S . S . G. § 5 C 1 .2 , a n d a ls o g iv e atw o - le v e l r e d u c tio n in th e d e f e n d a n t’s o f

f e n s e le v e l, U . S . S . G . § 2D 1. 1( b) ( 9) . A de f e nda ntha s the bur de n t o pr ove hi s e l i gi bi l i ty f or s a f e ty - v a lv e r e lie f

. U n ite d S ta te s v . C ru z , 1 0 6 F .3 d 1 5 5 3 , 1 5 5 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 7 ) . A m o n g th e cri t eri a th atm u stb e m et , th e d efen d an tm u stp ro v e th at“ th e o ffen se d id n o t r e s u lt in d e a th o rs e r io u s b o d ily in ju ry to a n y p e r s o n .” U . S . S . G . § 5 C 1. 2(a) (3). H er e, tw o o f C arvaj al ’ s c o-defendant s s uffe re d sec on d and thi rd degree burns on the i rbodi e s dur i ng a n a tt e m ptt o de s tr oy the c oc a i ne be f or e i tc oul d be d is c o v e r e d b y th e U S C G . T h e c o - d e f e n d a n ts ’ b u rn s w e r e s e r io u s e n o u g h toWe ordinarily review a district court’s determination of a defenda nt’s role in the off

ense f or 3 clea r er ror. United States v. D e Va ron, 175 F .3d 930, 937 (11th Ci r. 1 9 9 9 ) (e n banc) . However, be c a us eCarv a jal di d n ot s e e k a

four-l e ve l minim al- ro lere duc tio n, but rather a tw o- leve l mino r- ro le reduc tion, i n th e d i s tri ct cour t, we review Carva

jal’s claim on appe al for plain error . See United States v. Dunca

n, 381 F.3d 1070, 1073 ( 11th Cir. 2004). 5 re qu i re ho spi t al i za t i on for s ever al days and q ual i fyas “ se ri ou s bod i l y i nj ury. ” S ee U . S . S . G . § 1 B 1. 1 cm t . n. 1(L ) ( defi ni ng “ se ri ou s bod i l y i nj ury” t o i ncl ud e “ i nj ury i nv ol vi ng extre m e physi ca l pai n o r the protra ct ed i m pai rm entof a f un ct i on of a bo di l y m em ber, organ, or m ent al fa cul ty; or re qu i ri ng m edi ca l i nt ervent i on such as surgery, ho spi t al i za t i on , or ph ys i ca l re habi l i t at i on ”) . B ec ause tw o p eopl e s ust ai ned se ri ou s bod i l y i nj ury duri ng the offens e, C arvaj al fa i l ed t o m ee tthe cr i t er i a s et f o r th in § 5 C 1 .2 ( a ) ( 3 ) . A c c o r d in g ly , th e d is tr ic t c o u r t d id n o t c le a r ly e rrw h e n it de ni e d C a rva

j a l atw o- l e ve l s a f

e ty - va l ve r e duc t i on. B. M i t i g a t i ng R o l e R e duc t i o n C arvaj al ar gu es thatthe di stri ctcourterre d b y denyi ng hi m a f ou r- l evel m i t i ga t i ng- r ol e r e duc t i on. 3 If the defendantw as a m i no r part i ci panti n the cr i m i nal ac t i vi ty, the di stri ct c our tde c r e a s e s the of

f e ns e l e ve l by tw o l e ve l s . U . S . S . G . § 3B 1. 2( b) . A m i nor p a r tic ip a n t is o n e “w h o is le s s c u lp ab le th a n m o s t o th e rp a r tic ip a n ts , b u t w h o s e r o le c oul d notbe de s c r i be d a s m i ni m a l . ” U . S . S . G . § 3B 1. 2 c m t . n. 5. I f the de f e nda nt w a s am i ni m a l pa r t i c i pa nti n the c r i m i na l a c t i vi ty , the di s tr i c tc our tde c r e a s e s the6

of f e ns e l e ve l by f

ourl e ve l s . U . S . S . G . § 3B 1. 2( a ) . A m i ni m a l pa r t i c i pa nti s one w ho “ pl ay s am i ni m al rol e i n con ce rt ed ac t i vi ty” ; thi s phras e “ i s i nt ended t o cov er de f e nda nt s w ho a r e pl a i nl y a m ong the l e a s tc ul pabl e of thos e i nvol ve d i n the c o n d u c t o f

ag r o u p .” U .S .S .G . § 3 B 1 .2 c m t. n .4 . T h e d e f e n d a n t h a s th e b u r d e n to es t abl i sh hi s r ol e i n the offens e by aprepon dera nce of the evi dence. U ni t ed S t at es v . D e V a r o n , 1 7 5 F .3 d 9 3 0 , 9 3 9 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 9 ) ( e n b a n c ) . In det erm i ni ng w hether am i t i gat i ng -r ol e r educt i on appl i es , the di stri ctcourt c ons i de r s tw o pr i nc i pl e s : ( 1) the de f e nda nt ’ s r ol e i n the of

f e ns e c om pa r e d t o 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) the de f e nda nt ’ s r ol e c om pa r e d t o tha tof othe rpa r t i c i pa nt s i n the of f e ns e . I d. a t940- 45 . “ [I ] n the drug couri ercont ext. . . the am ou ntof drug s i m po rt ed i s am at er i al c ons i de r a t i on i n a s s e s s i ng ade f e nda nt ’ s r ol e i n [ hi s ] r e l e va ntc onduc t. . . . [ a nd] m a y b e d is p o s itiv e –in a n d o f its e lf –in th e e x tr e m e c a s e .” I d . a t 9 4 3 . A ddi t i ona l l y , “ w he n adrug c our i e r ’ s r e l e va ntc onduc ti s l i m i t e d t o [ hi s ] ow n a c tof i m po rt at i on , a di stri ctcourtm ayl egi t i m at el y c on cl ud e thatthe couri erpl ay ed an i m por t a ntore s s e nt i a l r ol e i n the i m por t a t i on of thos e drugs . ” I d. a t942- 43. W e c anno tsa y thatthe di stri ctcourt ’ s f ai l ure t o g i ve C arvaj al a f ou r- l evel m i ni m a l - r ol e r e duc t i on w a s pl a i n e rr or . I n c a l c ul a t i ng C a rva j a l ’ s of f e ns e l e ve l , the di s tr i c tc our the l d C a rva j a l a c c ount abl e onl yf

orthe a m ountof

c oc a i ne f

ound on7

th e v e s s e l. T h u s , C a rv a ja l’s a c tu a l c o n d u c t a n d h is r e le v a n t c o n d u c t a r e id e n tic a l. F urtherm ore, the 5, 00 0 k i l og ra m s of c ocai ne foun d o n the vess el i s asubst ant i al q u an t i ty. M or e ove r , C a rva

j a l w a s not , a s he m a i nt a i ns , the l e a s tc ul pabl e of the i de nt i f i abl e pa r t i c i pa nt s i n the drug i m por t a t i on s c he m e . C a rva j a l w a s one of

f our d e c k h a n d s o n th e v e s s e l. W h ile ad e c k h a n d m a y b e le s s c u lp ab le th a n th e c ap ta in of the vess el un der w ho se com m and h e w orks, thi s does notm ea n thatC arvaj al w as a m i ni m al part i ci pant . S ee i d. , 17 5 F . 3d at94 4 (st at i ng thatsom e c on spi ra ci es m ayno thave m i no r part i ci pant s) . C arvaj al ’ s e m ph as i s on o ther uni dent i fi ed part i ci pant s i n the l ar ger drug i m po rt at i on sc hem e i s unavai l i ng gi ven thathe w as he l d a c c ount abl e onl y f orhi s i nvol ve m e nti n the c oc a i ne s hi pm e ntf ound on the v es se l. S ee id . (ex p lain in g th at th e d istrict co u rt sh o u ldco m p ar e th e d ef en d an t’ s rol e onl y t o the other i dent i fi abl e part i ci pant s i n the re l evantcond uctand that

“ [t ] he cond uctof part i ci pant s i n any l ar ger c ri m i nal conspi ra cyi s i rr el evant ”) . C . R ea so n a b l en ess F in a lly , C a rv a

ja l a r g u e s th a t h is s e n te n c e is p r o c e d u r a lly u n r e a s o n ab le b e c a u s e th e d is tr ic t c o u r t m is c a lc u la te d h is a d v is o ry g u id e lin e s r a n g e b y f a ilin g to gi ve hi m s a f

e ty - va l ve a nd m i ni m a l - r ol e r e duc t i ons . S e e U ni t e d S t a t e s v. C r a w f or d, 407 F . 3d 1174, 1178- 79 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( c onc l udi ng tha t , a f t e rU ni t e d S t a t e s v.8

B o o k e r , 5 4 3 U .S . 2 2 0 , 1 2 5 S . C t. 7 3 8 ( 2 0 0 5 ) , th e d is tr ic t c o u r t m u s t c o rr e c tly c a lc u la te a n d c o n s id e rth e a d v is o ry g u id e lin e s r a n g e in f a s h io n in g a n ap p r o p r ia te s e nt e nc e ) ; U ni t e d S t a t e s v. H unt , 459 F . 3d 1180, 1182 n. 3 ( 11th C i r . 2006) ( e xpl a i ni ng tha tas e nt e nc e c a n be pr oc e dur a l l y unr e a s onabl e i f i tf a i l s t o f ol l ow the re qu i re m ent s out l i ned i n B oo ker) . W e have concl ud ed, ho w ever , thatthe di stri ctcourtprop er l y c al cul at ed C a rva j a l ’ s a dvi s ory gui de l i ne s r a nge . C a rva j a l of f e r s no othe ra r gum e nta s t o w hy hi s s e nt e nc e i s pr oc e dur a l l y ors ubs t a nt i ve l y unr e a s onabl e . F ur the rm or e , a f t e rour ow n revi ew of the re cord and con si dera t i on of the § 3 55 3(a) fa ct ors, w e c anno tsa y thatC arvaj al ’ s 168 -m on th sent ence , atthe l ow end o f the advi sorygu i del i nes ra ng e, i s unrea sonabl e. AF F I RME D.