# 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

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No . 1 8 -1 4 10

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

l ll l l l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l Pl a i n t i

f f - Ap pel l ee

v

.

Hard y An d rew Ko ch er

l ll l l l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l Def

en da n t - Ap pel l an t

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Ap p eal fro m

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

fo r t h e Di s t ri ct o f M i n n es o t a - St . Pau l

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Su b m i t t ed : Feb ru ary

1 1 , 2 01 9

Fi l ed : J ul y 3 0 , 2 0 1 9

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Befo re LOKEN, COLLOTON, an d KELLY, Ci rcu i t J u d g es

.

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LOKEN, Ci rcu i t J u d g e.

In t h i s ap p e a l of a 2 4-m o n t h s u p erv i s ed rel eas e rev o cat i o n s en t en ce, Hard y

An d rew K o ch er arg u es th e s en t en ce i s s u bs t an t i v el y u n reas o nab l e an d g reat er t h an

n eces s ary b ecau se t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt 1 v ari ed u p ward b as e d o n i nap p ro p ri at e

1 Th e Ho n o rab l e Pau l A. M ag nu s o n

, Un i t ed S ta t e s D istr ict J u d ge fo r t h e Di s t ri ct

o f M i nn es o t a.s p ecu l at i o n t h at K o c h e r m i g h t h av e co m m i t t ed an u n ch arg ed cri m e, an d d i d n ot

ap p ro p r i a t e l y co n s i d er t h e rel ev an t 1 8 U.S.C. § 3 5 5 3 (a) s en ten ci ng fact o rs

. Aft er

t h o ro u g h rev i ew o f t h e s en t en ci n g reco rd , we d is ag ree an d t h erefo re affi rm

.

I

.

Ko ch er p l ead ed g u il t y t o p os s es si o n o f c hi l d p o rn og rap h y i n 2 0 0 7 an d was

s en t en ced i n Jan uary 2 00 8 t o 2 7 m o n t h s i n pri s o n an d 1 0 y ears o f s u p erv i s ed rel eas e.

He b eg an t h e t erm o f s u perv i s ed rel eas e i n J an u ary 2 0 1 0

. H i s co n d i t i o n s o f

s u p erv i s i o n i n cl ud ed p art i ci p at i o n i n s ex o ffen d er t reat m en t an d n o co m p u t er u s e o r

acces s t o o n-l in e s erv i ce wi t h o u t p ri o r ap p ro v al o f t h e Pro b at i on Offi ce.

In t h e n ex t ei g h t y ears

, K o ch er freq uen t l y v i o l at ed co n d i t i o n s o f h i s s up erv i s ed

rel eas e. Th e di s t ri ct co u rt m o d i fi ed t h e co n d i t i o n s i n 2 0 1 2 an d 2 0 1 3 d u e t o Ko ch er’ s

p ers i st en t refu s al t o at ten d an d part i ci p at e i n sex o ffen d er t reat m en t

. In M arch 2 0 1 4,

Ko ch er was un su cces sfu l l y di s ch arg ed fro m t h e t reat m en t p ro g ram ; t he co u rt o rd ered

t h a t h e b e p laced i n a res i d en t i al reen t ry cen t er fo r 1 8 0 d ay s an d p art i ci p at e i n

l o cat io n m o n i t o ri n g u n t i l h e co m p l et ed s ex o ffen d er t reat m en t

. In Decem ber 2 0 1 5,

Ko ch er w as fo u n d i n p os s es s i o n o f ex p l i ci t i m ag es

, co n t rary t o t reat m en t ru l es

, an d

an ex t ern al h ard

- d r i v e was fo u n d at h i s res i d en ce. Th e co u rt ad d ed a s p eci al

co n di t i o n t h at h e “ n o t po s s es s

, v i ew, acces s , o r o t h erwi s e u se ch i l d p o rn o g rap h y o r

an y m at eri al th at i s s ex u al l y s t i m u l at i n g or sex u al l y o ri en ted d eem ed t o b e

i n ap p ro p ri at e b y [h i s ] Pro b at io n Offi cer i n co n s u l t at i o n wi t h t h e t reat m en t p ro v i d er.”

Th ro u g h o u t t h i s p eri o d

, Ko ch er was em p lo y ed at Ki n d er M org an as a t erm i n al

m al l op erat o r. In J u l y 2 0 1 6

, t h e Pr o b a t i o n Offi ce ap p ro v ed Ko ch er’ s u s e o f

em pl o y er co m

p ut ers an d In t ern et s y s t em fo r em p lo y m en t p u rp o s es o nl y

. In Au g u s t

2 0 1 7

, Ko c h er was term in at ed aft er Ki n d er M o rg an d i s co v ered t h at h e u s ed i t s

co m p u t er o u t s id e s ch ed u l ed h o u rs t o acces s s ex ual l y ex p l i ci t web si tes

. Th e nex t d ay

,

h e was d i s ch arg ed fro m t h e s ex o ffen d er t reat m en t p ro g ram

. An FBI fo ren s i c ex am

-2

-o f t wo co m

p u t ers t h at K o ch er u s ed at wo rk rev eal ed o v er 2 0 0 s earch es fo r th e wo rd

“ t een ,” p o rn o grap h ic i m ag es o f y o u n g ad u l t s t h at w ere n o t c o n f i r m e d t o b e ch i ld

p o rn og rap hy

, an d d o wn l oad i n g o f i m a g e s t o USB d ri ves t h at were n o t reco v ered

.

Th e Pro b at io n Offi ce fi l ed a Th ird A m en d ed Pet i t i o n o n Su perv i s ed Rel eas e al l eg i n g

Ko ch er v i o l at ed t h ree s p eci al co n d i t i o n s

.

Th e d i s t ri ct co u rt h el d a rev o cat io n h eari n g o n F e b ru ary 16

, 20 1 8

. At t h e

o u t s et

, Ko ch er ad m i t t ed v io l at i n g t wo t erm s o f s u p erv i s ed rel eas e: “ Sh al l p art i ci p at e

i n s ex o ffen d er t reat m en t

, ” an d “ Sh al l n ot p o ss es s

, vi ew, o r acces s an y m at eri al t h at

i s s ex u al l y s t i m

u l a t i ng .” Th e ad v is o ry Gu id el i n es p ro v i d e t h at th es e are Grad e C

v i o l at i o n s. See USSG § 7 B1

. 1 (a)(3 )(B). As Ko ch er’ s u n d erl y i n g ch i l d p o rn o g rap hy

o ffen s e was a Cl as s C fel o n y an d h e was i n Cri m i n al Hi s t ory Cat eg o ry I, h i s

m ax i m u m rev o cat i o n s en t en ce was 2 y ears i n pri s o n, s ee 1 8 U.S.C. § 3 5 8 3(e)(3 ), an d

h i s ad v is o ry g u i d el i n es sen ten ci n g ran g e was 3 t o 9 m o n t h s

, s ee USSG § 7 B1 .4 (a).

Defen s e co u ns e l ur ged th e co u rt t o i m p os e a n i n e-m o n t h s en t en ce, ack n o wl ed g i n g t h e

“ ag g rav at ed nat u re” o f Ko ch er’ s Grad e C vi o l at i o ns b u t e m p h as i zi n g “ t h at ch i ld

p o rn og rap hy was n o t d i s co v ered o n an y o f th e s u bm i t t ed co m p u t ers ,” th at Ko ch er’ s

cri m i n al h i s t o ry i n v o l v ed n o “ t o u ch i n g o ffen ses ” o r ph y si cal s ex u al m i s co nd u ct

, an d

t h at h e i s a d eco rat ed war v et eran wi t h a s t ro n g wo rk h i s t o ry

.

Th e g o vern m en t u rg ed a 2 4 -m on t h rev o ca t i o n s en t en ce bas ed o n Ko ch er’ s

s u s t ai n ed fai l u re t o co m

pl et e s ex o ffen d er t reat m en t an d hi s acces s i n g p o rn o g rap hy

o n h is em

p l o y er’ s co m

p u ters

. Th e g o v ern m en t q u es ti o n ed w h e t h e r t h ere was n o

ev i d en ce Ko ch er acces sed ch i l d p o rn o g rap h y : “ W e ju s t d o n ’ t know

, b ecau s e we d o n ’ t

h av e acces s t o t h o s e [u n reco v ered ] d ev i ces .” Th e di s t ri ct co u rt res p o n d ed

, “ Th at ’ s

t ru e. Bu t at t he s am e t o k e n

, I t h i n k we h av e t o l o o k at th e ch arg e t h at ’ s i n v o l v ed

h e r e

. ” In rep l y

, d efen s e co u n s el as s ert ed

, wi t h o u t o bject i o n b y t h e g o v ern m e n t :

“ Th ere’s n o d i s p u t e b et ween t h e G o v ern m en t an d th e Defen s e t h at t here’ s n o

ev i d en ce o f ch i l d p o rn o grap h y .” Th e d i st ri ct co u rt t h en an n o u n ced i t s ru l i ng :

-3

-W el l

, M r. Ko ch er, n o m ean s n o. An d t h at m ean s n o v i ewi n g o f

p o rn o g rap h y

. Th at m ean s w h en yo u ’r e res t ri ct ed fro m t h e i n t ern et

,

y o u ’ re res t ri ct ed fro m

t h e i n t ern et

.

It ju s t is a cas e t h at al l t h es e y ears th e u nd erl yi n g t h i n g h as n o t

b een res o l v ed , b u t cri m e i s co m m i t t ed . An d t h at ’ s wro ng

.

I t ’s fo r t h at reas o n t h at t he Co u rt i s of a m i n d an d do es b e l i e v e

t h a t u p ward d ep art u re i s ap p ro p ri at e. An d I’ m g o i n g to g ran t t hat

u p ward d ep art u re an d s en t en ce y o u t o t h e cu s t o d y o f t h e Bu reau o f

Pri s o n s fo r a p eri o d o f 2 4 m o n t h s

.

I I

.

Th e cru x of t h is ap p eal i s Ko ch er’ s co n t en t i o n t h at t h e d i s t ri ct co urt ’ s

s t at em en t

, “ cri m e i s co m m i tt ed ,” es t ab l i s h es t h at th e c o u rt b as ed i t s d eci s i o n to

i m p o s e a s ub s t an t i al u p ward d ep art u re o r v ari an ce on a fi n d in g o f fact n o t s u p p o rt ed

b y t he reco rd

-- t h at Ko ch er co m m i t t ed a “ cri m e,” vi ewi n g ch i l d p o rn o g rap h y

, n ot

m erel y th e s u p erv is ed rel eas e “ v i o l at i o n ” o f v i e wi n g ad u l t p o rn o grap h y o n h i s

em pl o y er’ s co m

p u t ers

. T h e l eg al p ri nci p l e i s s o u n d : “ i t i s a p ro ced u ral erro r fo r a

d i s t ri ct co u rt t o i m

p o s e a sen ten ce b as ed o n a cl earl y erro n eo u s fact .” Un i t ed St at es

v . Ry s er, 8 8 3 F.3 d 10 1 8 , 1 0 2 0 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 8 ). Bu t i t d o es n o t ap p l y i n t hi s cas e.

Fi rs t

, t h e as sert i o n t h at th e d i st ri ct co u rt fo u n d t hat Ko ch er co m m i tte d the cri m e

o f v iewi n g ch i ld p o rn o grap h y i s d i rect ly co n t rad i ct ed b y t h e r e c o r d

. At t h e

rev o cat i on h e a r i n g

, w h en go v ern m en t co u n s el no t ed th ere m i g h t hav e b een ch i ld

p o rn og rap hy

o n t he u n reco vered d ev i ces , t he d i s tri ct co u rt s t at ed , “ we h av e t o l o o k

at th e ch arg e th at ’ s i n vo l v ed h ere.” Bo t h at t o rn ey s t h en ag reed

, “ t h ere’ s n o ev i d en ce

o f ch i l d po rn o g rap h y .” Aft er t hi s ex ch an g e, i t d efi es l og i c t o arg u e t h e di s t ri ct co urt ’ s

referen ce t o “ cri m e” refl ec t e d a n u n s tat ed fi n d in g t he co u rt kn ew t h e reco rd wo u ld

n o t s u p po rt

. Of co u rs e, d efen s e co un s el co u l d h av e as k ed t h e co u rt fo r cl ari fi cat i o n;

h av in g fai l ed t o d o s o , t h e arg u m en t fo r an i l l o g i cal i nt erp ret at i o n i s fo rfei t ed

.

-4

-Seco n d

, v iewed i n co n tex t

, t h e di s t ri ct co u rt ’ s s tat em en t

, “ cri m e i s co m m i t t ed ,”

ei t h er m ean t “ a v io lat i o n is co m m i tt ed ,” referri ng t o t h e ad m i t t ed s up erv i s ed rel eas e

v i o l at i o n s, o r referred t o a s t ri ng o f fact s wel l es t ab li s h ed b y t h e reco rd

-- Ko ch er’ s

i n i t i al ch i l d p o rn o g rap h y o ffen s e, h is p ers i s t en t refu s al t o co m pl y w i t h a l eg al

o b l i g at i o n t o p art ici p at e i n an d co m p l et e s ex offen d er t reat m en t

, an d h i s rep eat ed

v i o l at i o n s o f co n d i t io n s l i m it in g h i s acces s t o co m p u t ers an d p o rn o grap h i c w eb s i t es

.

Th e co u rt was si m

p l y ex p l ai n in g wh y t h e rev o cat i o n ev i den ce “ s u p po rt [ed ] t h e v i ew

t h at a [rev ocat i o n ] s en t en ce h i g h er t h an t h e g u i d el i n es s u g g es t ed w as n eces s ary to

d et er an d i ncap aci t at e t h i s o ffen d er.” Un i t ed St at es v

. Nel s o n

, 45 3 F.3 d 1 0 0 4

, 1 0 0 6

(8 t h Ci r. 2 0 0 6 ); s ee Un i t ed St at es v

. Ro d ri g u ez, 6 6 8 F

. A p p ’ x 1 1 4, 11 5 (5 t h Ci r.

2 0 1 6 ) (t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt “ s p o ke o f ‘ p u n i s h m en t [] ’

. . . as a sh o rt h an d w ay o f referri n g

t o t h e p en al t y t h at Ro dri g u ez was t o r e c e i v e fo r h av i n g v i o l at ed t h e t erm s o f

[s u p e r v i s ed rel eas e] ”). Th u s

, as i n Un i t ed St at es v. M al l o y

, “ t h e reco rd s h o ws t h at

t h e co u rt d i d no t rel y o n [a] n ew l aw v i o lat i o n ,” v iewi n g c h i l d p o r no g rap h y

, in

i m p o s i n g t he 2 4 -m o n t h s en t en ce. 3 4 3 F. Ap p ’ x 14 9

, 1 5 2 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 09 ). Fo r t h es e

reas on s

, we co n cl u d e t h e d i s t ri ct c o u r t d i d n o t co m m i t p lai n p ro ced u ral erro r by

b as i n g i t s s en t en ce o n a fact n o t s u p p o rt ed b y t h e reco rd

.

Ko ch er ad d i t i o n al l y arg u es t he d is tri ct co u rt d i d n o t ad e q u at el y ex p l ai n i t s

ch o sen s en t en ce, d i d n o t ad eq u at el y co n s i der m i t i g at i n g fact o rs

, an d i m p o s ed an

u n d u l y h ars h p en al ty

. W e d is ag ree. On th i s ex t en si v e reco rd o f rep eat ed s up erv i s ed

rel eas e v i o l at i o n s

, t he di s tri ct co u rt ’ s b ri ef ex p l an at i o n was m ore t h an s u ffi ci en t “ to

al l o w fo r m ean i n g fu l ap p el l at e rev i ew an d t o p r o m o t e t h e p ercep t i o n o f fai r

s en t en ci n g .” Gal l v. U n i ted St at es

, 5 5 2 U. S

. 3 8

, 5 0 (2 0 0 7 ). W e h av e freq u en t l y

u p h el d rev o cat i o n s en t en ces t h at v ari ed u pward fro m t he ad v i s ory

g u i d el i n es ran g e

b ecau s e d efen d an t w as a “ reci d i v is t v i o l at or” o f s u p erv i s e d rel eas e co n d i t i o n s

.

M al lo y

, 3 4 3 F. Ap p ’ x at 1 5 1

. Th i s i s n ot “ t h e u n us u al cas e wh en we rev ers e a d i s t ri ct

co u rt s en t en ce -- wh et h er wi t h in

, ab o v e, o r bel o w t h e ap p li cab le Gu i del i n es ran g e

--

as s u b st an t i v el y u n reas o n ab le. ” U n i t e d St at es v

. Feem st er, 57 2 F.3 d 4 5 5

, 4 6 4 (8 th

-5

-Ci r. 2 00 9 ) (en b an c). Th ere was n o ab u s e of t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt ’ s s u b s t an t i al s en t en ci n g

d i s cret i o n

.

W e affi rm t he Am en d ed J u d g m en t i n a Cri m i n al Cas e d at ed Feb ru ary 1 6

, 2 0 1 8.

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