FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT Febr uar y 7, 2008 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. 07- 11071 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D. C . Do c k e tNo . 0 6 - 0 0 0 3 9 - C R - OR L - 2 8 J GG 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 A W R E N C E A L E X A N D E R A L V A R A D O , a .k .a . L a w r e n c e A . A lv a r a d o , a .k .a . L a w r e n c e A lv a r a d o , a .k .a . P a c m 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

_________________________ ( F e b r u ar y 7, 2008) B efo re B IR C H , D U B IN A an d B A R K E T T , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

L aw re nce A l exander A l vara do appeal s hi s c on vi ct i on for posse ss i on of a fi re arm by a c on vi ct ed fe l on , i n v i ol at i on of 18 U . S . C . § 9 22 (g)( 1) and 9 24 (e )( 1), and h i s 218 -m on th sent ence i m po se d p ursuantt o the A rm ed C ar ee r C ri m i nal A ct (“ A C C A ”) . A l vara do ra i se s three i ss ues on app ea l . F i rs t , he ar gu es thatthe di stri ctcourt e rr e d i n a c c e pt i ng hi s gui l ty pl e aw he r e he e xpr e s s e d hi s be l i e f a tthe pl e ahe a r i ng tha the w oul d r e c e i ve ar e c om m e nda t i on f oras ubs t a nt i a l a s s i s t a nc e r e duc t i on, un der U . S . S . G . § 5 K 1. 1, i n exchang e f or hi s gui l ty pl ea . A l vara do as se rt s that because hi s gui l ty pl eaw as m ade a s the re sul tof a per ce i ved p rom i se , hi s pl eaw as i n vi ol a t i on of

F e de r a l R ul e of

C r i m i na l P r oc e dur e 11( b) ( 2) , w hi c h r e qui r e s the courtt o ensure thatthe pl eai s vol un t ary. S ec on d, A l vara do ar gu es thatthe di stri ct c o u rt ab u s e d its d is c r e tio n in d e n y in g h is m o tio n to w ith d r a w h is g u iltyp le a , a s h is un contra di ct ed bel i ef

thatthe go vernm enthad p rom i se d h i m a s ub st ant i al a s s is ta n c e r e c o m m e n d a tio n e s tab lis h e d af a ira n d ju s t r e a s o n to w ith d r a w h is g u ilty p le a . T h ir d , A lv a r a d o a r g u e s th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u rt c o m m itte d p la in e rr o rin se nt enci ng hi m as an arm ed care ercr i m i nal , as the go vernm entfa i l ed t o p rove at s e nt e nc i ng tha thi s pr i orf e l ony c onvi c t i ons qua l i f i e d a s e i the rs e r i ous drug o f f e n s e s , o rv i o l e n tf

e l o n i e s , a s r e q u i r e d b yth e AC C A. I. A cc ep tan ce of G u i l ty P l ea3

W h e n ad e f

e n d a n t f a ils to o b je c t to aR u le 1 1 v io la tio n in th e d is tr ic t c o u rt, w e r evi ew the di stri ctcourt ’ s c om pl i ance w i th R ul e 11 for pl ai n err or. U ni t ed S ta te s v . M o r ia rty , 4 2 9 F .3 d 1 0 1 2 , 1 0 1 9 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . T o p r o v e p la in e rr o r , a defe nd antm ustshow : (1) e rr or, (2) thati s pl ai n, and (3) thataf fe ct s s ub st ant i al ri gh t s. U ni t ed S t at es v. T urner, 47 4 F . 3d 12 65 , 12 76 (11th C i r. 20 07 ). If al l three c o n d itio n s a r e m e t, w e m a y e x e r c is e d is c r e tio n to r e c o g n iz e th e e rr o r , if it

“ se ri ou sl y a ff

ec t s the fa i rnes s, i nt egri ty, or pu bl i c r eput at i on of j ud i ci al p r o c e e d in g s .” I d . ( c ita tio n a n d q u o ta tio n o m itte d ) . B e c aus e apl e aof

gui l ty i s aw a i ve rof

s e ve r a l c ons t i tut i ona l r i ght s , the D ue P r oc e s s C l aus e r e qui r e s the pl e at o be e qua l l yvol unt a rya nd know i ng. M c C a rthy v. U ni t ed S t at es , 39 4 U . S . 45 9, 46 6, 89 S . C t . 11 66 , 11 71 , 22 L . E d. 2d 41 8 (19 69 ); S ee F ed . R . C ri m . P . 1 1 (b )(2 ) (“ B efo re accep t i n g a p l ea o f g u i l ty. . . th e co u rtm u st a d d r e s s th e d e f

e n d a n t p e r s o n a llyin o p e n c o u rt a n d d e te rm in e th a t th e p le ais v o lu n ta ry a n d d id n o t r e s u lt f r o m f o r c e , th r e a ts , o rp r o m is e s ( o th e rth a n p r o m is e s in apl e aa gr e e m e nt ) . ” ) . F e d. R . C r i m . P . 11 i m pos e s upon adi s tr i c tc ourtthe o b l i g at i o n an d resp o n si b i l i ty t o co n d u cta search i n g i n q u i ry i n t o th e v o l u n t ari n ess of a def endant ’ s gui l ty pl ea . U ni t ed S t at es v. S i egel , 10 2 F . 3d 47 7, 48 1 (11 th C i r. 1 9 9 6 ) . A l th o u g h ac o u rtd o e s n o tn e c e s s a r i l yc o mmi te rr o ri f i to mi t s s o me i t e ms unde rR ul e 11, ac ourta c c e pt i ng agui l typl e am us tc om pl yw i th R ul e 11 a nd4

s p e c if ic a llya d d r e s s th r e e c o r e c o n c e rn s , in c lu d in g th a t ad e f e n d a n t e n te rh is g u ilty p le af r e e f r o m c o e r c io n . M o r ia rty , 4 2 9 F .3 da t 1 0 1 9 . A l vara do has notm ethi s burden o f dem on stra t i ng pl ai n err or, as he has f a i l e d t o s h o w an e rr o rs o p l a i n th a tth e c o u rto b v i o u s l yv i o l a t e d R u l e 1 1 ( b ) ( 2 ) . At the pl eahear i ng the m agi stra t e j ud ge addres se d A l vara do pers on al l y and i n o pen c o u rt. H e q u e s tio n e d A lv a r a d o a s to a n yp le aa g r e e m e n t h e m ig h t h a v e m a d e w ith the go vernm ent , as ki ng , "i s thatcorr ec t . . . . thatyou p roff er ed w i tho uta pl ea agre em ent , " t o w hi ch A l vara do re spon ded, "Y es , si r. " W hen asked i f he bel i eved thatthe go vernm enthad p rom i se d h i m anythi ng , A l vara do re spon ded n o. A ft er co n t i n u ed q u est i o n i n g fro m th e j u d g e ab o u tan y o ral p ro m i ses o r rep resen t at i o n s, A l vara do st at ed thatthere w er e no o ra l prom i se s or r epre se nt at i on s, bu tthat"I w as unde rthe i nf

l ue nc e tha tI ge tar e c om m e nda t i on. . . . f orw ha tI di d. " T he j udge the n a s ke d, " B uty ou di dn' ts i gn apl e aa gr e e m e nt , di d y ou? " A l va r a do the n s poke t o hi s a tt orne y of

f the r e c or d, a f

t e rw hi c h the j udge a ga i n a s ke d hi m w he the rhe h a d e ith e raw r itte n o ro r a l p le aa g r e e m e n t w ith th e g o v e rn m e n t, to w h ic h h e a g a in r e s p o n d e d n o . A lv a r a d o s p e c if ic a llyto ld th e m a g is tr a te ju d g e a t h is c h a n g e - o f

- p le ah e a r in g th a t h e h a d n e ith e ra n o r a l n o raw r itte n p le aa g r e e m e n t. A lth o u g h A lv a r a d o d id in itia llys ta te th a t h e th o u g h t h e w o u ld g e t a r e c om m e nda t i on f

r om the gove rnm e nt , a f t e rc ons ul t a t i on w i th hi s a tt orne ya nd5

further quest i on i ng fr om the court , he cl ar i fi ed thatno w ri tt en or oral pl ea a g r e e m e n te x i s t e d . T h u s , h e f a i l s t o e x p l a i n h o w th e c o u rts h o u l d h a v e k n o wn ab o u t a n y a lle g e d p r o m is e . A c c o r d in g ly , th e m a g is tr a te ju d g e d id n o t c o m m it pl ai n err or i n acc ept i ng A l vara do ’ s gui l ty pl ea . II . W i th d raw alof G u i l ty P l ea W e r e v ie w ad is tr ic t c o u rt’s d e c is io n to d e n yam o tio n to w ith d r a w ag u ilty p le af o ra n ab u s e o f

d is c r e tio n . U n ite d S ta te s v . M e d lo c k , 1 2 F .3 d 1 8 5 , 1 8 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 4 ) . I n r e v ie w in g ac o u rt’s d e n ia l o f w ith d r a w a l o f

ag u iltyp le a , w e “w ill r e ve r s e onl y i f

[ the di s tr i c tc ourt ’ s ] ul t i m a t e c onc l us i on i s a rbi tr a ryor unr e a s onabl e . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. F r e i xa s , 332 F . 3d 1314, 1318 ( 11th C i r . 2003) ( i nt e rna l quot a t i ons a nd c i t a t i ons om i tt e d) . A f t e rthe di s tr i c tc ourtha s a c c e pt e d a gui l ty pl e aa nd be f

or e s e nt e nc i ng, the de f

e nda ntm a yw i thdr a w agui l typl e ai f ( 1) th e d is tr ic t c o u rt r e

je c ts th e p le aa g r e e m e n t, o r( 2 ) “th e d e f e n d a n t c a n s h o w af

a ir a n d ju s t r e a s o n f

o rr e q u e s tin g th e w ith d r a w a l.” F e d .R .C r im .P . 1 1 ( d ) ( 2 ) ( A ) - ( B ) . I n d e te rm in in g w h e th e rth e d e f e n d a n t h a s m e t h is b u r d e n o f s h o w in g “af

a ir a nd j us tr e a s on f

orr e que s t i ng the w i thdr a w a l , ” adi s tr i c tc ourtm a yc ons i de rthe t o t al i ty o f th e ci rcu m st an ces su rro u n d i n g th e p l ea, i n cl u d i n g th e fo l l o w i n g fact o rs:

“ (1) w hether c l ose a ss i st ance of coun se l w as avai l abl e; (2) w hether the pl eaw as know i ng a nd vol unt a ry ; ( 3) w he the rj udi c i a l r e s our c e s w oul d be c ons e rve d; a nd ( 4)6

w h e th e rth e g o v e rn m e n t w o u ld b e p r e ju d ic e d if

th e d e f e n d a n t w e r e a llo w e d to w i thdr a w hi s pl e a . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. B uc kl e s , 843 F . 2d 469, 472 ( 11th C i r . 1988) ( i nt e rna l c i t a t i on om i tt e d) . H ow e ve r , the di s tr i c tc ourti s notr e qui r e d t o f i nd p r e ju d ic e to th e g o v e rn m e n t b e f o r e it c a n d e n yad e f

e n d a n t’s m o tio n to w ith d r a w . I d. a t474. F urthe rm or e , “ [ t ] he r e i s as tr ong pr e s um pt i on tha tthe s t a t e m e nt s m a de d u r in g th e [ p le a ] c o llo q u y a r e tru e .” M e d lo c k , 1 2 F .3 d a t 1 8 7 . C o n s e q u e n tly , a d e f e n d a n t b e a r s ah e a v y b u r d e n to s h o w th a t h is s ta te m e n ts u n d e ro a th w e r e f a ls e . U n ite d S ta te s v . R o g e r s , 8 4 8 F .2 d 1 6 6 , 1 6 8 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 8 8 ) . C ons i de r i ng the t ot a l i ty of the c i r c um s t a nc e s a s de s c r i be d above , A l va r a do h a s f a ile d to e s tab lis h af

a ira n d ju s t r e a s o n f

o rr e q u e s tin g th e w ith d r a w a l o f h is gu i l ty pl ea , and the di stri ctcourt ’ s dec i si on t o d eny hi s m ot i on w as nei ther a rb itr a ry n o ru n r e a s o n ab le . II I. A rm ed C aree r C ri m i n alA ct T he A C C A prov i des f

or a 15-ye arm andat ory m i ni m um se nt ence for a de f e nda ntw ho i s c onvi c t e d unde r18 U . S . C . § 922( g) ( 1) a nd ha s thr e e pr i or conv i ct i on s by any courtfor avi ol entfe l on y or s er i ou s drug o ff ense , or bo th. S ee 18 U . S . C . § 924( e ) . A vi ol e ntf e l ony m e a ns a nyc r i m e puni s habl e by i m pri sonm entfor at erm exce edi ng on e y ear and has a s an el em ent“ the use, att em pt ed use, or threa t ened use of physi ca l forc e a gai nstthe pers on of another. ”7

1 8 U . S . C . § 9 2 4 (e)(2 )(B ). A “ seri o u s d ru g o ffen se” i n cl u d es a st at e o ffen se “in v o lv in g m a n u f

a c tu r in g , d is tr ib u tin g , o rp o s s e s s in g w ith in te n t to . . . d is tr ib u te , a control l ed subst ance . . . for w hi ch a m axi m um t erm of i m pri sonm entof t en ye ar s or m ore i s pre sc ri bed b y l aw . ” I d. at§ 9 24 (e )( 2)(A )( i i ). W e r evi ew de no vo w hether apart i cul arconv i ct i on i s a“ vi ol entfe l on y” or a

“ seri o u s d ru g o ffen se” w i th i n th e m ean i n g o f § 9 2 4 (e). U n i t ed S t at es v . Jam es, 4 3 0 F .3 d 1 1 5 0 , 1 1 5 3 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) ( in te rn a l q u o ta tio n s a n d c ita tio n s o m itte d ) . H ow ever , obj ec t i on s or argum ent s thatar e notra i se d atthe di stri ctcourt , ar e r e vi e w e d f

orpl a i n e rr oronl y . M or i a rty , 429 F . 3d a t1018- 19. W he n ade f e nda nt do es no tobj ec tt o fac t s a l l eged i n the P S I, the defendantadm i t s tho se fa ct s. U ni t ed S t a t e s v. W a de , 458 F . 3d 1273, 1277 ( 11th C i r . 2006) , c e rt . de ni e d, 127 S . C t . 2096 ( 2007) ; s e e a l s o, U ni t e d S t a t e s v. B e nne tt , 472 F . 3d 825, 834 ( 11th C i r . 2006) ( no error i n rel yi ng on un di sput ed fa ct s i n P S I t o d et erm i ne nature of predi ca t e c ri m es for A C C A pu rposes ). B e c au s e A lv a r a d o f

a ile d to o b

je c t to th e u n d e r ly in g f

a c ts in th e P S I a s to pr i orf e l ony c onvi c t i ons , he a dm i tt e d thos e f a c t s . T hus , the r e w a s no e rr ori n the de t e rm i na t i on tha tA l va r a do’ s pr i orf e l ony c onvi c t i ons w e r e vi ol e ntf e l oni e s a nd s e r i o u s d ru g o f

f e n s e s u n d e rth e AC C A. AF F I RME D.