FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P E A LS E LE V EN T HC IRC U IT NOV 30, 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- 11629 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 06 -000 03 -C R -4-J T C -3 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 N A T H A N W Y N 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 o rth e N o r th e rn D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( N ove m b e r 30, 2007) B efo re A N D E R S O N , B L A C K 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: N a th a n W y n n ap p e a ls h is s e n te n c e im p o s e d a f te rp le a d in g g u ilty to2

tr a ns por t i ng a s t ol e n m ot orve hi c l e i n i nt e r s t a t e c om m e r c e , i n vi ol a t i on of 18 U .S .C . § 2 3 1 2 . W e a d d r e s s W y n n ’s is s u e s o n ap p e a l in tu rn , a n d a f f ir m h is se nt ence . I . W y nn a s s e r t s the di s tr i c tc our tc om m i tt e d r e ve r s i bl e e rr orby f a i l i ng t o m a ke an expl i ci tfi nd i ng as t o the l oss a m ou ntof the st ol en vehi cl es un t i l af t er de t e r m i ni ng w ha tthe c our tc ons i de r e d a r e a s onabl e s e nt e nc e f orW y nn. W y nn al so cont ends the di stri ctcourtcl ea rl y e rr ed w hen i tre l i ed on the di sput ed pres ent ence i nv es t i gat i on re po rt(P S I) t o m ake i t s f ac tual fi nd i ng thatthe l oss w as m or e tha n $70, 000. W y nn a s s e r t s tha tonc e he c ha l l e nge d the f a c tua l f i ndi ng, the G ov ernm entfa i l ed t o est abl i sh the l oss a m ou ntby a pre po nd er ance of the evi dence usi ng “ re l i abl e a nd spec i fi c e vi dence. ” W e r e v ie w a d is tr ic t c o u r t's a m o u n t- o f - lo s s d e te r m in a tio n f

o rc le a re rr o r . U ni t e d Stat e s v . M

ac hado , 333 F . 3d 1225, 1227 ( 11th C i r . 2003) . W he n a de f e nda ntc ha l l e nge s one of the ba s e s of

hi s s e nt e nc e a s s e tf

or th i n the P S I , the go vernm entbear s the bu rden of es t abl i shi ng the di sput ed fa ctby a pre po nd er ance o f th e e v id e n c e . U

n i t ed S ta t es v. L iss , 2 6 5 F .3 d 1 2 2 0 , 1 2 3 0 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) . W e have expl ai ned “ the prepon dera nce s t andard i s nott oo thl es s. Iti s the di stri ct c our t ’ s duty t o e ns ur e tha tthe G ove rnm e ntc a rr i e s thi s bur de n by pr e s e nt i ng3

re l i abl e a nd spec i fi c e vi dence. ” U ni t e d Stat e s v . B e r nar di ne , 73 F . 3d 1078, 1080 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 6 ) ( e m p h a s is o m itte d ) . W h e r e th e d e f e n d a n t p r o v id e s e v id e n c e to r e butthe a l l e ga t i on i n the P S I , “ c our t s m a y nots i m pl y a c c e pta c onc l us i on i n the P S I w i tho utany e vi dent i ary s up po rt . ” I d. a t1082. O nce W ynn o bj ec t ed t o the val ue attri bu t ed t o the st ol en vehi cl es i n the P S I, th e G o v e rn m e n t b o r e th e b u r d e n o f p r o o f b y a p r e p o n d e r a n c e o f

th e e v id e n c e . W ynn speci fi ca l l y r ef

er ence d evi dence of the i nsurance pay ou ton the vehi cl es w hi c h w a s l e s s tha n $70, 000 a nd a r gue d the de a l e r s hi p l i s tpr i c e s r e l i e d upon i n the P S I w e r e nota r e l i abl e r e f l e c t i on of

the f a i rm a r ke tva l ue . I n r e s pons e , the G o v ern m en tsp eci fi cal l y st at ed th ere w as n o ad d i t i o n al ev i d en ce t o su p p o rtth e l o ss a m ountf i gur e othe rtha n the de a l e r s hi p’ s e s t i m a t e of l i s tva l ue a nd a gr e e d the i ns ur a nc e pa y outw a s a m or e r e l i abl e f i gur e . T he pr oba t i on of f i c e rc oul d pr ovi de no a ddi t i ona l s our c e t o s uppor tthe l os s c a l c ul a t i on i n the P S I . D e s pi t e r e c ogni z i ng the deal er shi p’ s l i stpri ce s c ou l d b e overs t at ed and w i tho utre ce i vi ng any f urther e vi de nc e , the di s tr i c tc our ta dopt e d the P S I ’ s a s s e s s m e ntof l os s s pe c i f

i c a l l y ba s i ng i t s f i nd i ng on the cont es t ed l i stpri ce s provi ded b y the deal er shi p. W hi l e “ [a ] se nt enci ng courtm ay re l y on d i sput ed fa ct s i n a se nt enci ng re po rtw hen t hey a re s how n by s om e r e l i abl e pr oof a l l ow i ng the c our tt o c onc l ude i ti s notunl i ke l y the s ta te m e n ts a r e tru e ,” th e G o v e rn m e n t f a ile d to m e e t its b u r d e n in th is c a s e . See4

U ni t e d Stat e s v . D e l

gado , 56 F . 3d 1357, 1371 ( 11th C i r . 1995) . B e c a us e the G ove rnm e ntf

a i l e d t o pr ovi de a ny e vi de nc e of the l os s a m ountothe rtha n the a lr e a d y d is p u te d e v id e n c e , w e c o n c lu d e th e d is tr ic t c o u r t c le a r ly e rr e d in det erm i ni ng the l oss a m ou ntw as the val ue st at ed i n the P S I. II . W y nn a s s e r t s thi s e rr orw a s notha r m l e s s . I n U ni t e d Stat e s v . Ke e ne , 470 F .3 d 1 3 4 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 ) , w e h e ld th a t w h e r e th e s e n te n c in g ju d g e s p e c if ic a lly i n d i cat es h e w o u l d h av e reach ed th e sam e sen t en ce u n d er § 3 5 5 3 (a), a h arm l esserror type of a nal ys i s m ustbe appl i ed t o d et erm i ne w hether

the se nt ence i m po se d throu gh the al t ernat i ve or fa l l back r e a s oni ng of

§ 3553( a ) [ i s ] r e a s onabl e . I n de t e r m i ni ng w h eth er i ti s reaso n ab l e w e m u stassu m e th atth ere w as a gui de l i ne s e rr or— tha tthe gui de l i ne s i s s ue s houl d ha ve be e n de c i de d i n the w a y the de f e nda nta r gue d a nd the ad v i so ry ran g e red u ced acco rd i n g l y— an d th en ask w he the rthe f

i na l s e nt e nc e r e s ul t i ng f r om c ons i de r a t i on of th e § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) f

a c to r s w o u ld s till b e r e a s o n ab le . I d. a t1349. A l though the di s tr i c tc our tor i gi na l l y s t a t e d i tw a s notgoi ng t o rul e on the obj e c t i on t o the e i ght - l e ve l i nc r e a s e f orl os s a m ount , pr i ort o s e nt e nc i ng W y nn, the di stri ctcourtconfi rm ed i tw as adop t i ng the advi sory G ui del i nes r ange i n the P S I, 46 t o 57 m onths , a s the r a nge t o us e i n f a s hi oni ng W y nn’ s s e nt e nc e . T he sen t en ci n g co u rtal so ex p ressl y i n d i cat ed th atreg ard l ess o f w h eth er th e l o ss5

am o u n td i ct at ed a si x o r ei g h t -l ev el i n crease in th e o ffen se l ev el , i t , n o n eth el ess, w ou l d h ave i m po se d the sa m e 52-m on th sent ence . T hu s, i n l i gh tof Ke e ne , we ap p ly th e h a r m le s s - e rr o ra n a ly s is in o r d e rto d e te r m in e w h e th e rth e 5 2 - m o n th se nt ence w ou l d b e r ea sonabl e und er§ 3 55 3(a) . A ss um i ng the di stri ctcourtshou l d h ave det erm i ned t hatthe l oss a m ou ntw as be tw e e n $30, 000 a nd $70, 000, W y nn’ s t ot a l of f e ns e l e ve l s houl d ha ve be e n 14 r a the rtha n 16. W i th a t ot a l of f e ns e l e ve l of

14 a nd a c r i m i na l hi s t ory c a t e gory of V I, W yn n ’ s resu l t i n g G u i d el i n es ran g e sh o u l d h av e b een 3 7 t o 4 6 m o n th s’ i m pri sonm ent . “ T he qu es t i on then i s w hether the [52-m on th] se nt ence the court i m pos e d i s r e a s onabl e , a s s um i ng e xa c t l y the s a m e c onduc ta nd othe rf a c t or s i n the ca se , bu tusi ng an advi sory ra ng e of [ 37 t o 4 6] m on ths. ” I d. a t1350. II I. W ynn ass ert s hi s s ent ence i s unrea sonabl e bec ause the di stri ctcourtfocuse d onl y on W y nn’ s c r i m i na l hi s t ory w hi c h i s m i t i ga t e d by hi s c hi l dhood, hi s drug a d d ic tio n , h is a c c e p ta n c e o f r e s p o n s ib ility , a n d h is a s s is ta n c e to a u th o r itie s . R e a s onabl e ne s s r e vi e w i s de f e r e nt i a l a nd “ the pa r ty 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 gh tof bo th [the] re cord and t he fa ct ors i n sec t i on 35 53 (a ). ” U ni t ed Stat es v. T al l ey , 4 3 1 F .3 d 7 8 4 , 7 8 8 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . W h e n “r e v ie w in g th e u ltim a te6

se nt ence i m po se d b y the di stri ctcourtfor r ea sonabl enes s, w e c on si der the fi nal s e nt e nc e , i n i t s e nt i r e ty ” r a the rtha n e a c h i ndi vi dua l de c i s i on m a de dur i ng the s e n te n c in g p r o c e s s . U

n ite d S ta te s v . M

a r tin , 455 F . 3d 1227, 1237 ( 11th C i r . 2006) (q u o t at i o n s o m i tt ed ). “ T h e w ei g h tt o b e acco rd ed an y g i v en § 3 5 5 3 (a) factor is a m att ercom m i tt ed t o the soun d d i sc re t i on of the di stri ctcourt . ” U ni t ed Stat es v. Wi l l i a ms , 45 6 F . 3d 13 53 , 13 63 (11t h C i r. 20 06 ). “ W hen revi ew i ng the l engt h o f a s e nt e nc e f

orr e a s onabl e ne s s , w e w i l l r e m a nd f orr e s e nt e nc i ng i f

w e a r e l e f

tw i th the de f i ni t e a nd f

i r m c onvi c t i on tha tthe di s tr i c tc our tc om m i tt e d a c l e a re rr orof j ud gm enti n w ei gh i ng the § 3 55 3(a) fa ct ors by a rr i vi ng ata s ent ence thatl i es ou t si de the ra ng e of r ea sonabl e s ent ence s di ct at ed by the fa ct s of the ca se . ” I d.

“ If th e G u i d el i n es cal cu l at i o n i s co rrect , o r i f th e m i scal cu l at i o n i s h arm l ess, w e c o n s id e rw h e th e rth e s e n te n c e is r e a s o n ab le ” in lig h t o f th e f a c to r s o u tlin e d in § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) a n d th e d is tr ic t c o u r t’s r e a s o n s f o rim p o s in g a p a r tic u la rs e n te n c e . I d . at 1360- 61. I nc l ude d a m ong the § 3553( a ) f a c t or s a r e ( 1) the na tur e a nd c ir c u m s ta n c e s o f

th e o f f e n s e ; ( 2 ) th e h is to ry a n d c h a r a c te r is tic s o f th e d e f e n d a n t; ( 3 ) th e n e e d t o r e f

l e c tth e s e r i o u s n e s s o f

th e o f f e n s e , t o p r o m o t e r e s p e c tf o rth e l a w, a nd t o pr ovi de j us tpuni s hm e ntf orthe of f e ns e ; ( 4) the ne e d f

orde t e rr e nc e ; ( 5) the n e e d to p r o te c t th e p u b lic ; ( 6 ) th e S e n te n c in g G u id e lin e s r a n g e ; a n d ( 7 ) th e n e e d to a v o id u n w a n te d s e n te n c in g d is p a r itie s . See 18 U . S . C . § 3 55 3(a) . T he di stri ct7

c o u r t, h o w e v e r , is n o t r e q u ir e d “to s ta te o n th e r e c o r d th a t it h a s e x p lic itly consi dere d eac h o f the § 3 55 3(a) fa ct ors or t o d i sc uss e ac h o f the § 3 55 3(a) fa ct ors. ” U

n ite d S ta te s v . Sc o tt , 4 2 6 F .3 d 1 3 2 4 , 1 3 2 9 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . W ynn canno tca rry the bu rden of show i ng thathi s 52-m on th sent ence w as unr e a s onabl e e ve n w i th a n a s s um e d a dvi s ory r a nge of 37 t o 46 m onths . T he d is tr ic t c o u r t s p e c if

ic a lly s ta te d th a t, r e g a r d le s s o f its G u id e lin e s c a lc u la tio n s , it w ou l d h ave i m po se d a 52 -m on th sent ence base d o n the nature a nd ci rc um st ance s of the of f e ns e a nd W y nn’ s hi s t ory a nd c ha r a c t e r i s t i c s . T he r e c or d de m ons tr a t e s the di s tr i c tc our tc ons i de r e d W y nn’ s hi s t ory a nd c ha r a c t e r i s t i c s a nd the ne e d f orthe s e nt e nc e i m pos e d t o pr om ot e r e s pe c tf orthe l a w , t o pr om ot e j us tpuni s hm e ntf or th e o f f e n s e , to p r o te c t th e p u b lic f r o m f u tu r e c r im e s o f

th e d e f e n d a n t, a n d to p r o v id e a d e q u a te d e te rr e n c e to c r im in a l c o n d u c t. T h e d is tr ic t c o u r t’s d e c is io n is supp ort ed by the un obj ec t ed-t o fac t s f rom the P S I thatW ynn, at27 ye ar s of a ge, ha d a c r i m i na l r e c or d tha ti nc l ude d, a m ong othe r s , c onvi c t i ons f orthe f tby s hopl i f t i ng, f or ge ry , bur gl a ry , c r i m i na l tr e s pa s s , the f tby t a ki ng, the f

tby r e c e i vi ng s to le n p r o p e r ty , a n d e n te r in g a n a u to . T h e P S I a ls o r e c o u n ts s e v e r a l in s ta n c e s in w h ic h W y n n v io la te d p r o b a tio n b y c o m m ittin g o th e rc r im e s . W ynn’ s a rgum entthathi s s ent ence i s unrea sonabl e bec ause he ac ce pt ed r e s p o n s ib ility b y p le a d in g g u ilty a n d p r o v id in g in f o r m a tio n to in v e s tig a to r s is8

b el i ed b y th e factth ath e w as u n ab l e t o ad h ere t o th e t erm s o f h i s p re-tri al rel ease and rel apse d i nt o d rugs. In fa ct , the di stri ctcourtspec i fi ca l l y not ed thati tho ped th e le n g th o f

th e s e n te n c e w o u ld “a f f o r d s o m e h e lp ” f

o rW y n n ’s d ru g a d d ic tio n . A c c o r d in g ly , u n d e rth e s e c ir c u m s ta n c e s , w e c a n n o t c o n c lu d e th a t a 5 2 - m o n th s e nt e nc e i s unr e a s onabl e gi ve n a G ui de l i ne s r a nge of 37 t o 46 m onths or46 t o 57 m o n th s . See U

ni te d Stat e s v . L oz ano , 490 F . 3d 1317, 1324- 25 ( 11th C i r . 2007) (hol di ng a 72-m on th sent ence w as st i l l re as on abl e e ven i f the G ui del i nes r ange w as 2 1 t o 2 7 m o n th s rath er th an 6 3 t o 7 8 m o n th s g i v en th e seri o u sn ess o f th e o ffen se and t he need t o aff

ord j ustpu ni shm entand d et erre nce) ; Ke e ne , 470 F . 3d a t1350 (hol di ng a 120 -m on th sent ence w as re as on abl e a ss um i ng an advi sory G ui del i nes ra ng e of 84 t o 1 05 m on ths ra ther than 1 00 t o 1 25 m on ths). A cc ordi ng l y, w e a ff i rm th e s e n te n c e im p o s e d b y th e d is tr ic t c o u r t. AF F I RME D.