FI L ED

U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S

EL EVENTH CI RCUI T

DEC 8, 2008

THOMAS K. KAH

N

CL ERK [ D O N O T P U B L I S H ]

I N T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S C O U R T O F A P P E A L S

F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C I R C U I T

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

N o

. 0 8

- 1 2 0 8 6

N o n

- A r g u m e n t C a l e n d a r

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

D

. C

. D o c k e t N o

. 0 7

- 0 0 0 9 1

- C R

- H L

- 5

U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A

,

P l a i n t i f f

- A p p e l l e e

,

v e r s u s

B E N J A M I N F

. C O L B E R T

,

D e f e n d a n t

- A p p e l l a n t

.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A p p e a l f r o m t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s D i s t r i c t C o u r t

f o r t h e M i d d l e D i s t r i c t o f G e o r g i a

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

( D e c e m b e r 8

, 2 0 0 8 )

B e f o r e C A R N E S

, M A R C U S a n d F A Y

, C i r c u i t J u d g e s

.

P E R C U R I A M :

B e n j a m i n C o l b e r t a p p e a l s f r o m h i s 3 0

- m o n t h s e n t e n c e f o r m a k i n g a f

a l s es t a t e m e n t t o o b t a i n f e d e r a l e m p l o y e e s ’ c o m p e n s a t i o n i n v i o l a t i o n o f 1 8 U

. S

. C

.

§ 1 9 2 0

. H e a r g u e s ( 1 ) t h a t h i s s e n t e n c e w a s u n r e a s o n a b l e a n d ( 2 ) t h a t

, s i n c e t h e

s e n t e n c e w a s h i g h e r t h a n t h e a d v i s o r y G u i d e l i n e s r a n g e

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t e r r e d i n

f a i l i n g t o n o t i f

y h i m b e f

o r e i m p o s i n g i t

. A f

t e r t h o r o u g h r e v i e w

, w e a f f i r m

.

G e n e r a l l y

, w e r e v i e w a s e n t e n c e a d i s t r i c t c o u r t i m p o s e s f o r

“ r e a s o n a b l e n e s s

, ” w h i c h “ m e r e l y a s k s w h e t h e r t h e t r i a l c o u r t a b u s e d i t s

d i s c r e t i o n

. ” U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. P u g h

, 5 1 5 F

. 3 d 1 1 7 9

, 1 1 8 9 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 8 ) ( q u o t i n g

R i t a v

. U n i t e d S t a t e s

, 1 2 7 S

. C t

. 2 4 5 6

, 2 4 6 5 ( 2 0 0 7 ) )

. I n r e v i e w i n g s e n t e n c e s f o r

r e a s o n a b l e n e s s

, w e p e r f o r m t w o s t e p s

. I d

. a t 1 1 9 0

. F i r s t

, w e m u s t “ ‘ e n s u r e t h a t

t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t c o m m i t t e d n o s i g n i f i c a n t p r o c e d u r a l e r r o r

, s u c h a s f a i l i n g t o

c a l c u l a t e ( o r i m p r o p e r l y c a l c u l a t i n g ) t h e G u i d e l i n e s r a n g e

, t r e a t i n g t h e G u i d e l i n e s

a s m a n d a t o r y

, f

a i l i n g t o c o n s i d e r t h e § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) f a c t o r s

, s e l e c t i n g a s e n t e n c e b a s e d

o n c l e a r l y e r r o n e o u s f

a c t s

, o r f a i l i n g t o a d e q u a t e l y e x p l a i n t h e c h o s e n s e n t e n c e

- -

i n c l u d i n g a n e x p l a n a t i o n f o r a n y d e v i a t i o n f

r o m t h e G u i d e l i n e s r a n g e

. ’ ” I d

.

( q u o t i n g G a l l v

. U n i t e d S t a t e s

, 1 2 8 S

. C t

. 5 8 6

, 5 9 7 ( 2 0 0 7 ) )

. I f w e c o n c l u d e t h a t 1

The § 3553(a ) fa ctors include: ( 1) the na ture a nd circ umstances of

the offe nse and the 1

history and cha rac teristics of the de fenda nt; (2) the nee d for the se ntence imposed to refle ct the

seriousness of the offe nse, to promote re spect for the law, a

nd to provide just punishment for the

offe nse; (3) the need f

or the sente nce imposed to a ffor d adequa te deter renc e; (4) the need to

protec t the public; (5) the ne ed to provide the defe ndant with educational or voca tional training

or medica l car e; (6) the kinds of sentenc es ava ilable; (7) the Sente ncing Guidelines ra ng e; (8) the

pertinent policy

statements of the Sente ncing Commi ssion; (9) the nee d to avoid unwanted

sentenc ing dispa

rities; and (10) the need to pr ovide re stitut ion to victims . 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a).

2t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t d i d n o t p r o c e d u r a l l y e r r

, w e m u s t c o n s i d e r t h e “ ‘ s u b s t a n t i v e

r e a s o n a b l e n e s s o f t h e s e n t e n c e i m p o s e d u n d e r a n a b u s e

- o f

- d i s c r e t i o n s t a n d a r d

, ’ ”

b a s e d o n t h e “ ‘ t o t a l i t y o f t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s

. ’ ” I d

. ( q u o t i n g G a l l

, 1 2 8 S

. C t

. a t 5 9 7 )

.

“ [ T ] h e p a r t y w h o c h a l l e n g e s t h e s e n t e n c e b e a r s t h e b u r d e n o f e s t a b l i s h i n g t h a t t h e

s e n t e n c e i s u n r e a s o n a b l e i n t h e l i g h t o f b o t h t h [ e ] r e c o r d a n d t h e f a c t o r s i n s e c t i o n

3 5 5 3 ( a )

. ” U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. T h o m a s

, 4 4 6 F

. 3 d 1 3 4 8

, 1 3 5 1 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 6 ) ( i n t e r n a l

q u o t a t i o n o m i t t e d )

. W e r e v i e w c o n s t i t u t i o n a l c h a l l e n g e s t o a s e n t e n c e d e n o v o

,

a n d w i l l r e v e r s e o n l y u p o n a f i n d i n g o f h a r m f

u l e r r o r

. U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. P o p e

, 4 6 1

F

. 3 d 1 3 3 1

, 1 3 3 3

- 3 4 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 6 )

.

W e f i r s t r e j e c t C o l b e r t ’ s c o n t e n t i o n t h a t h i s 3 0

- m o n t h s e n t e n c e w a s

u n r e a s o n a b l e b e c a u s e t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t i g n o r e d s u b s t a n t i a l m i t i g a t i n g f a c t o r s

( i n c l u d i n g h i s p h y s i c a l a n d m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t s

, l a c k o f c r i m i n a l h i s t o r y

, p r i o r

w o r k r e c o r d

, l i m i t e d f i n a n c i a l r e s o u r c e s

, a n d s e r i o u s s t r e s s c a u s e d b y h i s

e m p l o y m e n t f

o r t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s P o s t a l S e r v i c e )

, a n d p o s t p o n e d h i s a b i l i t y t o

m a k e s u b s t a n t i a l p a y m e n t s t o w a r d r e s t i t u t i o n

. T h e r e c o r d s h o w s t h a t t h e c o u r t

c o n s i d e r e d t h e P S I

, w h i c h d e t a i l e d C o l b e r t ’ s w o r k h i s t o r y

, h i s p h y s i c a l a n d m e n t a l

h e a l t h

, a s w e l l a s h i s i n t e n t i o n a l m i s r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f h i s p h y s i c a l c o n d i t i o n w h i l e

h e c o n t i n u e d t o r e c e i v e m o n t h l y d i s a b i l i t y c h e c k s

. T h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t f u r t h e r

c o n s i d e r e d t h e p a r t i e s ’ a r g u m e n t s

, w i t n e s s e s ’ s t a t e m e n t s

, a n d C o l b e r t ’ s o w n

3a d m i s s i o n o f i n t e n t i o n a l w r o n g d o i n g

. A d d i t i o n a l l y

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t c o n s i d e r e d

t h e r e c o m m e n d e d G u i d e l i n e s r a n g e a n d e x p l i c i t l y c i t e d t h e § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) f a c t o r s

. A s

f o r t h e m i t i g a t i n g f

a c t o r o f w o r k p l a c e s t r e s s

, C o l b e r t o f f e r e d n o e v i d e n c e o f e v e r

h a v i n g e x p e r i e n c e d h o s t i l e c o n d i t i o n s a s a p o s t a l e m p l o y e e

. U n d e r t h e s e

c i r c u m s t a n c e s

, t h e s e n t e n c e i m p o s e d b y t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t w a s e m i n e n t l y

r e a s o n a b l e

.

W e s i m i l a r l y r e

j e c t C o l b e r t ’ s c l a i m t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t e r r e d i n f a i l i n g t o

g i v e h i m n o t i c e o f i t s i n t e n t t o d e v i a t e f r o m t h e G u i d e l i n e s r a n g e

. C o l b e r t a r g u e s

t h a t f u n d a m e n t a l f

a i r n e s s d i c t a t e s t h a t a d e f e n d a n t b e g i v e n p r i o r n o t i c e w h e r e t h e

d i s t r i c t c o u r t i m p o s e s a s e n t e n c e d o u b l e o r t r i p l e t h a t o f t h e G u i d e l i n e s r a n g e

. T h i s

a r g u m e n t i s w i t h o u t m e r i t

. T h e S u p r e m e C o u r t h a s s q u a r e l y h e l d t h a t w h e n a

d i s t r i c t c o u r t i m p o s e s a s e n t e n c e a b o v e t h e a d v i s o r y G u i d e l i n e s r a n g e b a s e d o n t h e

§ 3 5 5 3 ( a ) f

a c t o r s

, i t i s u n n e c e s s a r y t o p r o v i d e d e f e n d a n t s w i t h a d v a n c e n o t i c e

u n d e r F e d e r a l R u l e o f C r i m i n a l P r o c e d u r e 3 2 ( h )

. I r i z a r r y v

. U n i t e d S t a t e s

, 5 5 3

U

. S

. , 1 2 8 S

. C t

. 2 1 9 8

, 2 2 0 2

- 0 3

, 1 7 1 L

. E d

. 2 d 2 8 ( 2 0 0 8 )

. 2

I t is true that the Supreme Court’s holding in I rizarry applies only

to varianc es and not 2

depar tures. De spite the fac t that Colbert char acte rizes his sentence a s a “de parture ,” howe ver, it

was in fa ct a va

rianc e and thus is controlled by I rizarry . I n this Court’s decision in United States

v. I rizarry , 458 F.3d 1208 ( 11th Cir. 2006), we de termined that a n above- g uidelines sentenc e

imposed by

a district cour

t was a va rianc e (a s opposed to a depa rture) wher e the district cour t

exercised its discre tion to im pose a r easona ble sentenc e outside the c orre ctly calc ulated

Sentencing Guidelines ra

ng e base d on its consideration of the § 3553( a) f actor s. I d. at 1211-12.

Her e, the district cour

t specifica lly

stated that it would impose a sentenc e g rea ter than the

Guidelines ra

ng e “in or der to re flec t the seriousness of the offe nse, to promote re spect for the

4C o l b e r t a l s o c o m p l a i n s t h a t h e w a s g i v e n n o n o t i c e t h a t t h e g o v e r n m e n t

w o u l d i n t r o d u c e n e g a t i v e c o m m e n t s m a d e b y h i s f o r m e r s u p e r v i s o r

, a n d t h a t

,

c o n s e q u e n t l y

, h e w a s d e p r i v e d o f t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o p r o d u c e e v i d e n c e o f h i s p r i o r

w o r k r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h h i s s u p e r v i s o r a n d t h e m a n a g e m e n t p r a c t i c e s a t t h e P o s t a l

S e r v i c e

. E v e n a s s u m i n g t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t e r r e d i n f a i l i n g t o n o t i f

y C o l b e r t t h a t

h i s s u p e r v i s o r w o u l d t e s t i f y

, w e c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e e r r o r w a s h a r m l e s s b e y o n d a

r e a s o n a b l e d o u b t

. P o p e

, 4 6 1 F

. 3 d a t 1 3 3 3

- 3 4

. H i s s u p e r v i s o r ’ s t e s t i m o n y

- - 3

w h i c h a m o u n t e d t o l e s s t h a n o n e p a g e o f t h e h e a r i n g t r a n s c r i p t

- - a d d r e s s e d t h e

i s s u e s o f C o l b e r t ’ s c o n d u c t a n d w o r k p l a c e a t t i t u d e

. B u t C o l b e r t h a d p r e s e n t e d

e v i d e n c e r e g a r d i n g t h e s e i s s u e s e v e n b e f o r e h i s s u p e r v i s o r t e s t i f i e d

, a s p a r t o f h i s

c o n t e n t i o n t h a t t h e P o s t a l S e r v i c e ’ s a b u s i v e m a n a g e m e n t p r a c t i c e s s h o u l d b e

c o n s i d e r e d a m i t i g a t i n g f a c t o r i n d e t e r m i n i n g h i s p u n i s h m e n t

. I n d e e d

, C o l b e r t

p r o d u c e d c h a r a c t e r w i t n e s s e s w h o s p e c i f i c a l l y c o m m e n d e d h i s w o r k e t h i c

.

M o r e o v e r

, C o l b e r t c o u l d e a s i l y h a v e r e q u e s t e d a c o n t i n u a n c e a t t h e s e n t e n c i n g b u t

law, and to pr ovide just punishment for the offe nse, pursua nt to 18 United States Code, Section

3553(a) .” (e mphasis added) . Colbert’s sentenc e wa s theref ore a varia nce, not a depar ture, a nd

thus, under I rizarry , he wa s not entitled to noti ce.

I ndeed, the re is some que stion whether Colbert suff iciently raised this objec tion in the 3

district court, in which c ase our revie w would be only

for plain e rror . Under

plain err or re view,

the appe llant must show that: “(1) an e rror occur red; (2) the er

ror wa s plain; (3) it aff

ecte d his

substantial rig hts; and (4) it seriously aff ecte d the fa irness of the judicia l proce eding s.” United

States v. Gresha

m, 325 F.3d 1262, 1265 (11th Cir. 2003). B eca use we hold that any

err or her e

was ha rmless, it follows a fortiori that Colbert’s c laim would not survive plain err or re view.

5d i d n o t d o s o

. A c c o r d i n g l y

, w e a f f i r m C o l b e r t ’ s s e n t e n c e

.

A F F I R M E D

.

6