FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT May 29, 2008 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. 06- 16079 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 9 6 - 0 0 0 7 5 - CR- SH 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 G U S T A V O V E N T A , a .k .a . C h in o , 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 S outhe rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( M ay 29, 2008) B efo re T JO F L A T , C A RN E S 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: G ust avo V ent a app ea l s the 60 -m on ths’ pri son sent ence the di stri ctcourt2

i m po se d o n revok i ng hi s t erm of supervi se d rel ea se af t erhe w as conv i ct ed of a n e w o f f e n s e , p o s s e s s i o n o f

af i r e a rm b yac o n v i c t e d f

e l o n , i n v i o l a t i o n o f

1 8 U . S. C. § 9 2 2 ( g ) ( 1 ) , a n d s e n t e n c e d t o ap r i s o n t e rm o f 1 8 8 m o n th s . Ve n t ap r e s e n t s two a r gum e nt s . F i r s t , he a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc ourtabus e d i t s di s c r e t i on i n f i ndi ng thatthe § 9 22 (g) off

ense for w hi ch he w as conv i ct ed const i tut ed a G ra de A vi ol a t i on, r a the rtha n aG r a de B vi ol a t i on, be c aus e the of f e ns e di d noti nvol ve c ontr ol l e d s ubs t a nc e s , af i r e a rm of the type de s c r i be d i n 26 U . S . C . § 5846( a ) , a nd w as no ta c ri m e of vi ol ence as defi ned i n U . S . S . G . § 4 B 1. 2(a) . S ec on d, he ar gu es tha tthe di s tr i c tc ourtabus e d i t s di s c r e t i on by i m pos i ng agr os s l ye xc e s s i ve a nd unr e a s onabl e s e nt e nc e gi ve n the f a c t s a nd c i r c um s t a nc e s of thi s c a s e , a nd by f a ilin g to c o n s id e rth e 1 8 U .S .C . § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) s e n te n c in g f a c to r s . W e r e vi e w de novo the l e ga l i tyof as e nt e nc e i m pos e d pur s ua ntt o r e voc a t i on o f ate rm o f

s u p e rv is e d r e le a s e . U n ite d S ta te s v . P la , 3 4 5 F .3 d 1 3 1 2 , 1 3 1 3 ( 1 1 th C i r . 2003) . T he a dvi s ory gui de l i ne s e nt e nc e r a nge f oras e nt e nc e t o be i m pos e d on the r e voc a t i on of

s upe rvi s e d r e l e a s e i s de t e rm i ne d bythe gr a de c l a s s i f i c a t i on of

the v io la tio n f

o rw h ic h s u p e rv is e d r e le a s e w a s r e v o k e d , a s d e te rm in e d b yU .S .S .G . § 7 B1 . 1 ( a ) ( 1 ) - ( 3 ) , a n d th e c r i mi n a l h i s t o ryc a t e g o ryth a tw a s “ ap p l i c ab l e a tth e t i me th e d e f e n d a n to r i g i n a l l y wa s s e n t e n c e d t o at e rm o f s u p e rv i s i o n . ” U. S . S . G. § 7 B 1 .4 ( a ) .3

S e c tio n 7 B 1 .1 ( a ) p r o v id e s f o rth r e e g r a d e s o f

s u p e rv is e d r e le a s e v io la tio n s . A G rad e A v i o l at i o n i s co n d u ctth atco n st i tu t es: ( A ) af e de r a l , s t a t e , orl oc a l of f e ns e puni s habl e byat e rm of im p r is o n m e n t e x c e e d in g o n e y e a rth a t ( I ) is ac r im e o f v io le n c e , ( ii) is a c on trol l ed subst ance offe nse, or (i i i ) i nv ol ves posse ss i on of a f i r e a rm o rd e s tru c t i v e d e v i c e o f atyp e d e s c r i b e d i n 2 6 U . S. C. § 5 8 4 5 ( a ) ; o r( B ) an y o th e rf e d e r a l , s ta te , o rlo c a l o f f e n s e p u n is h ab le b y ate rm o f

im p r is o n m e n t e x c e e d in g tw e n tyy e a r s [ .] § 7 B 1 .1 ( a ) ( 1 ) . A G r a d e B v io la tio n is “c o n d u c t c o n s titu tin g a n yo th e rf e d e r a l, st at e, or l ocal offe nse pun i shabl e by at erm of i m pri sonm entexce edi ng on e y ear. ” § 7 B 1. 1(a) (2). G ra de C vi ol at i on s are tho se fe dera l , st at e, or l ocal offe nses

“ pu ni shabl e by at erm of i m pri sonm entof on e y ear or l es s. ” § 7B 1. 1(3). T he c om m e nt a ry t o § 7B 1. 1 pr ovi de s tha tthe de f i ni t i on of a“ c r i m e of v io le n c e ” is f

o u n din § 4 B 1 .2 . S e e § 7 B 1 .1 , c o m m e n t. ( n . 2 ) . U n d e r§ 4 B 1 .2 , a

“ cr i m e of vi ol ence ” i s afe dera l or st at e off ense pu ni shabl e by i m pri sonm entfor a t e rm e xc e e di ng one y e a r , a nd tha t“ ( 1) ha s a s a n e l e m e ntthe us e , a tt e m pt e d us e , or thr e a t e ne d us e of

phy s i c a l f

or c e a ga i ns tthe pe r s on of a nothe r , or( 2) i s bur gl a ry of a dw el l i ng , ar son, or ext ort i on , i nv ol ves use of expl osi ves, or otherw i se i nv ol ves cond uctthatpres ent s ase ri ou s pot ent i al ri sk of ph ys i ca l i nj ury t o ano ther. ” U . S . S . G . § 4B 1. 2( a ) ( 1) , ( 2) . “ ‘ C r i m e of vi ol e nc e ’ doe s noti nc l ude the of f e ns e of un l aw ful po ss es si on of a f i re arm by a f

el on , un l es s the po ss es si on w as of a f i re arm desc ri bed i n 2 6 U . S . C . § 5 84 5(a) . ” § 4B 1. 2, com m ent . (n. 1).4

“A lth o u g h p o s s e s s io n o f af ir e a rm b yaf

e lo n , lik e d ru n kd r iv in g , m a yin s o m e c a s e s in v o lv e c o n d u c t th a t c r e a te s ah e ig h te n e d r is ko f in ju ryo rv io le n c e , it cann otbe sa i d thatthe offens e of s i m pl e posse ss i on of a f i re arm natural l y i nv ol ves a p erso n act i n g i n d i sreg ard o f th e ri skth atp h ysi cal fo rce m i g h tb e u sed ag ai n st a nothe ri n c om m i tt i ng a n of f e ns e . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. J ohns on, 399 F . 3d 1297, 1302 (11th C i r. 20 04 ) ( i nt ernal qu ot at i on s om i tt ed) ( i nt erpret i ng “ cr i m e of vi ol ence ” a s defi ned i n 1 8 U . S . C . § 3 15 6(a) (4)( B ), w hi ch defi ni t i on i s i dent i ca l t o thatprov i ded in § 4 B 1 .2 ( a ) ( 1 ) ,( 2 ) ) . “T h u s , f e lo n in p o s s e s s io n o f

af ir e a rm u n d e r§ 9 2 2 ( g ) ( 1 ) is s i m pl y notthe s ortof

vi ol e nt , a c t i ve c r i m e tha tm a ybe pr ope r l yc ha r a c t e r i z e d, c a t e gor i c a l l y , a s a‘ c r i m e of vi ol e nc e . ’ ” I d. I n U ni t e d S t a t e s v. M c G i l l , 450 F . 3d 1 2 7 6 , 1 2 8 0 (1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 6 ), w e n o t ed th atth e d efi n i t i o n o f co n d u ctth atp resen t s a s e r i ous pot e nt i a l r i s k of phy s i c a l i nj uryt o a nothe ri s br oa dl yi nt e rpr e t e d “ t o i nc l ude cri m es th atd o n o tfi tn eat l y i n t o a cat eg o ry o f h o st i l e, ag g ressi v e act s. ” W e al so not e d tha t“ the s pe c i f

i c l a ngua ge of

§ 4B 1. 2( a ) ( 2) c onc e rns the pot e nt i a l r i s k of phy s i c a l i nj ury r a the rtha n the a c tua l us e of f or c e a ga i ns ta nothe r . . . ” I d. a t1281 (e m ph as i s i n o ri gi nal ). A fi re arm or destruct i ve devi ce of a type des cr i bed i n 2 6 U . S . C . § 5 84 5(a) , for G ra de A vi ol at i on and “ cr i m e of vi ol ence ” purpo se s, i ncl ud es a s ho t gu n o r a w e apon m a de f

r om as hot gun; ar i f

l e oraw e apon m a de f

r om ar i f l e ; or“ am a c hi ne5

gu n; a m uffl eror si l ence r f or a f i re arm ; a des truct i ve devi ce ; and cert ai n l ar ge bo re w e ap o n s .” U .S .S .G . § 7 B 1 .1 , c o m m e n t. ( n .4 ) . T he di s tr i c tc ourtappl i e d the w r ong gr a de c l a s s i f i c a t i on t o V e nt a ’ s vi ol a t i on be c aus e hi s f

e l on- i n- pos s e s s i on c onvi c t i on w a s notac r i m e of vi ol e nc e a nd di d not in v o lv e ac o n tr o lle d s u b s ta n c e o raf ir e a rm o rd e s tru c tiv e d e v ic e a s e n u m e r a te d in 26 U . S . C . § 5845( a ) . T he c ourta c c or di ngl ye rr e d bya rr i vi ng a ta nd c ons i de r i ng the w r ong a dvi s ory gui de l i ne r a nge unde rC hapt e r7 of the G ui de l i ne s . H a vi ng r e a c h e d th is c o n c lu s io n , w e tu rn to V e n ta ’s s e c o n d a r g u m e n t. W e r evi ew a f

i nal se nt ence for s ub st ant i ve re as on abl enes s onl y i f there w er e no pr oc e dur a l e rr or s i n i t s i m pos i t i on. S e e G a l l v. U ni t e d S t a t e s , 552 U . S . a t___, 128 S . C t . 586, 597, 169 L . E d. 2d 445 ( 2007) . A n i m pr ope r l yc a l c ul a t e d gui de l i ne rang e i s c on si dere d a procedural error. Id. H ow ever , w here the di stri ctcourtst at es tha ti tw oul d i m pos e the s a m e s e nt e nc e i rr e s pe c t i ve of a nys e nt e nc i ng c a l c ul a t i on e rr o r s o re n h a n c e m e n ts , w e m a y r e v ie w th e r e a s o n ab le n e s s o f th e s e n te n c e w h ile as sum i ng thatthe courterre d i n i t s gui del i ne ca l cul at i on . U ni t ed S t at es v. K ee ne, 470 F . 3d 1347, 1349- 50 ( 11th C i r . 2006) ; U ni t e d S t a t e s v. D e a n, 517 F . 3d 1224, 1 2 3 2 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 8 ) . B ec au se th e d istrict co u rt ap p li ed th e w ro n g g ra d e c lass ificatio n to V en ta’s vi ol at i on and thu s proce du ra l l y e rr ed by i ncorrec t l y c al cul at i ng V ent a’ s s ent ence6

r a nge unde rC hapt e r7, a nd the c ourtdi d nots t a t e tha ti tw oul d ha ve i m pos e d the sam e sen t en ce v i a a v ari an ce, w e w i l l n o tco n si d er th e su b st an t i v e reaso n ab l en ess of V ent a’ s s ent ence . F o rth e f o r e g o in g r e a s o n s , V e n ta ’s s e n te n c e is v a c a te d a n d th e c a s e is r e m a nde d f

orr e s e nt e nc i ng. S O O R DE R E D.