FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT A U G U ST 31, 2007 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ 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- 15691 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 05 -004 49 -C R -J O F -1 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 H I L A R Y E G H O S A A G B A I , 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

_________________________ (A u gu st 31 , 20 07 ) B efo re A N D E R S O N , B IR C H 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: H ila ry E g h o s aA g b a i ap p e a ls h is 4 1 - m o n th s e n te n c e f o ru s e o f ac o u n te r f

e it2

devi ce , i n v i ol at i on of 18 U . S . C . § 1 02 9(a) (2) and (b)( 1). O n app ea l , A gb ai ar gu es tha thi s s e nt e nc e w a s pr oc e dur a l l y unr e a s onabl e , a nd thus i nva l i d, be c a us e the d is tr ic t c o u r t ap p lie d th e G u id e lin e r a n g e a s p r e s u m p tiv e ly r e a s o n ab le . A d d itio n a lly , A g b a i c o n te n d s h is s e n te n c e w a s s u b s ta n tiv e ly u n r e a s o n ab le . W e A F F I R M. I . B AC KG RO UN D A gr a nd j ury c ha r ge d A gba i w i th one c ountof ba nk f r a ud, i n vi ol a t i on of

18 U . S . C . §§ 1344 a nd 2, a nd f i ve c ount s of

c r e di tc a r d f

r a ud, i n vi ol a t i on of

18 U . S . C . § 1029( a ) ( 2) a nd ( b) ( 1) . A gba i pl e d gui l ty t o one c ountof c r e di tc a r d f

r aud a s pa r tof apl e aa gr e e m e nt , a nd the gove rnm e nta gr e e d t o di s m i s s the r e m a i ni ng c ount s i n the i ndi c tm e nt . T he pl e aa gr e e m e nt , how e ve r , a l s o pr ovi de d tha tthe gove rnm e ntc oul d us e the c onduc tc ha r ge d i n the di s m i s s e d c ount s a s pa r tof A gb ai ’ s r el evantcond ucti n cal cul at i ng hi s G ui del i ne ra ng e. A c c or di ng t o the P r e s e nt e nc e I nve s t i ga t i on R e por t( “ P S I ” ) , be tw e e n 2001 an d 2 0 0 4 , A g b ai : (1 ) u sed st o l en cred i tcard s an d fal se i d en t i fi cat i o n t o access cr edi tand fi nanci al re source s; (2) use d st ol en pers on al i nform at i on t o o bt ai n n ew cr ed itca rd s, o n w h ich h e c h ar g ed th o u sa n d s o f d o ll ar s; (3 ) u se d a f ak e d riv er ’s l i ce nse a nd a f

raud ul ent l y- ob t ai ned credi tca rd t o l ea se a vehi cl e; and (4) op ened fr audu l entbank ac coun t s a nd depo si t ed st ol en checks i nt o them . A gb ai w as3

as si st ed i n h i s bank fraud and credi tca rd sc hem es by K evi n T at e; A gb ai di re ct ed T at e o n v ari o u s o ccasi o n s t o o p en fak e b an kacco u n t s an d n eg o t i at e fu n d s i n th o se a c c o u n ts . I n O c to b e r2 0 0 3 , A g b a i a n d T a te w e r e a rr e s te d a f te rA g b a i a tte m p te d to p u r c h a s e c o m p u te re q u ip m e n t u s in g as to le n c r e d it c a r d a n d af a k e d r iv e r ’s lic e n s e . T he offens e t o w hi ch A gb ai pl ed gu i l ty t oo k p l ac e i n January20 04 , w hen A gb ai on ce agai n att em pt ed t o p urchas e c om pu t erequi pm entusi ng a s t ol en cr edi tca rd a n d af a k e d r iv e r ’s lic e n s e . A t th e tim e o f h is ar re st, A g b ai p o ss es se d th e v icti m ’s na m e , da t e of

bi r th, s oc i a l s e c ur i ty num be r , a nd a ddr e s s . A gba i ha d pur c ha s e d the i de nt i f i c a t i on a nd the vi c t i m ’ s pe r s ona l i nf orm a t i on f

r om af l e am a rke t . A ga i n, A gba i r e c rui t e d T a t e t o pa r t i c i pa t e i n the c r e di tc a r d a nd ba nk f r a ud s c he m e s , a nd he al so had p rovi ded T at e w i th the i nform at i on and i dent i fi ca t i on nece ss ary t o o pen fr audu l entbank ac coun t s. T at e pl ed gu i l ty t o o ne coun tof bank fr aud and w as s e n te n c e d to 2 4 m o n th s o f im p r is o n m e n t. I n pr e pa r i ng the P S I , the pr oba t i on of f i c e rbe ga n w i th aba s e of f e ns e l e ve l of 6, then add ed 12 po i nt s due t o the am ou ntof l oss i nv ol ved (cal cul at ed at $304, 318. 34) , 2 poi nt s be c a us e A gba i ’ s of f e ns e i nvol ve d the us e of unl a w f ul m e a n s o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , a n d 2 p o i n t s f

o rAg b a i ’ s l e a d e r s h i p r o l e i n th e o f f e n s e . As a r es ul t , A gb ai had a t ot al offe nse l evel of 22 and a cri m i nal hi st ory c at egory of I , w h ic h p r o d u c e d a n a d v is o ry G u id e lin e r a n g e o f 4 1 - 5 1 m o n th s o f

im p r is o n m e n t.4

A g b a i o b je c te d to th e P S I a s f

o llo w s : ( 1 ) h e d e n ie d s e v e r a l o f th e c la im s b y T a te r e ga r di ng A gba i ’ s i nvol ve m e ntw i th T a t e ; ( 2) he de ni e d i nvol ve m e nti n the ba nk frau d sch em e w i th T at e, w h i ch acco u n t ed fo r a si g n i fi can tp o rt i o n o f th e l o ss am ou nt ; (3) he s ou gh ta r educt i on for a cc ept ance of re spon si bi l i ty; (4) he c l ai m ed thatthe re st i tut i on t ot al w as t oo hi gh because s om e of the cr edi tca rd pu rc hase s w e r e l a w f

ul ; a nd ( 5) he de ni e d r e c rui t i ng ordi r e c t i ng T a t e t o pa r t i c i pa t e i n a ny of the s c he m e s a nd, the r e f or e , s houl d notha ve r e c e i ve d ar ol e e nha nc e m e nt . I n l i ght of hi s obj e c t i ons , A gba i a s s e r t e d tha tthe t ot a l of f e ns e l e ve l s houl d ha ve be e n 10, r e s u ltin g in a n a d v is o ry G u id e lin e r a n g e o f 6 - 1 2 m o n th s o f

im p r is o n m e n t. A tthe se nt enci ng hear i ng , the di stri ctcourthear d, and d ee m ed cr edi bl e, t e s t i m ony by T a t e . A s ar e s ul t , A gba i ’ s obj e c t i ons –t o hi s i nvol ve m e nti n the ba nk f r a u d s c h e m e , to o th e rc la im s b y T a te , a n d to h is r o le in d ir e c tin g T a te

– a ll f a ile d . A g b a i w ith d r e w h is o b

je c tio n to th e r e s titu tio n a m o u n t. T he di stri ctcourtdeni ed A gb ai ’ s r equestfor are du ct i on for a cc ept ance of re spon si bi l i ty bec ause A gb ai had de ni e d hi s pa r t i c i pa t i on i n r e l e va ntc onduc t . T hus , the t ot a l of f e ns e l e ve l di d not c ha nge a s ar e s ul tof

the s e nt e nc i ng he a r i ng. T he di stri ctcourtgave A gb ai the op po rtun i ty t o argue for a part i cul ar a d v is o ry G u id e lin e s e n te n c e o rf o ras e n te n c e o u ts id e th e a d v is o ry G u id e lin e s . A gba i a s s e r t e d tha t , unde r§ 3553( a ) , as e nt e nc e of 12 m onths of

i m pr i s onm e nt5

w ou l d b e app ropri at e. A gb ai no t ed thathe had a vi rtual l y s po t l es s c ri m i nal hi st ory be f or e c om i ng t o A t l a nt aa nd tha the w a s “ r e de e m abl e . ” R 6 a t75. I n r e s pons e , the gove rnm e ntr e i t e r a t e d i t s r e c om m e nda t i on f oras e nt e nc e of

41 m onths of i m pr i s onm e nt , a r gui ng tha tbe c a us e A gba i de ni e d m uc h of hi s m os ts i gni f

i c a nt c r i m i na l c onduc t , the r e w a s no ba s i s f orpr ovi di ng as e nt e nc e be l ow the l ow e nd of th e a d v is o ry G u id e lin e r a n g e . T h e g o v e rn m e n t a s s e r te d th a t A g b a i d e s e rv e d to serv e m o re t i m e th an T at e b ecau se A g b ai , u n l i k e T at e, h ad d o n e n o th i n g t o assi st th e g o v e rn m e n t. A f t e rboth s i de s ha d c om pl e t e d the i ra r gum e nt s , the di s tr i c tc our ts t a t e d: A l l r i ght . I ’ ve be e n a tthi s f oral ong t i m e a nd f

orpr os e c ut or s a nd defe nse l aw ye rs and for j ud ges there ’ s s om e c as es thatar e very in te r e s tin g a n d th e r e a r e s o m e th a t a r e c o o k ie - c u tte rc a s e s . I r em em ber a s ayoun g ass i st antU . S . A tt orney w e use d t o m ake theft o f m a il, f o r g e ry a n d g o v e rn m e n t c h e c kc a s e s , a n d A U S A G a il M c K e nz i e ha ndl e d thos e a nd I thi nk s he m us tha ve ha ndl e d 200 or 3 0 0 a year w i th th e ai d o f th e p o st al i n sp ect o rs an d ev eryo n e w as j u st l i ke everyother one. T he r e a s on I ’ m s a y i ng tha ti s tha tthi s i s ac ooki e - c utt e rba nk f r a ud, c r e di tc a r d f

r a ud c a s e . T he r e ’ s nothi ng unus ua l abouti t . T he d e f e n d a n t h a s a lr e a d y g o tte n c r e d it f o rh a v in g n o c r im in a l h is to ry . T h is is ap e rv a s iv e k in d o f o f f e n s e . S p e c if

ic a n d g e n e r a l d e te rr e n c e is of gr e a tc onc e rn t o s oc i e ty w i th thi s s or tof thi ng. B ehi nd al l of the other c hargi ng l angu age i s avi ct i m som e pl ac e that m a y ha ve be e n s ubj e c tt o i de nt i ty the f ta nd a l l of

the pa i n a nd a g g r a v a tio n th a t g o e s w ith it.6

I w o u l d i m ag i n e th e v astm aj o ri ty o f th e sen t en ces i n th i s k i n d o f case a r e G ui de l i ne s e nt e nc e s . C e r t a i nl y I ga ve hi s c ode f e nda ntaG ui de l i ne se n ten ce o r s o m eth in g th at ap p ro ac h es th es e G u id elin es . I d o n ’t r e m e m b e rw h e th e rit w a s aG u id e lin e s e n te n c e o rn o t. S o I do n’ tse e a ny ca l l t o g i ve other than a G ui del i ne ca se because I thi nk tha tc ooki e - c utt e rc a s e s tha ta r e de voi d of unus ua l f

e a tur e s ought t o ge tthe s a m e s e nt e nc e a s othe r s s i m i l a r l y s i tua t e d. I d. a t78- 79. A c c or di ngl y , the di s tr i c tc our ts e nt e nc e d A gba i t o 41 m onths of i m pri sonm ent . A gb ai then “ obj ec t [e d] t o the se nt ence as an un re as on abl e s ent ence u n d e r1 8 - 3 5 5 3 ( a ) , a n d [ ] m a in ta in [ e d ] [ h is ] p r e v io u s o b je c tio n s a s w e ll.” I d . a t 8 1 . I I . DI S CUS S I ON O n app ea l , A gb ai ar gu es thathi s s ent ence w as procedural l y unrea sonabl e, and thu s i nv al i d, because the di stri ctcourtappl i ed the G ui del i ne ra ng e a s pr e s um pt i ve l y r e a s onabl e . A gba i r e l i e s he a vi l y on ouropi ni on i n U ni t e d S t a t e s v. H unt , 459 F . 3d 1180 ( 11th C i r . 2006) , a nd a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our t“ tr e a t e d the [G ] ui del i ne ra ng e a s pre sum pt i vel y r ea sonabl e f or an ent i re cl as s of c as es , ra ther tha n f orthi s de f

e nda nti n pa r t i c ul a r . ” A ppe l l a ntB r . a t11. A c c or di ng t o A gba i , the di stri ctcourtfa i l ed t o con si der the fa ct ors s etforth i n 1 8 U . S . C . § 3 55 3(a) , as appl i e d t o hi m , a s i tw a s r e qui r e d t o do by U ni t e d S t a t e s v. B ooke r , 543 U . S . 220, 1 2 5 S . C t. 7 3 8 ( 2 0 0 5 ) . A gb ai al so ar gu es thathi s s ent ence w as subst ant i vel y unrea sonabl e und er the § 3553( a ) f

a c t or s . I n s uppor tof

tha ta r gum e nt , he a s s e r t s tha tthe na tur e a nd7

c i r c um s t a nc e s of

hi s of f e ns e i ndi c a t e tha thi s s e nt e nc e i s t oo s e ve r e i n l i ghtof the r e l a t i ve l y s m a l l a m ountof a c tua l l os s c a us e d. A gba i c ont e nds tha tthe a m ountof ac tual l oss w as on l y $16 , 40 0. 34 , and thu s, the vastm aj ori ty of the l oss w as i nt e nde d l os s tha tne ve rm a t e r i a l i z e d. T he i nc l us i on of the e nt i r e a m ountof i n t en d ed l o ss i n th e ad v i so ry G u i d el i n e cal cu l at i o n resu l t ed i n a 1 2 -l ev el i n crease for A gb ai . H e a l so m ai nt ai ns that : (1) the hi st ory a nd char ac t er i st i cs of hi s l i fe de m ons tr a t e tha tthe s e nt e nc e i s unr e a s onabl e be c a us e hi s l i f e ha s be e n, f

orthe m o stp art , h o n o rab l e; (2 ) th e n eed t o p ro m o t e resp ectfo r th e l aw an d p ro v i d e j u st puni s hm e ntdoe s notw a rr a ntthe s e nt e nc e i m pos e d; ( 3) the ne e d f orde t e rr e nc e a nd t o p rot ec tthe pu bl i c c an be m etby a m uch sho rt erse nt ence ; (4) the G ui del i nes f a i l e d t o y i e l d ar e a s onabl e s e nt e nc e ; ( 5) the ne e d t o a voi d unw a rr a nt e d s e nt e nc i ng d is p a r itie s w o u ld b e s e rv e d b y as e n te n c e b e lo w th e G u id e lin e r a n g e b e c a u s e h is c o- de f e nda nt , T a t e , w ho a l r e a dy ha d num e r ous f e l ony c onvi c t i ons , r e c e i ve d a sh o rt er sen t en ce th an A g b ai ; an d (6 ) th e n eed fo r rest i tu t i o n w o u l d b e m etb y a s hor t e rs e nt e nc e be c a us e the pr i s on t e rm i m pos e d w i l l m a ke i tm or e di f f i c ul tf or h im to p a y th e a m o u n t o f r e s titu tio n o r d e r e d . W e r e vi e w the f

i na l s e nt e nc e i m pos e d by the di s tr i c tc our tf or r e a s onabl e ne s s . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. W i ni nge a r , 422 F . 3d 1241, 1245 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( pe rc ur i a m ) . “ O urr e vi e w f orr e a s onabl e ne s s i s de f e r e nt i a l . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v.8

T hom a s , 446 F . 3d 1348, 1351 ( 11th C i r . 2006) ( a l t e r a t i ons , i nt e rna l quot a t i ons , a nd citati o n o m itted ). U n re as o n ab len es s m ay b e p ro ce d u ra l, w h en th e d istrict co u rt’s pr oc e dur e doe s notf

ol l ow B ooke r ’ s r e qui r e m e nt s , ors ubs t a nt i ve . S e e H unt , 459 F .3 d a t 1 1 8 2 n .3 . I n R i t av. U ni t e d S t a t e s , ___ U . S . ___, 127 S . C t . 2456, 2468- 69 ( 2007) , the S upr e m e C our tc ons i de r e d, i nt e ra l i a , w ha tc ons t i tut e s al e ga l l y s uf f i c i e nts t a t e m e nt o f r e a s o n s b y th e d is tr ic t c o u r t f o rim p o s itio n o f

as e n te n c e u n d e r1 8 U .S .C . § 35 53 (c ). T he C ou rtno t ed thata l engthy expl anat i on i s notnece ss ar i l y r equi re d w hen a j ud ge deci des t o fol l ow the G ui del i nes i n a part i cul arca se . T he C ou rt s t a t e d: [ c ] i r c um s t a nc e s m a y w e l l m a ke c l e a rtha tthe j udge r e s t s hi s de c i s i on u p o n th e C o m m is s io n ’s o w n r e a s o n in g th a t th e G u id e lin e s s e n te n c e is a proper s ent ence (i n t erm s of § 33 53 (a ) a nd other c on gres si on al m a nda t e s ) i n the typi c a l c a s e , a nd tha tthe j udge ha s f ound tha tthe ca se before hi m i s typi ca l . U nl es s aparty c on t es t s the G ui del i nes se nt ence general l y und er§ 3 55 3(a) –thati s a rgues thatthe G ui del i nes r e f l e c ta n uns ound j udgm e nt , or , f ore xa m pl e , tha tthe y do not ge ne r a l l y tr e a tc e r t a i n de f e nda ntc ha r a c t e r i s t i c s i n the pr ope rw a y–or ar gu es for departure, the j ud ge no rm al l y nee d sayno m ore. I d. a t___, 127 S . C t . a t2468 ( e m pha s i s a dde d) . T he C our ta l s o c onc l ude d, how e ve r , tha t“ [ t ] he s e nt e nc i ng j udge s houl d s e tf or th e nough t o s a t i s f

y the appel l at e c ou rtthathe has c on si dere d the part i es ’ ar gu m ent s a nd has are as on ed ba s i s f ore xe r c i s i ng hi s ow n l e ga l de c i s i onm a ki ng a uthor i ty . ” I d. ( c i t a t i on9

om i tt ed). In ho l di ng thatthe se nt enci ng j ud ge’ s e xp l anat i on i n R i t a w as adequat e, the C our tnot e d tha tthe s e nt e nc i ng j udge l i s t e ne d t o the a r gum e nt s , c ons i de r e d the s uppor t i ng e vi de nc e , a nd w a s f ul l y a w a r e of

the de f e nda nt ’ s s pe c i a l c ondi t i ons a nd w ork hi s t ory . I d. a t___, 127 S . C t . a t2469. U l t i m a t e l y , the s e nt e nc i ng j udge f ound the de f

e nda nt ’ s c i r c um s t a nc e s i ns uf f i c i e ntt o w a rr a ntas e nt e nc e be l ow the G u id e lin e r a n g e . I d . T h e C o u r t a d d e d th a t th e s e n te n c in g ju d g e c o u ld h a v e s a id m o r e b y n o tin g , f

o re x a m p le , th a t he thoughtthe C om m i s s i on i n the G ui de l i ne s ha d de t e rm i ne d a se nt ence thatw as prop eri n the m i nerun o f r ou gh l y s i m i l arperj ury ca se s; and thathe foun d thatR i t a’ s per sonal ci rc um st ance s her e w er e s i m pl y notdi f

f e r e nte nough t o w a rr a ntadi f f e r e nts e nt e nc e . B ut c ont e xta nd the r e c or d m a ke c l e a rtha tthi s , ors i m i l a r , r e a s oni ng, u n d e r lie s th e ju d g e ’s c o n c lu s io n . I d . W e di s a gr e e w i th A gba i ’ s a s s e r t i on tha tthe di s tr i c tc our tappl i e d the a dvi s ory G ui de l i ne s a s pr e s um pt i ve l y r e a s onabl e a nd tha ti t s e xpl a na t i on of A gb ai ’ s s ent ence w as i nadequ at e. T he re cord es t abl i shed thatthe di stri ctcourt c ons i de r e d § 3553( a ) f

a c t or s . I tm e nt i one d tha t : ( 1) the r e w a s nothi ng uni que aboutA gba i ’ s c a s e ; ( 2) the r e w a s ane e d f ors pe c i f i c a nd ge ne r a l de t e rr e nc e ; ( 3) there w er e r ea l vi ct i m s; and (4) there w as a nee d t o ensure thatA gb ai ’ s s ent ence w as consi st entw i th tho se of si m i l ar l y- si tuat ed defendant s w ho com m i tsi m i l ar o f f e n s e s . A s in R ita , w h ile th e s e n te n c in g ju d g e “m ig h t h a v e s a id m o r e ,” s e e id .,10

the di stri ctcourtst at ed thati ttho ug htthe fa ct s m ade A gb ai ’ s off ense a “ cook i ec utt e rc a s e . ” R 6 a t78. E s s e nt i a l l y the di s tr i c tc our ti ndi c a t e d tha ti tthoughtthe advi soryG ui del i ne ra ng e w as “ prop eri n the m i nerun o f r ou gh l y s i m i l ar ” c as es , se e R i t a, ___ U . S . ___, 12 7 S . C t . at24 69 , and A gb ai ’ s per sonal ci rc um st ance s w er e s i m pl y notdi f

f e r e nte nough t o w a rr a ntadi f f e r e nts e nt e nc e . C ons e que nt l y , the di stri ctcourt ’ s e xp l anat i on of i t s s ent ence w as adequat e, and w e c anno tsa y her e thatA gb ai ’ s s ent ence , atthe l ow end o f the advi soryG ui del i ne ra ng e, w as u n r e a s o n ab le g iv e n th e o f f e n s e a n d h is c o n d u c t. I I I . CONCL US I ON T h e r e c o r d e s tab lis h e s th a t d is tr ic t c o u r t p r o p e r ly c o n s id e r e d 1 8 U .S .C . § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) f a c to r s in a d d itio n to th e a d v is o ry s e n te n c in g G u id e lin e s r a n g e . W e ca nn otsa y thatA gb ai ’ s s ent ence , atthe l ow end o f the advi soryra ng e, w as un re as on abl e. C on se qu ent l y, w e AF F I RM .