FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC U IT NOVEMB ER 16 , 2005 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NOT P UB L I S H] I N TH E U N I TED STA TES C O U R T O F A PPEA LS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 05- 10394 N on - A r gu m e n t C al e n d ar

________________________ D. C. Do c k e tNo . 0 4 - 1 4 0 4 1 - CR - DLG 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 D E W I T T F E R G U S O N , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

________________________ A p p ealfr om th e U n i te d S tate s D i st ri ct C ou rt f o r t he So ut he r n D i s t r i c t o f Fl o r i da

_________________________ ( N ove m b e r 16, 2005) B efo re B IR C H , B A R K E T T a n d K R A V IT C H , C i rcu i t J u d g es. P E R C U R I A M: D e w itt F e r g u s o n ap p e a ls h is s e n te n c e o f 1 8 0 m o n th s ’ im p r is o n m e n t,2

i m pos e d f

ol l ow i ng hi s gui l ty pl e a s f orc ons pi r a c y t o m a ke af a l s e s t a t e m e ntt o a fe dera l l y l i ce nsed fi re arm s dea l er , i n v i ol at i on of 18 U . S . C . § 3 71 and § 92 4(a) , m a k in g af

a ls e s ta te m e n t to alic e n s e d f ir e a rm s d e a le r , in v io la tio n o f 1 8 U .S .C . § 9 2 4 ( a ) , a n d p o s s e s s io n o f af ir e a rm b y ac o n v ic te d f

e lo n in v io la tio n o f

1 8 U .S .C . § 9 2 2 ( g ) . Fo rth e r e a s o n s th a tf o l l o w , w e a f

f i rm. I . Ba c k g r o und F er gu son w i th tw o co-defendant s w as i nd i ct ed for c on spi ra cyt o m ake a f a ls e s ta te m e n t to af

e d e r a lly lic e n s e d f

ir e a rm s d e a le r , in v io la tio n o f 1 8 U .S .C . § 3 7 1 a n d § 9 2 4 ( a ) , m a k in g af a ls e s ta te m e n t to alic e n s e d f ir e a rm s d e a le r , in v io la tio n o f

1 8 U .S .C . § 9 2 4 ( a ) , a n d p o s s e s s io n o f af ir e a rm b y ac o n v ic te d f

e lo n in v io la tio n o f

1 8 U .S .C . § 9 2 2 ( g ) . F e r g u s o n p le a d e d g u ilty to th e th r e e c o u n ts w ith o u t aw r itte n p le aa g r e e m e n t. A tthe change of ple a hea ri ng , F er gu son and the go vernm entst i pu l at ed that F e r gus on’ s c o- de f

e nda ntC ha r l e s W a r d w i r e d m one y t o c o- de f e nda ntD e ne s ha L ew i s fo r L ew i s t o u se t o o b t ai n a F l o ri d a i d en t i fi cat i o n card u si n g a fal se ad d ress Fe r g u s o n h a d p r o v i d e d . Le wi s th e n u s e d th e f a k e i d e n t i f

i c a t i o n t o c o mp l e t e ATF F orm 44 73 , re qu i re d for pu rc hase of the fi re arm s, and she gave the gu ns t o W ar d a nd F e r gus on. T he c ourtt ol d F e r gus on tha the f a c e d am a nda t ory m i ni m um se nt ence of 18 0 m on ths’ i m pri sonm entpu rs uantt o 1 8 U . S . C . § 9 24 (e )’ s arm ed3

c a r e e rc r i m i na l pr ovi s i on i f he ha d thr e e pr i orvi ol e ntf e l ony ors e r i ous drug c onvi c t i ons . F e r gus on a l s o s t i pul a t e d tha the ha d pr i ors t a t e c ourtc onvi c t i ons f or pos s e s s i on w i th i nt e ntt o de l i ve rc oc a i ne , pos s e s s i on of c oc a i ne , a nd pos s e s s i on w i th i nt e ntt o s e l l c oc a i ne , buthe a s s e rt e d tha tonl y one c onvi c t i on f i tthe r e q u ir e m e n ts o f

1 8 U .S .C . § 9 2 4 ( e ) . T h e p r o b a tio n o f

f ic e rp r e p a r e d ap r e s e n te n c e in v e s tig a tio n r e p o rt ( “P S I ” ) in w hi c h he a s s i gne d F e r gus on aba s e of f e ns e l e ve l of

22 unde rU . S . S . G . § 2K 2. 1 f or C o u n t T h r e e a n d a d d e d atw o - le v e l in c r e a s e b e c au s e o f th e n u m b e ro f

f ir e a rm s . T h e p r o b a tio n o f

f ic e ra ls o a d d e d af

o u r - le v e l e n h a n c e m e n t p u r s u a n t to U .S .S .G . § 2K 2. 1( b) ( 5) be c aus e the f i r e a rm s w e r e t o be us e d orpos s e s s e d i n c onne c t i on w i th a f e l ony of f e ns e ( drug tr a f

f i c ki ng) a nd atw o- l e ve l e nha nc e m e ntbe c aus e F e r gus on w as a l ea der or organi ze r i n the offens es . F er gu son’ s a dj ust ed offens e l evel w as no w 30 , w hi ch w as i ncre as ed t o 3 3 b ec ause of F er gu son’ s s t atus as an arm ed c a r e e rc r i m i na l unde r18 U . S . C . § 924( e ) butr e duc e d t o 30 a ga i n be c aus e of F e r g u s o n ’s a c c e p ta n c e o f r e s p o n s ib ility . T he pr oba t i on of

f i c e rde l i ne a t e d F e r gus on’ s l e ngthy c r i m i na l hi s t ory , a nd af t erconsi deri ng the nu m ber of poi nt s a ss i gn ed and F er gu son’ s s t atus as an arm ed c a r e e rc r i m i n a l , d e t e rm i n e d th a tF e r g u s o n ’ s c r i m i n a l h i s t o ry c a t e g o ry wa s I V. An adj ust ed offens e l evel of 30 coup l ed w i th a C ri m i nal H i st ory c at egory I V , re sul t ed4

i n a gu i del i nes r ange of 13 5 t o 1 68 m on ths. B ec ause of F er gu son’ s s t atus as an a rm e d c a r e e rc r i m i na l , how e ve r , C ountT hr e e c a rr i e d am a nda t ory m i ni m um se nt ence of 18 0 m on ths’ i m pri sonm entun der U . S . S . G . §§ 5G 1. 1(b) and 5 G 1. 2(b). F e r g u s o n o b

je c te d to th e s e n te n c in g r e c o m m e n d a tio n s , a r g u in g th a t B la k e ly v . Wa s h i n g t o n , 5 4 2 U. S . 2 9 6 , 1 2 4 S . C t . 2 5 3 1 ( 2 0 0 5 ) , ap p l i e d t o a n d s tru c kd o wn the f e de r a l S e nt e nc i ng G ui de l i ne s . T he c ourtove rrul e d F e r gus on’ s obj e c t i on be c aus e the E l e ve nth C i r c ui tha d notappl i e d B l a ke l y t o the f e de r a l s e nt e nc i ng gui de l i ne s a nd s t a t e d tha ti tw oul d s e nt e nc e F e r gus on unde rthe gui de l i ne s . T he c ourta dopt e d the P S I a nd s e nt e nc e d F e r gus on t o 60 m onths e a c h on C ount s 1 a nd 2, and the m andat ory m i ni m um of 18 0 m on ths on C ou nt3, al l t o b e s erved c o n c u rr e n tly . I I . D i s c u s s i on F e r gus on a r gue s tha tthe c ourte rr one ous l y r e l i e d on hi s pr i orc onvi c t i ons w hen enh anci ng hi s s ent ence un der the arm ed ca re ercr i m i nal prov i si on of § 9 24 (e ) a nd vi ol a t e d the S upr e m e C ourt ’ s r e c e ntde c i s i on i n U ni t e d S t a t e s v. B ooke r , 543 U . S . ___, 12 5 S . C t . 73 8, 74 9-56 (200 5). In B oo ker, the S up re m e C ou rtext ended B l a ke l y t o the f

e de r a l s e nt e nc i ng gui de l i ne s a nd he l d “ tha tthe S i xth A m e ndm e nt r i g h tt o tr i a l b yj u ry i s v i o l a t e d w h e r e u n d e rama n d a t o ry g u i d e l i n e s s y s t e m a s e nt e nc e i s i nc r e a s e d be c aus e of a n e nha nc e m e ntba s e d on f a c t s f ound by the j udge5

th a tw e r e n e i th e ra d mi tt e d b y th e d e f e n d a n tn o rf

o u n d b y th e j u ry . ” Bo o k e r , 1 2 5 S. C t . a t749- 56. I n U ni t e d S t a t e s v. S he l t on, w e he l d tha tthe r e a r e tw o type s of B ooke re rr or s : c ons t i tut i ona l a nd s t a tut ory . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. S he l t on, 400 F . 3d 1325, 1326 ( 11th C i r . 2005) . C ons t i tut i ona l B ooke re rr ori s aS i xth A m e ndm e nt vi ol a t i on tha toc c ur s w he n, unde ram a nda t ory gui de l i ne s s c he m e , the j udge e nha nc e s the de f

e nda nt ’ s s e nt e nc e by us i ng f a c t s tha tne i the rthe de f

e nda nt a dm i tt e d northe j ury f

ound be y ond ar e a s onabl e doubt . S t a tut ory B ooke re rr or o ccu rs w h en a j u d g e sen t en ces a d efen d an tu n d er m an d at o ry, i n st ead o f ad v i so ry, g u id e lin e s . F er gu son p roperl y pre se rved hi s c l ai m i n the di stri ctcourt , and w e r evi ew th e a lle g e d e rr o rd e n o v o . W e w ill r e v e r s e o n ly if th e e rr o rw a s n o t h a rm le s s . U ni t ed S t at es v. P az , 40 5 F . 3d 94 6, 94 8 (11 th C i r. 20 05 ). T o sho w const i tut i on al ha rm l e s s e rr or , the gove rnm e ntm us ts how tha tthe e rr ordi d nota f f e c tthe d ef en d an t’ s s u b stan ti al rig h ts. T o sh o w statu to ry h ar m less er ro r, th e g o v er n m en t’ s bur de n i s l e s s s tr i nge nt : the gove rnm e ntm us ts how tha t , vi e w i ng the pr oc e e di ngs in th e ire n tir e ty , th e e rr o rh a d n o e f f e c t, o rav e ry s lig h t e f

f e c t, o n th e s e n te n c e . U n ite d S ta te s v . M a th e n ia , 4 0 9 F .3 d 1 2 8 9 , 1 2 9 1 - 9 2 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . H e r e , the c ourtdi d notc om m i tc ons t i tut i ona l B ooke re rr orby us i ng F e r gus on’ s pr i orc onvi c t i ons t o e nha nc e hi s s e nt e nc e . I n A l m e nda r e z - T orr e s v.6

U ni t ed S t at es , the S up re m e C ou rthel d thata def endant ’ s s ent ence can b e e nh ance d ba s e d on the f

a c tof pr i orc onvi c t i on, e ve n i f ne i the rthe j ury f

ound northe d e f e n d a n t a d m itte d th a t f

a c t. E v e n th o u g h s e v e r a l r e c e n t S u p r e m e C o u rt c a s e s c a ll th e p r e c e d e n ti n t o q u e s t i o n , th e C o u rth a s n e v e ro v e rtu rn e d i t s p r e c e d e n t , a n d we have cont i nu ed t o fol l ow A l m endarez -T orre s s i nce B oo ker. S ee , e. g. , U ni t ed S t a t e s v. O r duno- M i r e l e s , 405 F . 3d 960, 962- 63 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ; U ni t e d S t a t e s v. C a m a c ho- I ba r que n, 404 F . 3d 1283, 1290 ( 11th C i r . 2005) . M or e ove r , F e r gus on c o n c e d e s th a t h e a d m itte d th e f a c t o f th e p r e v io u s c o n v ic tio n s u s e d to s u p p o rt h is s t a tus a s a n a rm e d c a r e e rc r i m i na l , the r e by a l l ow i ng the c ourtt o us e the c o n v ic tio n s to e n h a n c e h is s e n te n c e . N e xt , F e r gus on a s s e rt s tha te ve n though he a dm i tt e d the pr e vi ous c o n v ic tio n s , th e c o u rt e rr e d in d e te rm in in g th a t th e c o n v ic tio n s w e r e p r e d ic a te of f e ns e s f orpurpos e s of

§ 924( e ) a nd vi ol a t e d e ve n ana rr ow r e a di ng of A l m endarez -T orre s. B ec ause F er gu son fai l ed t o rai se thi s argum enti n the di stri ct c o u rt, w e r e v ie w th e d is tr ic t c o u rt’s d e c is io n f o rp la in e rr o r . U n ite d S ta te s v . H a ll, 314 F . 3d 565, 566 ( 11th C i r . 2002) ; U ni t e d S t a t e s v. O l a no, 507 U . S . 725, 731- 32, 113 S . C t . 1770, 1776 ( 1993) . “ P l a i n e rr oroc c ur s w he n ( 1) the r e i s a n e rr or , ( 2) th a t is p la in o ro b v io u s , ( 3 ) a f f e c tin g th e d e f

e n d a n t’s s u b s ta n tia l r ig h ts in th a t it w as p rej u d i ci al an d n o th arm l ess, an d (4 ) th atseri o u sl y affects th e fai rn ess,7

i nt e gr i ty , orpubl i c r e put a t i on of the j udi c i a l pr oc e e di ngs . ” H a l l , 314 F . 3d a t566; O l an o , 5 0 7 U . S . at7 3 2 . U n d er § 9 2 4 (e), an o ffen se q u al i fi es as a p red i cat e o ffen se if it is as e r io u s d ru g o f

f e n s e o rav io le n t f

e lo n y . A “s e r io u s d ru g o f f e n s e ” is de f i ne d a s as t a t e of

f e ns e , c a rry i ng am a xi m um s e nt e nc e of t e n y e a r s orm or e a nd i nv ol vi ng , i nt eral i a, po ss es si ng w i th i nt entt o d i stri bu t e acontrol l ed subst ance as d efi n ed u n d er fed eral l aw . 1 8 U . S . C . § 9 2 4 (e)(2 )(A )(i i ) (2 0 0 5 ). A “ v i o l en tfel o n y” i s d efi n ed as: any c ri m e pun i shabl e by i m pri sonm entfor at erm

exce edi ng on e y ear, or any a ctof j uv eni l e del i nq uency i nvol vi ng the us e orc a rry i ng of af i r e a rm , kni f

e , or de s truc t i ve de vi c e tha tw oul d be puni s habl e by im p r is o n m e n t f

o rs u c h te rm if

c o m m itte d b y a n a d u lt, tha t( i ) 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 another; or (i i ) i s burgl ary, ar son, or ext ort i on , i nv ol ves use of e xp l osi ves, or otherw i se i nv ol ves c on du ctthat p r e s e n ts as e r io u s p o te n tia l r is ko f p h y s ic a l in

ju ry to a n o th e r. . . . 18 U . S . C . § 924( e ) ( 2) ( B ) . H e r e , the P S I not e d F e r gus on’ s pr i orc onvi c t i ons f or8

a dj udi c a t i on of

de l i nque nc y f

ora rm e d bur gl a ry , a ggr a va t e d a s s aul t , pos s e s s i on of c oc a i ne w i th i nt e ntt o de l i ve r , pos s e s s i on of c oc a i ne w i th i nt e ntt o s e l l , a nd p o s s e s s io n o f

c o u n te r f e it c o c a in e w ith in te n t to d is tr ib u te . F e r g u s o n f a ile d to obj e c tt o the P S I ’ s f

a c tua l f i ndi ngs a nd onl y obj e c t e d t o the us e of the c onvi c t i ons as predi ca t e off

ense s. B ec ause he fa i l ed t o o bj ec tt o the fa ctual fi nd i ng s, they are de e m e d a dm i tt e d. U ni t e d S t a t e s v. B ur ge , 407 F . 3d 1183( 11th C i r . 2005) , pe t i t i on f o rc e rt. f ile d , ( J u ly 2 7 , 2 0 0 5 ) ( N o . 0 5 - 5 6 0 1 ) ; S h e lto n , 4 0 0 F .3 d a t 1 3 3 0 . F e r gus on c a nnots how tha tthe c ourtpl a i nl y e rr e d i n de t e rm i ni ng tha tthe conv i ct i on s w er e pre di ca t e off ense s. T hi s c ou rthas hel d thata di stri ctcourtdo es no tcom m i tB oo ker e rr or w hen the courtdet erm i nes thatconv i ct i on s qual i fyas pr e di c a t e of

f e ns e s . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. G a l l e gos - A gue r o, 409 F . 3d 1274, 1276- 77 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ; U ni t e d S t a t e s v. C ook, N o. 04- 14912, 2005 W L 1663164, a t*6 ( 1 1 th Ci r . J u l y 1 8 , 2 0 0 5 ) ; Sh e l t o n , 4 0 0 F. 3 d a t1 3 2 9 ; U n i t e d St a t e s v . Cu n n i n g h a m, N o . 0 4 - 1 5 4 5 8 , 2 0 0 5 W L 2 2 1 1 5 7 8 , a t * 2 ( 1 1 th C ir . S e p t. 1 3 , 2 0 0 5 ) ( u n p u b lis h e d ) . F urtherm ore, the evi dence s up po rt s the fi nd i ng s thatatl ea stthree of these offe nses q u a lif y a s p r e d ic a te o f

f e n s e s u n d e r§ 9 2 4 ( e ) . F i r s t , e a c h of

F e r gus on’ s drug c onvi c t i ons qua l i f i e s a s a“ s e r i ous drug of f e ns e ” be c aus e e a c h i nvol ve s pos s e s s i on w i th i nt e ntt o de l i ve ra nd s e l l a nd c a rr i e s am a xi m um s e nt e nc e of t e n y e a r s orm or e . F e r gus on i nc orr e c t l y r e l i e s on9

hi s c ont e nt i on tha tthe “ j udgm e ntpape r s ” f

r om the c onvi c t i ng c ourt , w hi c h a r e not pa rtof the r e c or d, f

a i l t o s pe c i f

y w he the rone of

the c onvi c t i ons w a s f

ors a l e orf

or m e r e pos s e s s i on; the P S I c l e a r l y s t a t e s tha tthe c onvi c t i on w a s “ pos s e s s i on of C oc a i ne w i th i nt e ntt o s e l l . ” F e r gus on a l s o e rr one ous l y a r gue s tha thi s c onvi c t i on for posse ss i on of a c ou nt er fe i tsubst ance w i th i nt entt o d i stri bu t e c anno tbe a predi ca t e off

ense . Y et , the C on trol l ed S ub st ance s A ctand § 92 4(e) m ake c l ear that thi s i s apr e di c a t e of

f e ns e . 21 U . S . C . § 841( a ) ( 2) ( 2005) . A ddi t i ona l l y , F e r gus on adm i tt ed thata c on vi ct i on for posse ss i on w i th i nt entt o d el i ver c ocai ne qu al i fi ed as apr e di c a t e of

f e ns e . S e c ond, F e r gus on’ s c onvi c t i ons f ora ggr a va t e d a s s aul ta nd a rm e d bur gl a ryqua l i f

y a s vi ol e ntf

e l oni e s be c aus e the y i nvol ve the us e of f or c e or r i s k of phy s i c a l i nj ury . F e r gus on a r gue s tha tthe c ourte rr e d i n c ount i ng one of th e s e c o n v ic tio n s a s ap r e d ic a te o f f e n s e , b u t b e c au s e th r e e c o n v ic tio n s c le a r ly q u a lif y a s p r e d ic a te o f

f e n s e s u n d e r§ 9 2 4 ( e ) , th e c o u rt p r o p e r ly s e n te n c e d h im to th e m a n d a to ry m in im u m o f 1 8 0 m o n th s ’ im p r is o n m e n t. F i nal l y, F er gu son con t ends thatthe courterre d i n (1) i m po si ng other e nha nc e m e nt s , s uc h a s f orr ol e i n the of

f e ns e , tha ti nc r e a s e d hi s s e nt e nc e s above the G ui del i nes’ m axi m um and (2) i n app l yi ng the G ui del i nes a s m andat ory, i nst ea d of a s a dvi s ory . E ve n i f

w e f i nd tha tthe c ourte rr e d i n the s e r e s pe c t s , the go vernm entm ee t s the st andards f or const i tut i on al B oo ker e rr or and st atut ory10

B ooke re rr orr e s pe c t i ve l y . F e r gus on f a c e d am a nda t ory m i ni m um s e nt e nc e of 180 m onths ’ i m pr i s onm e ntf orhi s s t a tus a s a n a rm e d c a r e e rc r i m i na l . B ooke rdi d not ove rturn the S upr e m e C ourt ’ s de c i s i on i n H a rr i s v. U ni t e d S t a t e s , 536 U . S . 545, 568- 69, 122 S . C t . 2406, 2420 ( 2002) , apos t - A ppr e ndi de c i s i on uphol di ng m a nda t ory m i ni m um s e nt e nc e s , a nd w e ha ve c ont i nue d t o f ol l ow H a rr i s i n l i ghtof B la k e ly a n d B o o k e r . U n ite d S ta te s v . C r a w f o r d , 1 3 3 F e d . A p p x . 6 1 2 , 6 1 9 - 2 1 ( 1 1 th C i r . 2005) . T he c ourts e nt e nc e d F e r gus on t o the m a nda t ory m i ni m um of 180 m on ths’ i m pri sonm entfor hi s s t atus as an arm ed ca re ercr i m i nal w i th the other s e nt e nc e s t o run c onc urr e nt l y . T he r e f or e , a ny s e nt e nc i ng e rr or s a s t o C ount s O ne a nd T w o m e e tthe c ons t i tut i ona l B ooke re rr ors t a nda r d of be i ng ha rm l e s s be y ond a r e a s o n ab le d o u b t a n d o b v io u s ly m e e t th e s ta tu to ry B o o k e re rr o rs ta n d a r d , to o . A cc ordi ng l y, because the di stri ctcourtdi d n otvi ol at e B oo ker, w e A F F I R M.