FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT June 8, 2005 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ 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. 04- 13188 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 2 - 0 0 3 7 0 - CR- T- 3 0 - M SS 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 A N G E L M O R E N 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 M i ddl e D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( J une 8, 2005)

B efo re T JO F L A T , D U B IN A , an d C A RN E S , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: In S ept em ber 200 2, a s m al l bo atca rryi ng fi ve m en l ef tB uenaventura,2

C ol om bi a a nd headed t ow ar ds a s peed bo ata s ho rtdi st ance aw ay . O ne of the m en o n th e s m a ll b o a t h a d h ir e d th e o th e rf o u rto d r iv e th e s p e e d b o a t to G u a te m a la . T he four cre w m em bers , on e of w hi ch w as A ng el M oreno, bo ar ded t he spee d b oat and d epar t ed for G uat em al a. T w o d ay s i nt o t he j ou rney a U ni t ed S t at es navy hel i copt erspot t ed the spee d boa ta nd c ont a c t e d the U ni t e d S t a t e s C oa s tG ua r d. U pon s e e i ng the he l i c opt e r , the s pe e d boa ta tt e m pt e d t o f l e e a nd the c r e w be ga n dum pi ng s e ve r a l ba l e s of c oc a i ne i nt o the oc e a n. D e s pi t e the e s c ape e f f or t , the C oa s tG ua r d ve s s e l ove r t ook the spee d b oatand recovere d t he cocai ne. A l at eranal ys i s r evea l ed thatthe bal es cont ai ned 1 , 58 6. 6 k i l og ra m s of c ocai ne. A nge l M or e no a nd the thr e e othe rc r e w m e m be r s w e r e e a c h i ndi c t e d f orone c ountof pos s e s s i on w i th i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e f i ve ki l ogr a m s orm or e of c oc a i ne w hi l e on boa r d a ve s s e l s ubj e c tt o the j ur i s di c t i on of the U ni t e d S t a t e s a nd one coun tof conspi ra cy t o com m i tthe sa m e, i n v i ol at i on of 46 A pp . § 1 90 3(a) , (g), (j ), 1 8 U .S .C . § 2 , a n d 2 1 U .S .C . § 9 6 0 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( B ) ( ii) . M o r e n o p le a d e d g u ilty to b o th c ount s w i thouta pl e a a gr e e m e nt . H e w a s s e nt e nc e d t o 168 m onths ’ i m pr i s onm e nt a nd f i ve y e a r s of

s upe rvi s e d r e l e a s e . M or e no c ha l l e nge s hi s s e nt e nc e on f our g r o u n d s . M or e no’ s f

i r s tc ont e nt i on i s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our te r r e d by notappl y i ng the3

S ent enci ng G ui del i nes’ sa fe ty val ve prov i si on . T o q ual i fy for s af ety val ve re l i ef unde rU . S . S . G . § 5C 1. 2, “ the de f e nda nt. . . [ m us t ] truthf ul l y di s c l os e t o the g o v e r n m e n t a ll in f

o r m a tio n a n d e v id e n c e th a t h e h a s a b o u t th e o f f e n s e a n d a ll r e l e va ntc onduc t . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. J ohns on, 375 F . 3d 1300, 1302 ( 11th C i r . 2004) ( quot a t i on om i tt e d) . I n de ny i ng M or e no s a f e ty va l ve r e l i e f

, the di s tr i c tc our tf

ound tha the f a i l e d t o m e e tthi s r e qui r e m e nt . M or e no ul t i m a t e l y c ont e nds tha tthe di stri ctcourt ’ s f

ac tual det erm i nat i on s on w hi ch i t s dec i si on w as m ade a re cont ra ry t o th e e v i d e n c e i n th e c a s e . “ Wh e n r e v i e wi n g th e d e n i a l o f s a f e ty - v a l v e r e l i e f

, we r e vi e w f orc l e a re r r ora di s tr i c tc our t ’ s f a c tua l de t e r m i na t i ons . ” I d. a t1301. S e ve r a l f a c t s s uppor tthe di s tr i c tc our t ’ s f i ndi ng tha tM or e no di d not truthf ul l y pr ovi de t o the gove r nm e nta l l the i nf or m a t i on a nd e vi de nc e he ha d a bout th e o f f e n s e . E a c h tim e M o r e n o m a d e a s ta te m e n t to la w e n f o r c e m e n t o f

f ic ia ls , h is s t or y c ha nge d. H e c ha nge d the a m ounthe s a i d he w oul d be pa i d f orthe drug tr i p; h e c h a n g e d w h e r e th e tr ip o r ig in a te d ; a n d h e c h a n g e d w h e th e rh e k n e w th a t th e tr ip w a s a d ru g s m u g g lin g v e n tu r e . F u r th e r m o r e , e a c h o f M o r e n o ’s c o - d e f

e n d a n ts pl ea ded g ui l ty a nd gave st at em ent s. P ort i on s of M oreno’ s s t at em entar e i ncon si st entw i th t ho se of hi s c o-defendant s. T he di stri ctcourtal so foun d i thard t o be l i e ve tha tM or e no w a s truthf ul i n hi s s t a t e m e nttha the w a s pa i d onl y $474 ( $74 i n pr of

i tpl us $400 t o f

l y f r om G ua t e m a l a ba c k t o C ol om bi a ) i n e xc ha nge f orMoreno also contends that the district cour t used a “mathematical test” to determine 1 whether to apply a minor role reduction. The“mathematical test” that Moreno sug g ests that the district court applied is that, bec ause his conduc t was similar to two of the thre e other crewmen (t hedis sim ila

r crew m e mber b e ingthec a ptain) , all thre earesim ila rly c ulp a bleand no newa s a minor participant. There is no evidence in the record to support Moreno’s c ontention that the district court used some kind of per se “mathematical test.” We dismis s that assertion as w ithout fac tual basis. 4 hi s know i ng pa r t i c i pa t i on i n a drug ve ntur e i nvol vi ng appr oxi m a t e l y $24 m i l l i on w o r th o f c o c a in e . A f

te rr e v ie w in g th e e v id e n c e , w e f in d th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u r t d id n o t c le a r ly e r rin f

in d in g th a t M o r e n o d id n o t tru th f u lly d is c lo s e h is f

u ll i nv ol vem enti n t he offens e a nd w as , there fore , i nel i gi bl e f or sa fe ty val ve re l i ef

. M o r e n o ’ s s e c o n d a r g u me n ti s th a tth e d i s tr i c tc o u r te r r e d i n d e n y i n g h i m a m i no r r ol e r educt i on un der U . S . S . G . § 3 B 1. 2. A cc ordi ng t o M oreno, the di stri ct c our tc om pa r e d hi s r ol e onl y t o tha tof hi s c o- de f

e nda nt s , i ns t e a d of

t o e ve r y one i n v o l v ed i n th e m u ch l arg er d ru g co n sp i racy. 1 T h e rel ev an tco n d u ctat tri b u t ed t o M o ren o i n cal cu l at i n g h i s b ase o ffen se l e ve l w a s onl y tha tqua nt i ty of drugs a c tua l l y tr a ns por t e d by hi m a nd hi s c odefe nd ant s a nd se i ze d b y l aw enforce m ent . A ny l ar ger c on spi ra cy thatext ended be y ond the 1, 586. 6 ki l ogr a m s of c oc a i ne tha the a dm i tt e d w a s notpa r tof the char ged cri m e or r el evantcond uctattri bu t ed t o M oreno. T he di stri ctcourt prop er l y c on si dere d t he pl ay er s a nd rol es i n t he conspi ra cy for w hi ch M oreno w as c h a r g e d a n d f

o u n d th a t h e w a s n o t e n title d to a m in o rr o le r e d u c tio n . M or e ove r , the r e c or d s uppor t s the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s c onc l us i on tha tM or e no5

w a s note nt i t l e d t o a m i norr ol e r e duc t i on. T he s he a rqua nt i ty of drugs , w i th a va l ue of appr oxi m a t e l y $24 m i l l i on, i s e vi de nc e tha ta m i norr ol e r e duc t i on w a s not w arra nt ed. S ee U ni t ed S t at es v. R od ri gu ez D e V ar on , 17 5 F . 3d 93 0, 94 3 (11 th C i r. 1999) ( a f f i r m i ng tha tthe “ a m ountof drugs i s a r e l e va ntf

a c t ora nd r e c ogni z [ i ng] th at u n d erso m e c ircu m stan ce s it m ay b e d isp o siti v e” ). In ad d it io n , M o re n o ’s i n v o l v e me n ti n tr a n s p o r t i n g th e d ru g s i n th e s p e e d b o a tw a s s u b s t a n t i a l l y th e s a me a s the othe rc r e w m e m be r s ( w i th the pos s i bl e e xc e pt i on of the c apt a i n) . F or e xa m pl e , the e vi de nc e de m ons tr a t e s tha te a c h c r e w m e m be r , i nc l udi ng M or e no, t ook tur ns na vi ga t i ng the boa t . T he di s tr i c tc our tc om m i tt e d no e r r ori n f i ndi ng tha tM or e no w a s nots ubs t a nt i a l l y l e s s c ul pa bl e tha n the othe r s i nvol ve d i n the co n sp i racy an d d en yi n g h i m a m i n o r ro l e red u ct i o n o n th atb asi s. M o r e n o ’s th ir d c o n te n tio n is th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u r t e r r e d b y d e n y in g h is re qu es tfor ado w nw ar d d epar ture bas ed on aberra ntbehavi or. “ W e l ac k j ur i s di c t i on t o r e vi e w a s e nt e nc i ng c our t ’ s r e f us a l t o de pa r tdow nw a r d w he n the deci si on i s bas ed on the court ’ s di sc re t i on ary aut ho ri ty. ” U ni t ed S t at es v. C hase , 17 4 F . 3d 11 93 , 11 95 (11t h C i r. 19 99 ). F urtherm ore, “ w hen n ot hi ng i n t he re cord in d ic a te s o th e r w is e , w e a s s u m e th e s e n te n c in g c o u r t u n d e r s to o d it h a d a u th o r ity to de pa r tdow nw a r d. ” I d. T h e r e is n o th in g in th e r e c o r d to s u g g e s t th a t d is tr ic t c o u r t m is u n d e r s to o d its6

a uthor i ty t o de pa r tdow nw a r d i n thi s c a s e . A s a r e s ul t , w e a r e w i thoutj ur i s di c t i on t o r e vi e w the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s r e f us a l t o de pa r tdow nw a r d. S e e i d. D e s pi t e the j ur i s di c t i ona l ba r , a de pa r tur e f ora be r r a ntbe ha vi ori s f or e c l os e d w he n the un derl yi ng offe nse i s ase ri ou s drug t ra ff i cki ng cr i m e s uch as the on e M oreno w as conv i ct ed of. S ee U . S . S . G . § 5 K 2. 20 (c )( 3). M or e no’ s f

i na l a r gum e nti s tha thi s s e nt e nc e i s unc ons t i tut i ona l i n l i ghtof U ni t e d S t a t e s v. B ooke r , 543 U . S . ___, 125 S . C t . 738 ( 2005) . B e c a us e M or e no w a s s e n te n c e d b a s e d s o le ly o n f a c ts th a t h e a d m itte d to , th e r e w a s n o S ix th A m e n d m e n t v io la tio n . S e e U n ite d S ta te s v . S h e lto n , 4 0 0 F .3 d 1 3 2 5 , 1 3 3 0 ( 1 1 th C i r. 20 05 ). T he di stri ctcourtdi d err , ho w ever , i n sent enci ng M oreno u nd era m a nda t or y G ui de l i ne s s c he m e , e ve n i n the a bs e nc e of a S i xth A m e ndm e nt e nha nc e m e ntvi ol a t i on. I d. a t1330–31. B e c a us e M or e no di d notr a i s e thi s a r gum e ntbe f or e the di s tr i c tc our t , our r e vi e w i s onl y f

orpl a i n e r r or . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. R odr i gue z , 398 F . 3d 1291, 1298 (11t h C i r. 20 05 ). “ A n app el l at e c ou rtm ay no tcorr ec tan error the defendantfa i l ed t o rai se i n t he di stri ctcourtun l es s there i s: (1) e rr or, (2) thati s pl ai n, and (3) that af fe ct s s ub st ant i al ri gh t s. If al l three cond i t i on s a re m et , an appel l at e c ou rtm ay the n e xe r c i s e i t s di s c r e t i on t o not i c e a f or f e i t e d e r r or , butonl y i f

( 4) the e r r or se ri ou sl y a ff

ec t s the fa i rnes s, i nt egri ty, or pu bl i c r eput at i on of j ud i ci al7

proceedi ng s. ” I d. (i nt ernal qu ot at i on s a nd ci t at i on s om i tt ed). M or e no ha s m e tthe f

i r s ttw o pr ongs of

the pl a i n e r r ort e s tby de m ons tr a t i ng tha tthe di s tr i c tc our tc om m i tt e d a n e r r ortha ti s pl a i n. S e e i d. a t1298–99. A s f or the thi r d pr ong of

the pl a i n e r r ort e s t , M or e no ha s the bur de n of s how i ng tha tthe erro r h as affected h i s su b st an t i al ri g h t s. S ee i d . at1 2 9 9 . T o d o so , h e m u st es t abl i sh that“ there i s are as on abl e probabi l i ty of adi ff er entre sul ti f the gu i del i nes ha d be e n appl i e d i n a n a dvi s or y i ns t e a d of bi ndi ng f

a s hi on by the s e nt e nc i ng ju d g e .” I d . a t 1 3 0 1 . T h e r e is n o e v id e n c e in th e r e c o r d to s u g g e s t th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u r t w o u ld have gi ven M oreno a l es se r s ent ence had i tappl i ed the gu i del i nes i n an adv i sory i ns t e a d of

bi ndi ng f

a s hi on. A s a r e s ul t , M or e no ha s f a i l e d t o s a t i s f

y the thi r d pr ong of the pl a i n e r r ort e s ta nd w e c a nnotnot i c e the e r r or . S e e i d. M or e no ha s f

a i l e d t o de m ons tr a t e tha tthe di s tr i c tc our te r r e d i n s e nt e nc i ng h i m b ased o n an y o f h i s assert ed g ro u n d s. AF F I R ME D.