FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT JANUARY 12 , 2006 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

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________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 04 -000 05 -C R -H L -7 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 M I C H A E L W I L L I A M S , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t.

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_________________________ ( Jan u ar y 12, 2006) B efo re M A R C U S , W IL S O N an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: M i c ha e l W i l l i a m s appe a l s hi s c onvi c t i on a nd s e nt e nc e f orva r i ous drug2

of f e ns e s , pos s e s s i on of

af i r e a rm byac onvi c t e d f

e l on, m one yl aunde r i ng, a nd s tru c tu r in g m o n e ta ry tr a n s a c tio n s . W illia m s m a k e s th r e e a r g u m e n ts o n ap p e a l. W illia m s f

ir s t a r g u e s th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u rt e rr o n e o u s lyd e n ie d h is m o tio n to supp re ss because the af fi davi tsupp ort i ng the se ar ch w arrantof hi s s t orage uni tw as in s u f f ic ie n t. W illia m s n e x t a r g u e s th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u rt e rr e d w h e n it r e f u s e d to di sc harge W i l l i am s’ s app oi nt ed coun se l . L as t l y, W i l l i am s argues thatthe di stri ct co u rt erro n eo u sly ap p li ed th e s en ten cin g g u id elin es w h en itca lcu lated W il li am s’s s e nt e nc e . W e a f

f i rm W i l l i a m s ’ s c onvi c t i on. B e c aus e , a s the gove rnm e nt concedes, the di stri ctcourterre d w hen i tca l cul at ed the W i l l i am s’ s gui del i ne rang e, w e r e m a n d th is c a s e f

o rr e s e n te n c in g .

I . B AC KG RO UN D F ol l ow i ng a three ye ari nv es t i gat i on , W i l l i am s and se vera l others w er e i nd i ct ed on m ul t i pl e c ou nt s r el at i ng t o d rug and fi re arm offe nses and m on ey lau n d e r in g . W illia m s p le a d e d n o t g u ilty , a n d J a m e s J a rv is w a s ap p o in te d to re pres enthi m . S ever al m on ths l at er , W i l l i am s f i l ed a m ot i on and request ed that Jarv i s w i th d raw fro m rep resen t at i o n . W i l l i am s assert ed th ata co n fl i cto f i n t erest h a d d e v e lo p e d . A f

e w d a y s la te r , J a rv is f

ile dam o tio n to w ith d r a w a s c o u n s e l. Ja rv is also filed a m o ti o n to su p p re ss th e e v id en ce se ized in a s ea rc h o f W il li am s’s s to r a g e u n it. W illia m s c h a lle n g e d b o th th e in f o rm a tio n c o n ta in e d in th e a f f id a v it3

a n d w h e th e rth e a f

f id a v it s u p p o rte d p r o b ab le c au s e f o rth e w a rr a n t. O n A u g u s t 3 1 , 2 0 0 4 , th e d is tr ic t c o u rt h e ld ap r e tr ia l c o n f e r e n c e f o rth e tr ia l, w hi ch w as sc hedu l ed for O ct ob er18 , 20 04 . W i l l i am s’ s a gai n argued thathe w as no thapp y w i th Jarvi s’ s r epre se nt at i on and w i shed t o ret ai n cou nsel . T he di stri ct c o u rt a d v is e d W illia m s th a t J a rv is w o u ld c o n tin u e to r e p r e s e n t h im u n til r e pl a c e m e ntc ouns e l f

i l e d a n appe a r a nc e . T he di s tr i c tc ourtde ni e d both m ot i ons f o rJ a rv is to w ith d r a w . T w o w e e ks be f

or e the s c he dul e d tr i a l da t e , W i l l i a m s f i l e d a nothe rm ot i on an d req u est ed th ath e b e ap p o i n t ed n ew co u n sel . A ta h eari n g th e sam e d ay, W illia m s s ta te d th a t h e w o u ld p r e f e rto r e p r e s e n t h im s e lf

r a th e rth a n c o n tin u e w ith J a rvi s ’ s r e pr e s e nt a t i on. T he di s tr i c tc ourti ns truc t e d J arvi s t o be a va i l abl e f or c o n s u lta tio n a n d in f

o rm e d W illia m s th a t h e h a d th r e e d a y s to d e c id e w h e th e rto proceed w i th Jarvi s’ s r epre se nt at i on or t o repres enthi m se l f. T he di stri ctcourtthen t ook e vi de nc e on the s uppr e s s i on m ot i on, w hi c h w a s de ni e d, a nd, a tthe c l os e of th e h e a r in g , r e s e t th e tr ia l d a te f o rO c to b e r2 5 , 2 0 0 4 . O n O c t obe r20, W i l l i a m s s e ntal e tt e rt o the di s tr i c tc ourta nd s t a t e d tha the w oul d hi r e a nothe ra tt orne y i f the c ourtw oul d gr a ntac ont i nua nc e . O n the da yof tr i a l , W i l l i a m s a ga i n s t a t e d t o the c ourttha the w i s he d t o r e t a i n c ouns e l . T he d is tr ic t c o u rt d e c lin e d to g r a n t ac o n tin u a n c e .4

J a rv is r e p r e s e n te d W illia m s a t tr ia l, a n d W illia m s w a s c o n v ic te d . J a rv is m a de a n ope ni ng s t a t e m e nta nd c l os i ng a r gum e nt , c r os s - e xa m i ne d w i tne s s e s , m a de obj e c t i ons , a nd m ove d f oraj udgm e ntof

a c qui tt a l . T he j uryr e turne d ave r di c tof gui l ty on a l l c ount s butone , pos s e s s i on of ada nge r ous w e apon. T he j uryf ound th a t th e s p e c if

ic d ru g q u a n tityw a s 1 .1 1 1 7 1 k ilo g r a m s o f c o c a in e . A tse nt enci ng , w hen cal cul at i ng W i l l i am s’ s gui del i ne rang e, the di stri ct courtfoun d thatW i l l i am s w as re spon si bl e f or 2. 16 22 ki l og ra m s of c ocai ne, p o s s e s s e d f

ir e a rm s in c o n n e c tio n w ith th e o f f e n s e , a n d w a s s u b

je c t to enhancem ent s f

or hi s r ol e i n the offens e and soph i st i ca t ed l aund er i ng . T he di stri ct c o u rt d e te rm in e d th a t th e g u id e lin e r a n g e w a s 3 6 0 m o n th s to lif e im p r is o n m e n t. T he di s tr i c tc ourta c know l e dge d tha ti tw a s notbound by the gui de l i ne r a nge a nd s e n te n c e d W illia m s to ato ta l s e n te n c e o f 4 2 5 m o n th s o f

im p r is o n m e n t. I I . STA N D A R D O F R EVI EW

“ A di s tr i c tc ourt ’ s rul i ng on am ot i on t o s uppr e s s pr e s e nt s m i xe d que s t i ons of l aw and fact . W e are re qu i re d t o acc eptthe di stri ctcourt ’ s f ac tual fi nd i ng s a s true unl es s they are cl earl y e rr on eous, bu tthe di stri ctcourt ’ s app l i ca t i on of the l aw t o the f a c t s i s r e vi e w e d de novo. ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. R a m i r e z - C hi l e l , 289 F . 3d 744, 7 4 8 - 4 9 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) ( in te rn a l q u o ta tio n m a rk s a n d c ita tio n s o m itte d ) . W e re vi ew the deni al of a m ot i on for new coun se l for abu se of di sc re t i on . S ee U ni t ed5

S t a t e s v. C a l de r on, 127 F . 3d 1314, 1343 ( 11th C i r . 1997) . Q ue s t i ons of l a w a r i s i ng unde rthe S e nt e nc i ng G ui de l i ne s a r e r e vi e w e d de novo. U ni t e d S t a t e s v. C r a w f or d, 407 F . 3d 1174, 1178 ( 11th C i r . 2005) . W e r e vi e w f i ndi ngs of

f a c tm a de unde rthe S e n te n c in g G u id e lin e s f o rc le a re rr o r . I d . a t 1 1 7 7 . I I I . DI S CUS S I ON W i l l i a m s ’ s f

i r s ttw o a r gum e nt s c ha l l e nge the va l i di tyof hi s c onvi c t i on, a nd hi s othe ra r gum e nt s c ha l l e nge onl yhi s s e nt e nc e . T he f i r s ttw o a r gum e nt s f

a i l , but o n e o f h is ar g u m en ts ab o u t h is se n ten ce h as m er it . W e r ev iew ea ch o f W il li am s’s a r g u m e n ts in tu rn .

A . T he M ot i on t o S uppr e s s W a s P r ope r l yD e ni e d. U n d e rth e F o u rth A m e n d m e n t “n o W a rr a n ts s h a ll is s u e , b u t u p o n p r o b ab le c aus e . . . . ” U . S . C ons t . A m e nd. I V . “ P r obabl e c aus e t o s upportas e a r c h w a rr a nt e x is ts w h e n th e to ta lityo f th e c ir c u m s ta n c e s a llo w ac o n c lu s io n th a t th e r e is af a ir prob abi l i ty of f

i nd i ng contraband or evi dence ata part i cul arl ocat i on . ” U ni t ed S ta te s v . B ru n d id g e , 1 7 0 F .3 d 1 3 5 0 , 1 3 5 2 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 9 ) . “[ T ]h e [ w a rr a n t] a f f id a v it m u s t c o n ta in s u f

f ic ie n t in f o rm a tio n to c o n c lu d e th a t af a irp r o b ab ility exi st ed thatse i zabl e e vi dence w ou l d b e f ou nd i n the pl ac e s ou gh tt o b e s earc hed. ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. M a rt i n, 297 F . 3d 1308, 1314 ( 11th C i r . 2002) ( i nt e rna l quot a t i on m ark s an d ci t at i o n o m i tt ed ). T h e affi d av i ti n su p p o rto f a search w arran tal so6

s houl d “ e s t abl i s h ac onne c t i on be tw e e n the de f e nda nta nd the r e s i de nc e t o be s e a r c he d a nd al i nk be tw e e n the r e s i de nc e a nd a nyc r i m i na l a c t i vi ty . ” I d. W e ha ve e x p la in e d a ls o th a t th e in f o rm a tio n in th e a f

f id a v it m u s t n o t b e s ta le . I d . T h e a f f id a v it p r e s e n te d to th e G e o r g iac o u rt e s tab lis h e d p r o b ab le c au s e to b e lie v e th a t th e ite m s to b e s e iz e d w o u ld b e f o u n d in W illia m s ’s s to r a g e u n it. T he a f f i da vi te s t abl i s he d f

ourpe rt i ne ntf

a c t s : ( 1) W i l l i a m s ha d an ongoi ng c onne c t i on t o th e s t o r a g e u n i t ; ( 2 ) a c c o r d i n g t o th e ma n a g e ro f th e s t o r a g e f

a c i l i ty , W i l l i a ms ha d r e nt e d the uni tus i ng af a l s e i de nt i ty ; ( 3) W i l l i a m s ha d a m a s s e d s i gni f i c a nt a m ount s of

c a s h a nd a s s e t s , w hi c h w e r e s c a tt e r e d thr oughouts e ve r a l ba nks ; a nd ( 4) a c c or di ng t o the s t a t e m e nt s of tw o of hi s c o- c ons pi r a t or s , W i l l i a m s us e d the u n i tt o h i d e d ru g s an d m o n ey. T h i s i n fo rm at i o n w as su ffi ci en tt o est ab l i sh p r o b ab le c au s e to b e lie v e th a t d ru g s o re v id e n c e r e la te d to ille g a l d ru g a c tiv ity w o u ld b e f

o u n d in th e s to r a g e u n it. W i l l i a m s a r gue s tha tthe i nf orm a t i on c ont a i ne d i n the a f f i da vi tw a s s t a l e , but the i nf orm a t i on s ugge s t e d tha tW i l l i a m s ha d a n ongoi ng r e l a t i ons hi p w i th the st orage uni t . T he m anager of the fa ci l i ty not i fi ed autho ri t i es thatW i l l i am s had vi si t ed the un i ttw i ce i n the prece di ng m on th. T he af fi davi tal so es t abl i shed that W i l l i a m s w a s s i gni f

i c a nt l y i nvol ve d i n the drug tr a de a nd ha d us e d the uni tt o hi de d ru g s a n d m o n e y . T h e d is tr ic t c o u rt c o u ld r e a s o n ab lyc o n c lu d e th a t th is7

i nf orm a t i on w a s nots t a l e . S e e U ni t e d S t a t e s v. B e rva l di , 226 F . 3d 1256, 1265 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 0 ) . T h e d is tr ic t c o u rt p r o p e r lyd e n ie d th e m o tio n to s u p p r e s s . B . W illia m s W a s N o t P r e ju d ic e d b yth e C o n tin u e d R e p r e s e n ta tio n o f J a rv is . W i l l i am s argues thatthe di stri ctcourtabused i t s di sc re t i on w hen i tdeni ed hi s m ot i on t o app oi ntnew coun se l . T he re cord ref l ec t s thatthere w as confl i ct be tw e e n W i l l i a m s a nd J a rvi s . T o pr e va i l on hi s a r gum e nt , W i l l i a m s m us tpr ove thathe w as prej ud i ce d b y J arvi s’ s c on t i nu ed re pres ent at i on . C al deron, 12 7 F . 3d at 1 3 4 3 . A d ef

en d an t can p ro v e s u ch p re ju d ice b y d em o n stra ti n g th at h is “co u n se l’ s p e r f o rm a n c e w a s n o t w ith in th e r a n g e o f c o m p e te n c e d e m a n d e d o f a tto rn e y s in c r i m i na l c a s e s a nd tha tbutf orc ouns e l ’ s c ont i nue d r e pr e s e nt a t i on . . . , the r e s ul tof th e p r o c e e d in g w o u ld h av e b e e n d if f e r e n t.” I d . ( in te rn a l q u o ta tio n s o m itte d ) . W i l l i am s does notm ake any att em ptt o d em on stra t e how he w as prej ud i ce d b y J ar v is’s re p re se n tati o n . In d ee d , th e r ec o rd re flec ts th at, actin g o n W il li am s’s be ha l f , J a rvi s m a de a n ope ni ng s t a t e m e nt , c r os s - e xa m i ne d w i tne s s e s thr oughout the tri al , m ov ed for j ud gm entof ac qu i tt al un der F eder al R ul e of C ri m i nal P ro ced u re 2 9 , rai sed o b j ect i o n s, an d m ad e a cl o si n g arg u m en t . T h e reco rd al so r e f l e c t s tha tthe j ury a c qui tt e d W i l l i a m s of one of the c ha r ge d c ount s . E ve n i f the di s tr i c tc ourtabus e d i t s di s c r e t i on, W i l l i a m s ha s note s t abl i s he d a nypr e j udi c e , a nd h is a r g u m e n t f

a ils . S e e id .8 C . W i l l i a m s ’ s C a s e M us tB e R e m a nde d f orR e s e nt e nc i ng. W illia m s r a is e s f

o u ris s u e s o n ap p e a l w ith r e s p e c t to e n h a n c e m e n ts o f h is s e nt e nc e . W e a ddr e s s e a c h e nha nc e m e nti n turn. W e a r e nota s ke d t o r e vi e w the r e a s o n ab le n e s s o f

th e s e n te n c e im p o s e d . F ir s t, W illia m s a r g u e s th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u rt e rr e d w h e n it h e ld h im a c c ount abl e f

orove r2 ki l ogr a m s of

c oc a i ne w he n the j uryc onc l ude d tha the po ss es se d 1 . 11 17 1 k i l og ra m s of c ocai ne. S ec t i on 2D 1. 1(6) of the gu i del i nes i ndi c a t e s tha t , w he r e the a m ountof drugs i nvol ve d i n the of f e ns e c onduc te xc e e ds 2 k ilo g r a m s b u t is le s s th a n 3 .5 k ilo g r a m s o f c o c a in e , th e b a s e o f

f e n s e le v e l is 2 8 . U . S . S . G . § 2D 1. 1( b) . B e c aus e the t e s t i m onypr e s e nt e d a ttr i a l e vi de nc e d tha tthe c oc a i ne f ound i n W i l l i a m s ’ s s t or a ge uni tt ot a l e d ove rtw o ki l ogr a m s , the f i ndi ng th a t W illia m s w a s a c c o u n tab le f o r2 .1 6 2 2 k ilo g r a m s o f

c o c a in e w a s n o t c le a r ly e rr o n e o u s . S ec on d, W i l l i am s argues thatthe di stri ctcourterre d i n i ncl ud i ng a f ou r- l evel a d ju s tm e n t to r e f

le c t th a t h e h a d o r g a n iz e d o rle d th e c o c a in e d is tr ib u tio n . W i l l i a m s a s s e rt s tha tthe r e w e r e notf i ve pa rt i c i pa nt s i n the c oc a i ne di s tr i but i on s c he m e , buts e c t i on 3B 1. 1( a ) of the S e nt e nc i ng G ui de l i ne s out l i ne s tw o s i tua t i ons in w h ic h ad e f

e n d a n t’s le a d e r s h ip r o le m e r its af o u r - le v e l e n h a n c e m e n t. “F ir s t, enhancem enti s app ropri at e w here the defendantpl ay s al ea ders hi p rol e i n cri m i nal9

a c t i vi ty i nvol vi ng f

i ve orm or e pa rt i c i pa nt s . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. H ol l a nd, 22 F . 3d 10 40 , 10 45 (11th C i r. 19 94 ). S ec on d, “ even w here the ac t i vi ty i nv ol ves l es s than f i ve pa rt i c i pa nt s , as e c t i on 3B 1. 1( a ) a dj us tm e ntnone the l e s s w i l l appl yw he r e the d e f e n d a n t p la y s ale a d e r s h ip r o le a n d th e o p e r a tio n is ‘o th e rw is e e x te n s iv e .’” I d . T hus , appl i c a t i on of

§ 3B 1. 1( a ) r e qui r e s s how i ng both a n e xt e ns i ve ope r a t i on a nd

“ the e xe r c i s e of

s om e author i ty i n the or ga ni z a t i on, the e xe rt i on of s om e de gr e e of c ontr ol , i nf

l ue nc e , orl e a de r s hi p. ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. Y a t e s , 990 F . 2d 1179, 1182 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 3 ) ( q u o tin g U n ite d S ta te s v . B r o w n , 9 4 4 F .2 d 1 3 7 7 ( 7 th C ir . 1 9 9 1 ) ) . T he re cord supp ortthe l att erbasi s f or an adj ustm ent . T he t es t i m on y a ttri al evi denced thatW i l l i am s pl ay ed a l ea ders hi p rol e i n an o pera t i on thatw as “o th e rw is e e x te n s iv e ,” b e c au s e h e e x e rte d c o n tr o l, in f lu e n c e , o rle a d e r s h ip w ith r e s pe c tt o the m one y l aunde r i ng a c t i vi t i e s . S e e Y a t e s , 990 F . 2d a t1182. T he t es t i m on y e st abl i shed thatW i l l i am s r ec rui t ed co-conspi ra t or S haron T w i ne, br i ngi ng he rpape rw ork r e ga r di ng the c e rt i f i c a t e s of de pos i t s he pur c ha s e d f orl a r ge s u m s o f m o n e y o n b e h a lf

o f h is c h ild r e n a n d h e rc h ild r e n a n d h a d h e rs ig n th e m . T h e r e w a s a ls o te s tim o n y th a t W illia m s h a d 1 7 d if f e r e n t b a n ka c c o u n ts , in h is n a m e a n d in h is c h ild r e n ’s n a m e s . T hi r d, W i l l i a m s a r gue s tha t , be c aus e the j urys pe c i f i c a l l ya c qui tt e d hi m of p o s s e s s io n o f

ad a n g e r o u s w e ap o n , th e d is tr ic t c o u rt e rr e d w h e n it in c r e a s e d h is10

of f e ns e l e ve l by tw o t o r e f l e c ttha the pos s e s s e d aw e apon dur i ng the c om m i s s i on of the offens es . W i l l i am s di d n otobj ec tt o the i m po si t i on of a f i re arm e nha nc e m e nti n the di s tr i c tc ourt . W e r e vi e w hi s a r gum e ntr e ga r di ng the i m pos i t i on of

thi s e nha nc e m e nt , the r e f or e , f orpl a i n e rr or . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. O l a no, 5 0 7 U .S . 7 2 5 , 7 3 1 - 7 3 2 , 1 1 3 S . C t. 1 7 7 0 , 1 7 7 6 ( 1 9 9 3 ) . W i l l i am s’ s argum entfa i l s. A tw o-l evel enhancem enti s app ropri at e i f a f i r e a rm w a s pos s e s s e d dur i ng the c om m i s s i on of the of f e ns e . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. S m i th, 127 F . 3d 1388, 1389 ( 11th C i r . 1997) . “ A c qui tt e d c onduc tm a ybe consi dere d b y ase nt enci ng courtbecause averdi ctof ac qu i tt al dem on stra t es a l ac k of pr oof s uf f i c i e ntt o m e e tabe y ond- a - r e a s onabl e - doubts t a nda r d- as t a nda r d of proo f hi gh erthan thatre qu i re d for consi dera t i on of re l evantcond uctat s e nt e nc i ng. ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. S t a nl e y , 24 F . 3d 1314, 1322 ( 11th C i r . 1994) ( c i t a t i o n o m i tt e d ) . T e s t i m o n y i n tr o d u c e d a ttr i a l s h o we d th a tau th o r i t i e s f o u n d two ha ndguns w he n the y s e a r c he d W i l l i a m s ’ s s t or a ge uni t . T he di s tr i c tc ourtdi d not pl a i nl y e rri n f

i ndi ng tha tthe f

i r e a rm s w e r e pos s e s s e d i n c onne c t i on w i th the drug an d m o n ey l au n d eri n g o ffen ses. F i n al l y, W i l l i am s arg u es th atth e d i stri ctco u rterred i n th e i n creasi n g o ffen se l evel t o ref

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