FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT M ay 4, 2006 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. 05- 15683 N on -A rgum entC al endar

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- A p p e lle e , v ersu s J O S E J E S U S A L V A R E Z
- C O R I A , D e fe 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 fo rth e N o r th e r n D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( M ay 4, 2006) B efo re C A R N E S , H U L L an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: A f te rp le a d in g g u ilty , J o s e J e s u s A lv a r e z - C o r iaa p p e a ls h is 8 6
- m o n thBe causeAlvare z-Coria ref erred to a number

of peopleinvolved in the conspirac y as 1 “ Pri m o , ” th eP S I nu mb ere dth e mf o r c l ari ty. 2 s e nt e nc e for( 1) c ons pi r a c y t o pos s e s s w i th the i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e a tl e a s t500 gr a m s of m e tha m phe t a m i ne a nd a tl e a s t500 gr a m s of c oc a i ne , i n vi ol a t i on of 21 U . S . C . §§ 963 a nd 841( b) ( 1) ( A ) ( i i ) a nd ( vi i i ) ; ( 2) a tt e m pt i ng t o pos s e s s w i th the i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e a tl e a s t500 gr a m s of m e tha m phe t a m i ne , i n vi ol a t i on of 21 U . S . C . §§ 846 a nd 841( b) ( 1) ( A ) ( vi i i ) ; a nd ( 3) a tt e m pt i ng t o pos s e s s w i th the i nt e nt t o di s tr i but e a tl e a s t500 gr a m s of c oc a i ne , i n vi ol a t i on of 21 U . S . C . §§ 846 a nd 8 4 1 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( A ) ( i i ) . A f

t e rr e v i e w , w e a f

f i r m. I . B AC KG RO UN D A lv a r e z - C o r ia , h is c o - d e fe n d a n t R o b e r to Z a v a laa n d ath ir d m a n , J o s e N a b il D ager , w er e arr es t ed i n A t l ant a, G eorgi a a ft erthey w er e c augh ttry i ng t o tra nspo rt 9 k ilo g r a m s o f

c o c a in e a n d 4 6 k ilo g r a m s o f m e th a m p h e ta m in e f

r o m T e x a s to G eorgi a. A cc ordi ng t o A l vare z- C ori a’ s P re se nt ence Investi gat i on R eport(“ P S I” ) a n d h is p le ac o llo q u y , A lv a r e z - C o r iaw a s in tr o d u c e d b y h is w ife ’s c o u s in to p e o p le i nv ol ved i n d rug sal es . O ne of these i nd i vi du al s, ca l l ed “ P ri m o1 , ” as ked A l vare z- 1 C or i at o de l i ve rdr ugs f

r om S a n J ua n, T e xa s t o A t l a nt a , G e or gi ai n e xc ha nge for $ 3 ,0 0 0 to $ 4 ,0 0 0 . A lv a r e z - C o r iam e t w ith Z a v a laa n d a n o th e rm a n , I s id o rS a ld iv a r( r e fe rr e d to a s “P r im o 2 ” ) , a t ac h u r c h , w h e r e th e y d is c u s s e d f in d in g ad r iv e rfo rth e d e liv e r y .3

Z a va l al oc a t e d adr i ve r , w ho tur ne d outt o be aC onf i de nt i a l S our c e ( “ C S ” ) forthe S an B eni t o, T exas po l i ce departm ent . T he C S i nform ed i nv es t i gat ors thathe had been as ked t o d ri ve 56 ki l og ra m s of c ocai ne t o A t l ant a. O n J a nua r y 25, 2005, A l va r e z - C or i a , Z a va l aa nd S a l di va rm e ta tar e s t a ur a nt pa r ki ng l ot . S a l di va rga ve Z a va l athe ve hi c l e c ont a i ni ng the dr ugs t o de l i ve rt o the C S . A lv a r e z - C o r iag a v e Z a v a lah is tr u c k a n d in s tr u c te d h im to g iv e th e tr u c k to the C S a s c ol l a t e r a l forpa y m e ntforthe tr i p t o A t l a nt a . O nc e the C S r e tur ne d f r om A tla n ta , th e C S c o u ld e x c h a n g e th e tr u c k fo rh is p a y m e n t. A f te rr e c e iv in g th e v e h ic le c o n ta in in g th e d r u g s f r o m Z a v a la , th e C S d r o v e it t o i nve s t i ga t or s , w ho found thr e e l a r ge pl a s t i c c ont a i ne r s w i th 47 bundl e s of m etham ph et am i ne and 9 bu nd l es of cocai ne. T he D rug E nforcement A gency pl anned a control l ed del i very and fl ew the drug s a nd som e a gent s t o A t l ant a t o set up s ur ve i l l a nc e a nd c om pl e t e the tr a ns a c t i on. T he C S tra nspo rt ed the vehi cl e t o A t l ant a on January 26 , 20 05 . A l vare zC or i a , Z a va l aa nd D a ge ra l s o dr ove t o A t l a nt aa nd c he c ke d i nt o ahot e l . O n the m orni ng of Ja nu ar y 27, 20 05 , A l vare z- C ori a, atP ri m o1 ’ s i nstructi on , m etw i th an i nd i vi du al i dent i fi ed as P ri m o3 , w ho t ol d A l vare z- C ori a t o sw ap ca rs and t hat som eone w ou l d m ee tA l vare z- C ori a a ft erhe had o bt ai ned t he drug s. A l vare zC ori a a nd Z aval a then m etthe C S ata r es t aura nt . A ft era bri ef conv er sa t i on , they4

l ef tthe re st aura ntand d rove t o a S am ’ s C l ub parki ng l ot , w here they tra nsfe rr ed the three cont ai ners fr om the C S ’ s vehi cl e t o A l vare z- C ori a’ s vehi cl e. A l vare zC or i al e f tthe C S a nd Z a va l aa nd dr ove the ve hi c l e w i th the c ont a i ne r s a c r os s the s tr e e tt o aga s s t a t i on, w he r e he w a s s uppos e d t o m e e ta n uni de nt i f i e d pe r s on a nd fo llo w th a t p e r s o n to a n u n k n o w n lo c a tio n a n d d e liv e rth e d r u g s . A lv a r e z - C o r ia a nd Z a va l aw e r e the n a r r e s t e d. In hi s post -arr es tst at em ent , A l vare z- C ori a a dm i tt ed tra vel i ng fr om T exas w ith D a g e ra n d s ta te d th a t, a lth o u g h h e d id n o t k n o w w h y th e y w e r e tr a v e lin g to G e or gi a , he kne w i tw a s r e l a t e d t o dr ugs . A c c or di ng t o A l va r e z - C or i a , he a nd Z aval a w er e i nstruct ed by D agert o p i ck up the cont ai ners . A l vare z- C ori a a dm i tt ed k n o w in g th e c o n ta in e r s h e ld d r u g s , b u t s ta te d th a t h e d id n o t k n o w w h a t k in d . A lv a r e z - C o r ia ’s in d ic tm e n t c h a r g e d h im w ith , in te ra lia , c o n s p ir in g to di stri bu t e bot h cocai ne and m etham ph et am i ne. A thi s pl eacol l oq uy, A l vare zC or i aa ga i n a dm i tt e d tha the kne w the thr e e c ont a i ne r s ha d c ont a i ne d dr ugs , but th a t h e th o u g h t th e d r u g s w e r e c o c a in e a n d n o t m e th a m p h e ta m in e . A lv a r e z - C o r ia pl e d gui l t y t o a l l thr e e c ount s i n the i ndi c t m e nt , butr e s e r ve d hi s r i ghtt o c ha l l e nge the w e i ghta nd t y pe of

dr ugs a ttr i but e d t o hi m a ts e nt e nc i ng. A t s e n te n c in g , o v e rA lv a r e z - C o r ia ’s o bje c tio n , th e d is tr ic t c o u r t h e ld A l vare z- C ori a r es po nsi bl e for the 46 ki l og ra m s of m etham ph et am i ne and t he 9The district court adopted the PSI ’s calculation of Alvarez-Coria’s ba se off ense level 2 pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(c) (1) ( 2004) usinga combined ma rijuana e quivalency

of 935,406.4 kil ograms. Th eDr

ugQu anti ty

Ta blein § 2D 1. 1( c )( 1) sets a ba seof fens ele vel of

38 for at le a st 30,000 kilograms or moreof marijuana equivalenc y . The PSI

noted that the quantity

of methamphetamine ( 933,600 kilograms of marijuana equivalency) wa s over thirty times the amount neede d to achievean off ense level of 38.

5 ki l og ra m s of c ocai ne foun d i n the three cont ai ners . T he di stri ctcourtal so deni ed 2 A l vare z- C ori a’ s r equestfor am i no r r ol e r educt i on . W i th an adj ust ed offens e l evel of 33 and a cri m i nal hi st ory c at egory of I , A l vare z- C ori a’ s a dv i sory G ui del i nes r a n g e w a s 1 3 5 to 1 6 8 m o n th s ’ im p r is o n m e n t. T h e d is tr ic t c o u r t c o n c lu d e d th a t, beca use A l vare z- C ori a w as ent i t l ed t o a sa fe ty- val ve re du cti on , he w as no tsubj ec t t o the m andat ory m i ni m um t en-y ear s ent ence . I n a r r i vi ng a tar e a s ona bl e s e nt e nc e , the di s tr i c tc our tc ons i de r e d the advi sory G ui del i nes r ange and t he fa ct ors i n 1 8 U . S . C . § 3 55 3(a) . T he di stri ct courtno t ed, am on g o ther thi ng s, thatthere w as no evi dence A l vare z- C ori a knew tha tthe c ons pi r a c y i n w hi c h he w a s pa r t i c i pa t i ng i nvol ve d m e tha m phe t a m i ne a nd th a t A lv a r e z - C o r ia ’s p a r tic ip a tio n in th e c o n s p ir a c y c a m e c lo s e to am in o rr o le . T he di s tr i c tc our ti m pos e d a n 86- m onth s e nt e nc e . T hi s a ppe a l fol l ow e d. I I . DI S CUS S I ON A . M i n or R ol e R e d u c t i on O n a ppe a l , A l va r e z - C or i aa r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our tc l e a r l y e rr e d i n fa i l i ng to g ra n t h im a m in o r r o le re d u ctio n . W e r ev iew fo r c lear er ro r a d istrict co u rt’sPur su ant to U .S. S.G . § 3B 1. 2, thedefend ant i s enti tle d toa four-p oint de c re a sein his 3 offense level if he wa s a minimal participant, and a two-point decreaseif he wa s a minor participant. Whether a defendant qualifies for a decreaseis “heavily

dependent upon the fac ts of thepa rtic ula r c a se .” U. S.S. G. § 3 B 1. 2 c mt. n. 3( c ). A “ minimal pa rtic ipant”is s ome on ewh o is “plainly amongthe least c ulpable of those involved in the c onduct of a group.” Id. at cmt. n.4. A “ min or pa rtic ipant”is a

pers onwh o is “ le ss culp ablethan mo st o ther p artic ipants , b ut who se role c ould not be described as minimal.” Id. at cmt. n.5. 6 de t e r m i na t i on of

ade fe nda nt ’ s qua l i f

i c a t i on forar ol e r e duc t i on. U ni t e d S t a t e s v. D e V a r o n , 1 7 5 F .3 d 9 3 0 , 9 3 7 ( 1 1 C ir . 1 9 9 9 ) ( e n b a n c ) . th T h e d efen d an th as th e b u rd en o f est ab l i sh i n g h i s ro l e i n th e o ffen se b y a p re p o n d er an ce o f th e e v id en ce . Id . at 9 3 9 . T w o p rin cip les g u id e a d istrict co u rt’s 3
c o n s id e r a tio n : ( 1 ) th e c o u r t m u s t c o m p a r e th e d e fe n d a n t’s r o le in th e o f fe n s e w ith the r e l e va ntc onduc ta ttr i but e d t o hi m i n c a l c ul a t i ng hi s ba s e of fe ns e l e ve l ; a nd ( 2) th e c o u r t m a y c o m p a r e th e d e fe n d a n t’s c o n d u c t to th a t o f o th e rp a r tic ip a n ts i nvol ve d i n the of

fe ns e . I d. a t940- 45. W he n the r e l e va ntc onduc ta ttr i but e d t o a de fe nda nti s i de nt i c a l t o hi s a c tua l c onduc t , he c a nnotpr ove tha the i s e nt i t l e d t o a m i nor - r ol e a dj us t m e nts i m pl y by poi nt i ng t o s om e br oa de rs c he m e forw hi c h he w as n o t h eld ac co u n tab le. Id . at 9 4 1 . In ad d itio n , “ [t]h e fac t th at a d efen d an t’ s rol e m ay be l es s than t hatof ot her parti ci pant s e ng aged i n the re l evantcond uctm ay notbe di s pos i t i ve of

r ol e i n the of

fe ns e , s i nc e i ti s pos s i bl e tha tnone a r e m i noror m i ni m a l pa r t i c i pa nt s . ” I d. a t944. T he di stri ctcourtdi d n otcl earl y e rri n ref usi ng t o g ra ntA l vare z- C ori a a m in o rr o le r e d u c tio n . W ith r e s p e c t to th e f ir s t p r o n g o f

D e V a r o n , A lv a r e z - C o r ia7

w as hel d acc ou nt abl e for on l y the drug s fou nd i n the three pl as t i c c on t ai ners that A l vare z- C ori a a dm i tt ed conspi ri ng t o tra nspo rtt o A t l ant a. T here fore , A l vare zC o r ia ’s a c tu a l a n d r e le v a n t c o n d u c t w e r e th e s a m e a n d h e d id n o t p la y am in o rr o le in th a t c o n d u c t. W i th res pectt o the se cond pron g o f D e V ar on , the re cord i nd i ca t es that A lv a r e z - C o r iaw a s a t le a s t a s c u lp a b le a s Z a v a la . F u r th e r m o r e , A lv a r e z - C o r ia p resen t ed n o ev i d en ce sh o w i n g th ath i s resp o n si b i l i t i es d u ri n g th e tri p w ere l ess i m por t a ntt o the c ons pi r a c y tha n thos e of Z a va l aorD a ge r . A l va r e z - C or i aga ve Z aval a hi s truck t o d el i ver t o the C S as se curi t y unt i l the tra nsac t i on w as c om pl e t e d. T hos e a r gua bl y hi ghe rup i n the c ons pi r a c y , i nc l udi ng P r i m o1, P r i m o2 a nd P r i m o3, of

t e n c om m uni c a t e d w i th A l va r e z - C or i aa nd c oor di na t e d s om e of the c o- c ons pi r a t or s ’ m ove m e nt s thr ough hi m . M or e i m por t a nt l y , unl i ke Z a va l aa nd D a ge r , A l va r e z - C or i aw a s e ntr us t e d w i th dr i vi ng the dr ugs a w a y a f t e rthe r e n d e z v o u s w ith th e C S . T h e r e fo r e , A lv a r e z - C o r iaw a s n o t e n title d to am in o rr o le r e duc t i on. B. A l v a r e z - C o r i o ’ s K no w l e dg e o f D r ug Type I n c a l c ul a t i ng A l va r e z - C or i a ’ s ba s e of fe ns e l e ve l unde rthe S e nt e nc i ng G ui de l i ne s , the di s tr i c tc our the l d A l va r e z - C or i ar e s pons i bl e forthe m e tha m phe t a m i ne found i n the thr e e c ont a i ne r s . A l va r e z - C or i aa r gue s tha ttheWe reviewa sentencingcourt’s f actual findings f

or cle ar error

and its application of the 4 SentencingGuidelines to those facts de novo. United States v. Jackson, 276 F.3d 1231, 1233 (11 Cir. 2001). th 8 d is tr ic t c o u r t c le a r ly e r r e d in d o in g s o b e c a u s e A lv a r e z - C o r iah a d n o t a g r e e d to tr a n s p o r t m e th a m p h e ta m in e a n d c o u ld n o t h a v e r e a s o n a b ly fo r e s e e n th a t h e w o u ld be entrust ed w i th d el i veri ng m etham ph et am i ne. W e di sa gree . 4 U n d e rU .S .S .G . § 1 B 1 .3 , th e d is tr ic t c o u r t m u s t c o n s id e r“r e le v a n t c o n d u c t” w he n c a l c ul a t i ng ade fe nda nt ’ s ba s e of fe ns e l e ve l , i nc l udi ng “ a l l a c t s a nd om i s s i ons c om m i tt e d, a i de d, a be tt e d, c ouns e l e d, c om m a nde d, i nduc e d, pr oc ur e d, o rw illf u lly c a u s e d b y th e d e fe n d a n t . . . .” U .S .S .G . § 1 B 1 .3 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) ( 2 0 0 4 ) . A d e fe n d a n t’s a c c o u n ta b ility u n d e rs u b s e c tio n ( a ) ( 1 ) ( A ) is n o t lim ite d b y w h a t is r e a s o n a b ly fo r e s e e a b le b e c a u s e th e r e a s o n a b le fo r e s e e a b ility r e q u ir e m e n t o n ly a ppl i e s t o the c onduc tof othe r s . U . S . S . G . § 1B 1. 3, c m t . n. 2. A s a n e xa m pl e of c o n d u c t fo rw h ic h th e d e fe n d a n t is h e ld a c c o u n ta b le , th e c o m m e n ta r y to § 1 B 1 .3 n o t es th at“ a d efen d an tw h o tran sp o rt s a su i t case k n o w i n g th ati tco n t ai n s a co n tro l l ed su b st an ce . . . i s acco u n t ab l e fo r th e co n tro l l ed su b st an ce i n th e su i t case r e ga r dl e s s of

hi s know l e dge orl a c k of know l e dge of

the a c tua l t y pe ora m ountof thatcontrol l ed subst ance . ” U . S . S . G . § 1 B 1. 3, cm t . n. 2(a) (1). S i m i l a r l y , thi s C our tha s “ c ons i s t e nt l y r e c ogni z e d de l i be r a t e i gnor a nc e of c r i m i na l a c t i vi t y a s the e qui va l e ntof know l e dge . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. P r a the r , 2059

F .3 d 1 2 6 5 , 1 2 7 0 ( 1 1 C ir . 2 0 0 0 ) ( c ita tio n o m itte d ) ( r e v ie w in g ad e lib e r a te th in d if fe r e n c e ju r y in s tr u c tio n ) . W e h a v e a p p lie d th is p r in c ip le a t s e n te n c in g to c onc l ude tha tade fe nda ntne e d notknow the t y pe of dr ug i nvol ve d i n adr ug offe nse i n o rdert o rec ei ve a s t atut ory m andat ory- m i ni m um se nt ence base d o n that t ype of drug. S ee U ni t ed S t at es v. G om ez , 90 5 F . 2d 15 13 , 15 14 -15 (11 th C i r. 1990) ( s t a t i ng tha t“ thos e w ho, a c t i ng w i th ade l i be r a t e a nt i
- s oc i a l purpos e i n m i nd, b e c o m e in v o lv e d in ille g a l d r u g tr a n s a c tio n s , a s s u m e th e r is k th a t th e ira c tio n s w ill subj ec tthem t o enh ance d cri m i nal l i abi l i t y” ) ( ci t ati on om i tt ed). W h e th e rth e p r e s e n c e o f m e th a m p h e ta m in e w a s r e a s o n a b ly fo r e s e e a b le to A l va r e z - C or i ai s i m m a t e r i a l be c a us e A l va r e z - C or i ai s be i ng he l d a c c ount a bl e for h is o w n c o n d u c t, n o t th e c o n d u c t o f h is c o - c o n s p ir a to r s . A lv a r e z - C o r iak n o w in g ly parti ci pat ed i n a pl an t o tra nspo rtthree drug -f i l l ed cont ai ners t o A t l ant a. T he fa ct tha tA l va r e z - C or i adi d notknow the t y pe orqua nt i t y of the dr ugs di d notpr e c l ude the di stri ctcourtfr om attri bu t i ng the drug s t o h i m for s ent enci ng pu rposes . U nd er U . S . S . G . § 3 B 1. 3 and i t s c om m ent ar y a nd the re as on i ng of G om ez , the di stri ct courtcorr ec t l y a ttri bu t ed bo th the m etham ph et am i ne and t he cocai ne t o A l vare zC ori a. A cc ordi ng l y, w e a ff i rm A l vare z- C ori a’ s 86-m on th sent ence . A F F I R M E D .