# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 5- 37 38

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ Uni te d S ta te s o f Am eri ca

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pla in ti

ff - App el le e

v.

Je rm ai ne Dos ho n Tra vi s

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll an t

__ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Dis tri ct of M in ne so ta - St. Pa ul

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Su bm it te d: Octo be r 17 , 20 16 Fi le d: Octo be r 27 , 20 16 [Un pu bl is he d]

__ __ __ __ __ __ Befo re MUR PHY, BEAM, an d GRUENDER, Ci rcu it Ju dg es

.

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PER CURI AM.Je rm ai ne D osho n Trav is ap pe al s th e di st ric t co ur t's 19 2- m on th pr iso n se nte nc e 1
fo r po ss es si on wit h in te nt to di st rib u t e h e r oi n ba se d on th e care er-o ffen de r

en ha nc em en t. Fo r th e rea so ns di sc us se d b el ow, we af fir m

.

I. BACKGRO UND

On Ju ne 4, 20 14
, a po li ce of fic er st op pe d Trav is in Bl oo m in gt on , Mi nn es ot a, fo r ha vi ng da rk ly ti nt ed win do ws. As th e of fic er ap pr oa ch ed Trav is 's ve hi cl e, he

sm el le d m ari

juan a. W he n qu es ti on ed
, Trav is ad m it te d th at he ha d sm ok ed m ari juan a earl ie r an d th at th ere were sm ok ed bl un ts in t h e v e h i c le 's as ht ray. The of fic er th en

se arch ed Trav is an d fo un d 5.1 4 gr am s of he ro in in hi s le ft fro nt pa nt s po ck et , as well

as a ho te l ke y

. As th e of fic er arre st ed Trav is f

o r t h e d r u g of

fen se , Trav is to ld th e of fic er th at th ere was a gu n un de r th e se at

. The of fic er se arch ed th e car an d fo un d a lo ad ed h a n d g un

. Offi cers th en ob ta in ed an d ex ecu te d a se arch warra nt at th e ho te l

ro om whe re Trav is ha d be en st ay in g. The y fo un d a pl as ti c ba g wit h 39 .92 gr am s of he ro in
, di gi ta l sc al es , an d pl as ti c ba gs , al on g wit h ha nd gu n m ag azi ne s, am m un it io n,

an d fi rear m

ha nd gri ps

.

On Aug us t 5, 20 14
, Trav i s was ch arg ed in a th ree- co un t in di ct m en t wit h th e fo ll owi ng : (1 ) fel on in po ss es si on of a fir earm ; (2 ) po ss es si on wit h in te nt to di st rib ut e he ro in ; an d (3 ) us e of a fir earm du rin g an d in rel at io n to a dr ug -tr affi ck in g cri m e. On Apr il 9, 20 15
, Trav is pl ed gu il ty to co un t 2, po ss es si on wit h in te nt to di st rib ut e he ro in
, in vi ol at io n of 21 U.S.C. §§ 84 1( a)(1 ) an d 84 1( b) (1 )(C)

. Bo th th e go ve rn m en t

an d Trav i s a g r eed th at un de r Uni te d St at es Sen te nc in g Gui de li ne s (U.S.S.G. or Gui de li ne s) § 2D1 .1, th e ba se le ve l fo r th e of fen se was 18

. The pa rti es ag reed to a
two -le ve l en ha nc em en t fo r po ss es si ng a fir earm

. The pa rti es al so ag reed th at Trav is

was a c a r e er of

fen de r un de r U.S.S.G. § 4B 1.1 (b )(2 ). Trav is qu al ifi ed as a care er

The Hon or ab le Dav id S. Dot y , Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e Dis tri ct of 1 Mi nn es ot a.

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-of

fen de r un de r th e Gui de li ne s be cau se (1 ) he was 18 y ears ol d o r o l d e r w h en he

com m itt ed th e in st an t of

fen se , (2 ) th is of

fen se was a co nt ro ll ed su bs ta nc e of fen se , an d (3 ) hi s cri m in al hi st or y in cl ud ed two pr io r fel on y co nv ic ti on s in vo lv in g co n t r ol le d

su bs ta n c e s

. U.S.S.G. § 4B 1.1 (a). The fir st pr ed ic at e dr ug of fen se oc cu rred on Aug us t 3
, 1 99 8, whe n Trav is was co nv ic te d in Dan e Co un ty, W is co ns in
, of

po ss es si on wit h in te nt to de li ve r co cai ne

. On Ju ly 25
, 20 01
, he was co nv ic te d of th e

m an uf act ur e an d de li ve ry of co cai ne , th e se co nd pr ed ic at e dr ug of fen se

. The care erof fen de r st at us in crea se d th e ba se le ve l fo r th e of fen se to 34

. The pa rti es th en ag reed

to de crea se th e of

fen se le ve l by th ree fo r a c c ep ta nc e of res po ns ib il it y , br in gi ng hi s
to ta l of fen se le ve l to 31

. W it h a cri m in al hi st or y cat eg or y o f V I, th e ap pl ic ab le Gui de li ne s ra ng e was 18 8 t o 2 35 m on th s' i m pr is on m en t.

Pri or to se nt en ci ng , Trav is su bm it te d two se nt en ci ng m em or an da arg ui ng fo r

a lo wer Gui de li ne s le ve l be cau se hi s pr io r fel on y co nv ic ti on s oc cu rred whe n he was

a te en ag er an d "i nv ol ve d m in im al am ou nt s of co nt rab an d." He fu rth er arg ue d th at th e

care er cri m in al en ha nc em en t sh ou ld n o t a p p l y be cau se he di d no t se rv e hi s en ti re

se nt en ce fo r th e 1 99 8 c rime in Wis co ns in . Rath er, h e was tra ns ferr ed to Ill in oi s o n Feb ru ary 5, 19 99
, to se rv e th e rem ai nd er of hi s se nt en ce an d ha nd le pe nd in g Ill in oi s ch arg es

. Thu s, acco r d in g to Trav is
, hi s "p hysic al in carc erat io n" fo r th e 19 98
W is co ns in cri m e "t erm in at ed well pr io r to th e 15 y ear li m it at io n da te ." The di st ric t 2

co ur t se nt en ced Trav is to 19 2 m on th s' im pr is on m en t, sp eci fic al ly up ho ld in g th e

W he n c om

pu ti ng cri m in al hi st or y

un de r th e Gui de li ne s, 2

Any pr io r se nt en ce of im

pr is on m en t ex ceed in g on e y ear an d on e m on th th at was im

po se d wit hi n fif

te en y ears of th e de fen da nt 's co m m en cem en t of th e in st an t of

fen se is co un te d. A l so co un t an y pr io r se nt en ce of im pr is on men t ex ceed in g on e y ear an d on e m on th
, whe ne ve r im po se d, th at res ul te d in th e de fen da nt be in g in carc erat ed du rin g an y pa rt of su ch fif te en -y ear p eri od

. U.S.S.G. § 4 A1.2 (e)( 1)

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-care er-o ffen de r en ha nc em en t. Not in g th at "wh ere [Trav is ] se rv e d h i s t im e [was ]

irr el ev an t," th e co ur t s ta te d:

Defen da nt was in carc erat e d o n th e Dan e Co un ty co nv ic ti on un ti l Decem be r 4t h, 19 99

. Defen da nt co m m it te d th e in st an t of

fen se on Ju ne 4t h, 20 14
, le ss th an 15 y ears aft er hi s in carc erat io n fo r th e Dan e Co un ty cri m e. As a res ul t, the Dan e Co un ty co nv ic ti on do es sa ti sf y on e of th e req ui rem en ts of Gui de li ne s se ct io n 4A1 .2(e )(1 ) [fo r th e care er-o ffen de r
en ha nc em en t].

The co ur t a l s o h e l d th at "[t ]he fact th at th e two dr ug am ou nt s were rel at iv el y sm al l do es no t af

fect th e Co ur t's de te rm in at io n as to whet he r th os e co nv ic ti on s co ns ti tu te
pr ed ic at e a c t s

. " In reac hi ng th e se nt en ce, th e co ur t co ns id ered th e 18 U.S.C. § 35 53 (a) fact or s, in cl ud in g th e na tu re and ci rcu m st an ces of th e in st an t offe ns e, th e

ne ed fo r de te rren ce, an d Trav is 's hi st or y an d ch arac te r. Trav is ap pe al s hi s se nt en ce,

ar gui ng tha t his 192- m ont

h pr is on se nt en ce ba se d on th e care er-o ffen de r en ha nc em en t is bo th pro ced ur al ly and su bs ta nt iv el y un reas on ab le

.

II

. DISCUSS IO N

W he n rev ie win g a di s t r i c t c o u rt' s se nt en ce, we "m us t 'fi rs t en su re th at th e di st ric t co ur t co m

m it te d no si gn ifi can t pr oc ed ur al erro r, su ch as fai li ng to cal cu la te

. . . th e Gui de li ne s r a n g e , tre at in g th e Gui de li ne s as m an da to ry , fai li ng to

co ns id er th e § 35 53 (a) fact or s, se le ct in g a se nt en ce ba se d on cl earl y erro ne ou s fact s,

or fai li ng to ad eq ua te ly ex pl ai n th e ch os en se nt en ce.'" Uni te d S t a t e s v

. Sm it h, 57 3
F.3 d 63 9, 65 8 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ) (q uo ti ng Gall v. Uni te d St at es , 55 2 U.S. 38
, 51 (2 00 7) ).
"In re v ie win g a se nt en ce fo r pr oc ed ur al erro r, we rev ie w th e di st ric t co ur t's fact ua l fin di ng s fo r cl ear erro r an d it s ap pl ic at io n of th e gu id el in es de no vo ." Uni te d St at es v. Ba rk er, 5 56 F.3d 68 2, 6 89 (8t h C ir. 2 00 9)

.

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-Trav is arg ue s th at th e di st ric t co ur t erre d pr oc ed ur al ly by fai li ng to co ns id er

m it ig at in g § 35 53 (a) fa c t o r s a n d fai li ng to ad eq ua te ly ex pl ai n why it ap pl ie d th e

care er-o ffen de r en ha nc em en t in li gh t o f "Trav is 's ag e or th e st al en es s of hi s

co nv ic ti on s." W e d is ag ree. Al th ou gh th e co ur t cl earl y co m m it s p ro ced ur al erro r if it fai ls to co ns id er th e § 35 53 (a) fact or s or ex pl ai n t he sen te nc e, Sm it h, 5 73 F.3 d at 65 8, if "i t is cl ear fro m th e reco rd th at th e di st ric t co ur t 'act ua ll y co ns id e r e d t h e §
35 53 (a) fact or s in de te rm in in g th e se nt en ce,'

. . . we ge ne ral ly fin d th at th e co ur t ha s

co m m it te d no pr oc ed ur al erro r," Uni te d St at es v. San do va l-S ia nu qu i, 63 2 F.3 d 43 8,
44 4 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ) (q uo ti ng Uni te d St at es v. W al ki ng Eag le
, 55 3 F.3 d 65 4, 65 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 )). The se nt en ci ng co ur t is no t req ui red to syste m at ic al ly li st each § 35 53 (a) fact or or p res en t a c ou nt er ar gu m en t t o e ve ry arg um en t pres en te d by th e d efen da nt

. Uni te d S ta te s v . Fry , 79 2 F .3d 88 4, 8 91 (8t h C ir. 2 01 5)

.

Here, pr io r to se nt en ci n g , Tr av is sp eci fic al ly arg ue d th at th e care er-o ffen de r

en ha nc em en t sh ou ld no t ap pl y be cau se th e fir st pr ed ic at e of fen se was st al e an d bo th

pr ed ic at e of

fen se s occ ur red whe n he was a te en ag er and in vo lv ed a rel at iv el y sm al l

am ou nt of co nt rab an d. The di s t r i ct co ur t ad dr es se d th es e arg um en ts at se nt en ci ng , fir st no ti ng th e sp eci fic ti m in g o f th e fir st pre di cat e o ffen se an d t he in st an t o ffen se ,
an d co nc lu di ng th at th e of fen se was no t st al e un de r U.S.S.G. § 4A1 .2(e )(1 ). Seco nd
, th e co ur t ex am in ed Trav is 's pr es en te nc e in ve st ig at io n rep or t, whi ch li st ed th e de ta il s of th e pr ed ic at e of

fen se s, an d he ard arg um en t th at a lo wer Gui de li ne s le ve l was

warra nt ed be cau se of Trav is 's y ou ng ag e at th e ti m e of th e pr ed ic at e of fen se s an d th e

am ou nt of d ru gs in vo lv ed

. Thu s, "we m ay pr es um e th at th e co ur t co ns id ered th os e fact or s." Uni te d St at es v. Keat in g, 57 9 F.3 d 89 1, 89 3 (8 th C i r

. 2 0 0 9 )

. Fi na ll y , t he

co ur t st at ed th at it to ok "i nt o th e acco un t th e na tu re an d ci rcu m st an ces of th e in st an t of fen se , as wel l as th e h is to ry an d c ha ract eri st ic s o f th e de fen da nt , a nd [fo un d] th at th e se nt en ce [o f 19 2 m on th s was ] su ffi ci en t, bu t no t gr eat er th an ne ces sa ry , to affo rd ad eq ua te de te rren ce to fu tu re cri m in al co nd uc t." The co ur t co ns id ered th e § 35 53 (a) fact or s an d ad eq ua te ly ex pl ai ne d th e se nt en ce. Thu s, th e di st ric t co ur t co m m it te d no
pr oc ed ur al erro r.

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-Bec au se th ere was no pr oc ed ur al erro r, we no w rev ie w t he su bs ta nt iv e

reas on ab le ne ss of th e se nt en ce fo r an ab us e of di sc ret io n. Sm it h, 57 3 F.3 d a t 65 9.
A c ou rt ab us es it s di sc ret io n du rin g se nt en ci ng if it "(1 ) fai ls to co ns id er a rel e v a nt fact or th at sh ou ld ha ve rece iv ed si gn ifi can t weig ht ; (2 ) gi ve s si gn ifi can t weig ht to an im pr op e r o r irr el ev an t fact or ; or (3 ) co ns id ers on ly th e ap pr op ria te fact or s bu t in weig hi ng th os e fact or s co m m it s a cl ear erro r of jud gm en t

. " U ni te d St at es v. Bo rro m eo , 65 7 F.3 d 75 4, 75 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ) (q uo ti ng Uni te d St at es v. Feem st er, 57 2
F.3 d 45 5, 46 1 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ) (en ba nc ) )

. Tr a v i s arg ue s th at th e rem ot en es s an d

st al en es s of th e pr ed ic at e of fen se s us ed to su pp or t th e care er-o ffen de r en ha nc em en t

m ak e th e wit hi n- th e-Gu id el in es -ran ge se nt en ce un reas on ab le

. W e di sagr ee

. Be ca us e th e se nt en ce is wit hi n th e Gui de li ne s ran ge , we "a p p l y a p r es um pt io n of

reas on ab le ne ss ." G al l, 55 2 U.S. at 51

. Trav is be ars th e bu rd en of sh owi ng th at "h is

se nt en ce sh ou ld ha ve be en lo wer co ns id eri ng th e fact or s en um erat ed in 18 U.S.C. §
35 53 (a)." Uni te d St at es v. Bo ld en , 59 6 F.3 d 97 6, 98 4 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ). As di sc us se d ab ov e, th e di st ric t co ur t ab ly co ns id ered al l of th e fact or s in § 35 53 (a), in cl ud in g th e

rem ot en es s an d st al en es s of th e pr ed ic at e of fen se s. Thu s, Trav is 's m ai n gr ie va nc e is wit h ho w th e co ur t weig he d th e fact or s. "Ho wev er,

. . . a se nt en ci ng co ur t ha s wid e la ti tu de to weig h t he § 3 55 3( a) fact or s in each cas e an d as si gn so m e fac to rs gre at er weig ht th an ot he rs in de te rm in in g an ap pr op ria te se nt en ce." Uni te d St at es v. Farm er, 64 7 F.3 d 11 75 , 1 17 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ). Here, th ere was no " c le ar erro r of jud gm en t" in ho w th e co ur t weig he d th e fact or s. Bo rro m eo , 65 7 F.3 d at 75 6 (q uo ti ng Feem st er, 57 2 F.3 d at 46 1)

. Thu s, th e di s tri ct co ur t di d no t ab us e it s di sc ret io n whe n it

se nt en ced Trav is to 19 2 m on th s i n p ris on

.

II I. CONCLUSI ON

The jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ct co ur t i s af fir m ed

.

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