# 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 7- 26 93

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ 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.

Howar d P at to n,

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 Weste rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i - Kan sa s C it y

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Su bm it te d: Apri l 1 1, 2 01 8 Fi le d: Aug us t 9 , 20 18

__ __ __ __ __ __ Befo re COLLOTON, SHEPHERD, and STRAS, Ci rcu it Ju dg es

.

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COLLOTON, Ci rcu it Ju dg e.

The di st ric t co ur t rev ok ed Howar d P a t to n’s te rm of su pe rv is ed rel eas e aft er 1
fin di ng th at he vi ol at ed co nd it io ns of hi s rel eas e. The co ur t fo un d th at Pat to n fai le d

to no ti fy hi s pr ob at io n of fic er of hi s pa rt- ti m e res id en ce at hi s m ot he r’s h om e,

The Hon or ab le Gary A. Fen ne r, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e W es te rn 1 Dis tri ct of M is so ur i.as so ci at ed wit h a co nv ic te d fel on , an d co m m it te d a fed eral cri me b y p o ss es si ng

am m un it io n as a fel on

. The di st ric t co ur t se nt en ced hi m to 21 m on th s’ im pr is on m en t,
to be fo ll owe d by 12 m on th s of su pe rv is ed rel eas e. Pat to n ap pe al s, arg ui ng th at th e
go ve rn m en t fai le d to pr ov e th at he po ss es se d am m un it io n. W e co n c l u d e th at th ere

was su ffi ci en t ev id en ce t o s up po rt t he fin di ng , and th eref or e aff irm th e jud gm en t.

In an un de rlyin g cri m in al cas e, Pat to n pl ead ed gu il ty t o u n l awfu l po ss es si on of a fir earm as a pr ev io us ly co nv ic te d fel on

. Se e 18 U.S.C. § 92 2( g) (1 ). The di st ric t

co ur t se nt en ced hi m to 80 m on th s’ im pr is on m en t, to be fo ll owe d by 36 m on th s of

su pe rv is ed rel eas e. On Ja nu ary 30
, 20 16
, Pat to n was rel eas ed fro m pr is on an d be ga n hi s t erm of s up erv is ed rel eas e.

W it hi n two m on th s, th e pr ob at io n offi ce fil ed a vi ol at io n rep or t, al le gi ng th at Pat to n ha d vi ol at ed two st an da rd co nd it io ns of h i s su pe rv is ed rel eas e. The al le ge d vi ol at io ns were a fai lu re to no ti fy th e pr ob at io n of fic e of a ch an ge in hi s res id en ce,

an d as so ci at io n wit h a co nv ic te d fel on

. On Mar ch 15
, 2 0 1 6
, th e co ur t is su ed a

warra nt for Pat to n’s ar res t i n a nt ic ip at io n o f a rev oc at io n h eari ng

.

Befo re Pat to n was arre st ed on th e su pe rv is ed rel eas e vi o l a t io n, a gr an d jury ch arg ed hi m wit h se ve ral cri m es rel at in g to hi s al le ge d in vo lv em en t in a ba nk ro bb ery

on Mar ch 12

. One ch arg e was un la wfu l po ss es si on of a fir earm an d am m un it io n as

a fe l o n

. I n l i gh t of th e ne w in di ct m en t, th e pr ob at io n of fic e fil ed a su pp le m en ta l vi ol at io n rep or t co nc ern in g Pat to n’s su pe rv is ed re le as e. The su pp le m en ta l rep or t al le ge d t h a t Pat to n ha d br each ed two m or e co nd it io ns of rel eas e by co m m it ti ng

an ot he r fed eral
, st at e, or lo cal cri m e (i.e
., by po ss es si ng a fir earm an d am m un it io n as

a fel on ) an d by po ss es si ng a fir earm in vi ol at io n of a sp eci fic co nd it io n on weap on s. A y ear la te r, th e di st ric t co ur t di sm is se d al l ch arg es ag ai ns t Pat to n in th e ba nk ro bb ery
pr os ecu ti on , bu t t he su pe rv is ed rel eas e rev oc at io n p ro ceed in g re m ai ne d p en di ng

.

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-In Ju ly 20 17
, th e di st ric t co ur t co nv en ed a he ari ng on th e rev oc at io n pe ti ti on

.

An FB I a g e n t t e st ifi ed th at aft er th e ba nk ro bb ery th at ga ve ris e to th e di sm is se d ch arg es , a tra ck in g de vi ce al lo wed in ve st ig at or s to f o ll ow th e st ol en m on ey to a

res id en ce in Kan sa s Ci ty, Mi ss ou ri. Pat to n an d se ve ral ot he r p e o p le were th ere. Pat to n to ld in ve st ig at or s th at th e res id en ce was hi s m ot he r’s, an d th at he an d se ve ral

ot he rs ha d sl ep t th ere th e pr ev io us ni gh t. Pat to n sa id he ha d “ st ay ed in hi s ro om ,” an d id en ti fie d h is roo m

as t he so ut he as t b ed ro om . Patt on al so to ld in ve st ig at or s th at he ha d s ta y ed th ere b efo re, “ oc cas io na ll y on th e week en ds .”

The FBI ag en t te st ifi ed th at in ve st ig a t o r s se iz ed a bo x of ni ne m il li m et er ha nd gu n am

m un it io n from th e to p dre ss er drawer of th e ro om th at Pat to n id en ti fie d

as hi s be dr oo m

. In th e sa m e dr awer, lo cat ed ne ar th e am m un it io n, in ve st ig at or s fo un d

an em pt y ha nd gu n ho ls te r an d two pi eces of m ai l add res se d t o P at to n. To est ab li sh th at Pat to n’s po ss es si o n of th e am m un it io n vi ol at ed fed eral la w, se e 18 U.S.C. § 92 2( g) (1 ), th e ag en t al so te st ifi ed th at Pat to n w a s a c o n v ic te d fel on , an d th at th e ni ne -m il li m et er am

m un it io n ha d be en m an uf

act ur ed ou ts id e of Mi ss ou ri. The ag en t ack no wled ge d th at an ot he r res ide nt, G re gor y Bu rg in, cl ai m ed to own th e am m un it io n.

The di st ric t co ur t fo un d th at Pat to n ha d vi ol at ed th e co n d it io ns of hi s

su pe rv is ed rel eas e by res id in g pa rt- ti m e at hi s m ot he r’s res id en ce wit ho ut in fo rm in g th e pr ob at i o n of

fic e, by as so ci at in g wit h co nv ic te d fel on Greg or y Bu rg in
, an d by

po ss es si ng am m

un it io n as a fel on

. As to t h e a mm un it io n, th e co ur t ex pl ai ne d: “ I be li ev e th e ci rcu m st an ti al ev id en ce su pp or ts th e req ui si te kn owl ed ge fo r co ns tru ct iv e
po ss es si on

. It was hi s ro om

. The re were do cu m en ts th at were hi s do cu m en ts ,
ev id en ce of th e m ai l fro m th e

. . . Dep art m en t of Fam il y Serv ic es , al so a do cu m en t fro m th e USDA.”

Und er th e se nt en ci ng gu id el in es , t h e co ur t de te rm in ed th at Pat to n’s

co m m is si on of th e cri m e of po ss es si ng a mm u n i t io n as a fel on was a Grad e B vi ol at io n, se e USSG § 7B 1.1 (a)( 2) ; 18 U.S.C. §§ 92 2( g) (1 ), 92 4( a)(2 ), whi le th e ot he r

-3

-two in frac ti on s were Grad e C vi ol at io ns

. USSG § 7B 1.1 (a)( 3) (B )

. B a s e d on th e

pr es en ce of th e Grad e B vi ol at io n, th e co ur t de te rm in ed an ad vi so ry gu id el in e ran ge of 21 to 27 m on th s’ im

pr is on m en t. Se e USSG § 7B1 .4(a ). The c ou rt t he n i m po se d

a se nt e n c e of 21 m on th s’ im pr is on m en t, ex pl ai ni ng in pa rt th at th e se nt en ce was

“ reas on ab le an d ap pr op ria te ta ki ng in to co ns id erat io n al l of th e st at ut or y fact or s ev en wit ho ut a fi nd in g o f vi ol at io n re la te d t o t he am m un it io n.”

Pat to n di sp ut es th e di st ric t co ur t’s fin di ng th at he co ns tru ct iv el y po ss es se d th e

am m un it io n. In a su pe rv is ed rel eas e p r o c eed in g, th e go ve rn m en t m us t es ta bl is h a vi ol at io n by a pr ep on de ran ce of th e ev id en ce. 18 U.S.C. § 35 83 (e)( 3) ; Uni te d St at es

v. Ca ro th er

s , 33 7 F.3 d 10 17
, 10 18 -1 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 03 ). W e rev ie w th e di st ric t co ur t’s fin di ng fo r cl ear erro r. Uni te d St at es v. Ben to n , 62 7 F.3 d 10 51
, 10 54 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ).
Pat to n co nt en ds th at if th e fin di ng of th e am m un it io n of fen se is va cat ed
, th en th e cas e sh ou ld b e rem an de d fo r res en te nc in g, be cau se th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t ad eq ua te ly

ex pl ai n why a se nt en ce of 21 m on th s’ im pr is on m en t wou ld be ap pr op ria te ev en wit ho ut th e d is pu te d Gra de B vi ol at io n.

“ [C]on st ru ct iv e po ss es si on req ui res bo th kn owl ed ge th at t he co nt rab an d is

pr es en t an d do m in io n ov er th e pr em is es whe re th e co nt rab an d is lo cat e d.” Uni te d
St at es v. W

ay s , 83 2 F.3 d 88 7, 89 7 ( 8 t h C ir. 20 16 ). Dom in io n ov er th e pr em is es whe re the co nt rab an d is lo cat ed m ay gi ve ris e to a “ st ro ng in fere nc e of kn owl ed ge ” in so m e co nt ex ts , Uni te d St at es v. Doo le y , 58 0 F.3 d 68 2, 68 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ), bu t

“ whe n t he re is j oi nt oc cu pa nc y of a res id en ce, d om in io n o ve r th e p rem is es by its el f is in su ffi ci en t to es ta bl is h co ns tr u c t i v e po ss es si on .” Uni te d St at es v. W ri gh t , 73 9
F.3 d 11 60
, 11 68 (8 th Ci r. 20 14 ). “ In joi n t o c c u pa nc y cas es , th ere m us t be so m e ad di ti on al ne xu s l in ki ng th e d efen da nt to th e co nt rab an d.” Id

.

Here, whi le th e res id en ce was joi nt ly oc cu pi ed
, th ere was am pl e ev id en ce th at Pat to n ex erci se d do m in io n ov er th e be dr oo m whe re i n v e s t i ga to rs fo un d th e

am m un it io n, an d th at Pat to n kn ew th e bu ll et s were in th e dr es se r dr awer. Pat to n

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-id en ti fie d th e so ut he as t be dr oo m as “ hi s ro om ,” an d ad m it te d to st ay in g th ere th e

ni gh t be fo re an d on pr ev io us week en ds

. In ve st ig at or s di sc ov ered th e am m un it io n in
Pat to n’s ro om , in a dr awer b es id e two pi eces of m ai l t ha t wer e ad dr es se d t o Patt on

. Tha t Pat to n’s pe rs on al do cu m en ts were fo un d wit h th e am m un it io n li nk s Pat to n to th e

am m un it io n an d su pp or ts a reas on ab le in fere n c e t h a t h e kn ew it was th ere. Se e Uni te d S ta te s v. Va no ver , 63 0 F .3d 11 08 , 11 18 (8t h C ir. 2 01 1) (pe r cu ria m ).

Pat to n rel ie s on se ve ral de ci si on s fro m va rio us co ur ts ho ld in g th at ev id en ce of

co ns tru ct iv e po ss es si on was in su ffi ci en t. Su ffi ci en cy of ev id en ce is hi gh ly fact in te ns iv e, an d no ne of th e ci te d au th or it ie s is pr eci se ly an al og ou s. Sev eral aro se fro m cri m in al cas es in whi ch th e pr os ecu ti on bo re a hi gh er bu rd en to pr ov e th e ch arg e be y on d a reas on ab le do ub t. Non e in vo lv ed ev id en ce li ke th e m ai l in th is cas e, whi ch sh owe d t he de fen da nt ’s per so na l ef fect s i n t he sp eci fic lo cat io n o f th e co nt rab an d.

Pat to n al so arg ue s th at ho us em at e Bu rg in ’s ad m is si on th at he own e d th e

am m un it io n un de rcu ts an y in fere nc e th at Pat to n kn ew ab ou t it

. Bu t po ss es si on is no t th e sa m e as own er s h i p , s e e Uni te d St at es v. Boy ki n , 98 6 F.2 d 27 0, 27 4 (8 th Ci r. 19 93 ), an d p os se ss io n m ay be joi nt as well as ex cl us iv e. Uni te d St at es v. Jo hn so n , 4 74 F.3 d 10 44
, 10 49 (8 th Ci r. 20 07 ). Eve n if Bu rg in own ed an d co ns tru ct iv el y
po ss es se d t he am

m un it io n, Pa tt on co ul d h av e p os se ss ed it to o.

Giv en th e ev id en ce o f Pat to n’s d om in io n ov er th e be dr oo m an d th e p res en ce of hi s pe rs on al effe ct s in th e dr awer, th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t cl earl y err in fin di ng th at Pat to n co ns tru ct iv el y po ss es se d th e am m un it io n an d co m

m it te d a fed eral cri m e. The refo re, th e co ur t pr op erl y fo un d th at Pat to n co m m it te d a Grad e B vi ol at io n of th e

co nd it io ns of h is su pe rv is ed rel eas e.

-5

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

. 2

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The writ te n jud gm en t, R. Doc

. 56
, al s o r e fle ct s th at Pat to n vi ol at ed a 2

m an da to ry co nd it io n by po ss es si ng a fir earm , de st ru ct iv e de vi ce, or ot he r da ng ero us weap on , bu t th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t fin d su ch a vi ol at io n at th e rev oc at io n he ari ng

. The pa rti es do no t ad dr es s th is di sc rep an cy on ap pe al
, bu t th e di st ric t co ur t m ay
co rrec t a c le ric al erro r in th e jud gm en t at an y ti m e. Se e Fed . R. Cri m . P. 36

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