FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT June 16, 2008 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. 07- 14743 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D o c k e tN o . 0 7 - 1 0 0 1 5 - C R - K MM 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 D A M I A N F A B I A N , 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 S outhe rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( Ju n e 16, 2008) B efo re B IR C H , T JO F L A T an d B L A C K , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: D am i an F abi an appeal s hi s thi rty- four-m on th sent ence i m po se d aft er2

p l e a d i n g g u i l ty t o p o s s e s s i o n o f af r au d u l e n td o c u me n t , i n v i o l a t i o n o f 1 8 U . S. C. § 1 5 4 6 ( a ) ( “ Co u n t1 ” ) , a n d a g g r a v a t e d i d e n t i tyth e f t , i n v i o l a t i o n o f

1 8 U . S. C. § 1 0 2 8 A ( “C o u n t 2 ” ) . W e a f f irm . I . B AC KG RO UN D O n J ul y 19, 2007, F abi a n pl e d gui l tyt o vi ol a t i on of 18 U . S . C . § 1546( a ) a nd 18 U . S . C . § 1 02 8A w i tho uta pl eaagre em ent . H e had com pl et ed an I- 9 em pl oym entel i gi bi l i ty ver i fi ca t i on form t o b ec om e e m pl oyed atS auer , Inc. , for a c ons truc t i on pr oj e c ta tthe U ni t e d S t a t e s N a va l A i rS t a t i on i n K e yW e s t , F l or i da ( “ N A S ” ) . F abi a n c e rt i f i e d tha the w a s e l i gi bl e t o w ork i n the U ni t e d S t a t e s by s u b m ittin g aS o c ia l S e c u r ityc a r d . T o w o rka t th e N A S , h e w a s r e q u ir e d to o b ta in an i dent i fi ca t i on badg e f rom the N A S se curi ty off i ce . F abi an subm i tt ed hi s S oci al S e c ur i ty c a r d a s i de nt i f

i c a t i on t o the s e c ur i tyof f i c e . B e c aus e the authe nt i c i tyof th e c a r d ap p e a r e d q u e s tio n ab le , ac h e c ko f h is im m ig r a tio n r e c o r d s w a s c o n d u c te d . T he re vi ew re veal ed thatF abi an w as an un l aw ful al i en w i th an o ut st andi ng M ar ch 17 , 20 06 , order of re m ov al t o M exi co. A dd i t i on al l y, al tho ug h F abi an’ s purpo rt ed S o c ia l S e c u r ityn u m b e rw a s v a lid , it d id n o t b e lo n g to h im . C on ce rni ng C ou nt1, F abi an’ s P re se nt ence Invest i gat i on R eport(“ P S I” ) show s abase offe nse l evel of 8. H e r ec ei ved a tw o-l evel i ncre as e bec ause he i s an unl a w f ul a l i e n w ho w a s de port e d pr i ort o thi s c r i m e . H i s P S I a l s o s how s atw o-3

l evel re du ct i on for a cc ept ance of re spon si bi l i ty. F abi an w as as si gn ed a c ri m i nal hi st ory c at egory of I I. B as ed on a t ot al offe nse l evel of 8 and a c ri m i nal hi st ory ca t egory of I I, the S ent enci ng G ui del i nes i m pri sonm entrang e w as four t o t en m onths . A ddi t i ona l l y , C ount1 i nc l ude s as t a tut orype na l tyof z e r o t o t e n y e a r s of i m pri sonm ent . 18 U . S . C . § 1 54 6(a) . C ou nt2 con t ai ns a m andat ory s t atut ory penal ty of tw o years of i m pri sonm entt o b e s erved con se cut i ve t o any other s e n te n c e . 1 8 U .S .C . § 1 0 2 8 A ( a ) ( 1 ) . F ab ia n ’s c o u n s e l d id n o t o b je c t to th e P S I . D uri ng the se nt enci ng hear i ng , F abi an t ol d the di stri ctj ud ge thathe had u se d th e f r au d u l e n tS o c i a l S e c u r i ty c a r d o n l yt o o b t a i n wo rki n th e Un i t e d S t a t e s . He s t a t e d tha the c hos e the f r audul e ntS oc i a l S e c ur i tynum be ra tr a ndom a nd tha the ha d no i nt e nt i on of

s t e a l i ng a ny one ’ s i de nt i ty . F abi a n’ s c ouns e l r e que s t e d tha tthe j udge c ons i de ri m pos i ng as e nt e nc e a tthe l ow e nd of the S e nt e nc i ng G ui de l i ne s f or C ou nt1, si nce F abi an w as i n the U ni t ed S t at es t o w ork. T he di stri ctj ud ge sa i d that h e h a d c o n s i d e r e d th e s t a t e m e n t s o f F ab i a n , th e P S I , a n d th e s t a tu t o ryf a c t o r s . He s e nt e nc e d F abi a n t o t e n m onths of i m pr i s onm e ntf

orC ount1 a nd tw e nty - f our m on ths of i m pri sonm entfor C ou nt2 t o run consec ut i vel y, yi el di ng a t ot al se nt ence o f th irty - f o u rm o n th s o f

im p r is o n m e n t. O n appe a l , F abi a n’ s c ouns e l c ha l l e nge s the r e a s onabl e ne s s of hi s t e n m onths of i m pri sonm enton C ou nt1. H e c on t ends that18 U . S . C . § 3 55 3(a) m andat es a4

s e nt e nc e “ s uf

f i c i e nt , butnotgr e a t e rtha n ne c e s s a ry ” t o a c hi e ve the s e nt e nc i ng g o a ls o f p u n is h m e n t, d e te rr e n c e , a n d r e h ab ilita tio n . I d . F ab ia n ’s ap p e lla te arg u m en ti s th atth e sen t en ce i m p o sed b y th e d i stri ctj u d g e i s u n reaso n ab l e b ecau se i ti s gr e a t e rtha n ne c e s s a ry t o a c hi e ve the s t a t e d goa l s a nd, the r e f or e , s houl d be va c a t e d. I I . DI S CUS S I ON W e r evi ew a s ent ence i m po se d b y adi stri ctj ud ge for r ea sonabl enes s i n v i ew of the 18 U . S . C . § 3553( a ) f a c t or s . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. W i ni nge a r , 422 F . 3d 1241, 1244- 46 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( pe rc ur i a m ) . W he n r e vi e w i ng f orr e a s onabl e ne s s , the S upr e m e C ourtha s c l a r i f i e d tha tw e a r e t o appl ythe de f e r e nt i a l abus e - of

- di s c r e t i on st andard. G al l v. U ni t ed S t at es , 55 2 U . S . ___, __ , 12 8 S . C t . 58 6, 59 1 (20 07 ). If w e c on cl ud e thatthe di stri ctcourtm ade no p roce du ra l errors , w e “ shou l d then consi der the subst ant i ve re as on abl enes s of the se nt ence i m po se d u nd eran abuse- of-di sc re t i on st andard. ” I d. , 55 2 U . S . at___, 12 8 S . C t . at59 7; se e U ni t ed S ta te s v . H u n t, 4 5 9 F .3 d 1 1 8 0 , 1 1 8 2 n . 3 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 ) ( “A f te rB o o k e r , a s e n te n c e m a y b e r e v ie w e d f o rp r o c e d u r a l o rs u b s ta n tiv e u n r e a s o n ab le n e s s .” ) . R e a s onabl e ne s s r e vi e w i s “ de f e r e nt i a l , ” a nd “ the pa rtyw ho c ha l l e nge s the s e nt e nc e be a r s the bur de n of e s t abl i s hi ng tha tthe s e nt e nc e i s unr e a s onabl e i n l i ght o f b o th [th e] reco rd an d th e fact o rs i n sect i o n 3 5 5 3 (a). ” U n i t ed S t at es v . T al l ey,5

4 3 1 F .3 d 7 8 4 , 7 8 8 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) ( p e rc u r ia m ) . T h e d is tr ic t ju d g e n e e d n o t s ta te on the r e c or d tha the ors he ha s e xpl i c i t l yc ons i de r e d e a c h f a c t ora nd ne e d not d is c u s s e a c h f

a c to r ; a c k n o w le d g m e n t o f c o n s id e r in g th e “d e f

e n d a n t's a r g u m e n ts a nd the f a c t or s i n s e c t i on 3553( a ) i s s uf f i c i e ntunde rB ooke r . ” I d. a t786. T he w e ig h t a c c o r d e d to th e § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) f a c to r s is w ith in th e s e n te n c in g ju d g e 's d is c r e tio n . U n ite d S ta te s v . A m e d e o , 4 8 7 F .3 d 8 2 3 , 8 3 2 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 7 ) . W e ha ve r e

j e c t e d the a r gum e nttha tas e nt e nc e w i thi n the S e nt e nc i ng G u i d el i n es i s p er se re as on abl e. T al l ey , 43 1 F . 3d at78 7. T he di stri ctj ud ge m ay c h o o s e f r o m ar a n g e o f

s e n t e n c e s wi th i n th e S e n t e n c i n g Gu i d e l i n e s , wh i c h we ordi nari l y e xp ec tt o b e r ea sonabl e. Id. at78 8. W hen con si deri ng w hether a d e f e n d a n t's s e n te n c e is r e a s o n ab le , w e h a v e c o m p a r e d th e s e n te n c e a c tu a lly i m pos e d t o the s t a tut ory m a xi m um . W i ni nge a r , 422 F . 3d a t1246. F ab i an i s n o tch al l en g i n g h i s sen t en ce o n p ro ced u ral g ro u n d s; h e ap p eal s onl y the s ubs t a nt i ve r e a s onabl e ne s s of hi s s e nt e nc e . A ddi t i ona l l y , F abi a n i s not appe a l i ng the r e a s onabl e ne s s of hi s m a nda t oryc ons e c ut i ve s e nt e nc e of tw e nty - f our m o n th s im p o s e d f

o rC o u n t 2 . H is s o le is s u e o n ap p e a l is th e r e a s o n ab le n e s s o f h is t e n- m onth s e nt e nc e f

orC ount1. F ab ia n h a s f

a ile d to m e e t h is b u r d e n o f e s tab lis h in g th a t h is s e n te n c e is unr e a s onabl e , a nd the di s tr i c tj udge di d notabus e hi s di s c r e t i on by i m pos i ng at e n-6

m on th sent ence for C ou nt1. D ef ense coun se l ’ s argum enton appeal i s thata l ow er s e n te n c e w o u ld h a v e b e e n a d e q u a te to m e e t th e § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) f a c to r s o f p u n is h m e n t, det erre nce, and rehabi l i t at i on . N on ethel es s, he fa i l s t o ci t e anythi ng i n the re cord ora ny c a s e l a w t o s upporthi s a r gum e nt . T he ba s i s of hi s a r gum e ntappe a r s t o be s t a t e m e nt s r e que s t i ng as e nt e nc e a tthe l ow e nd of the S e nt e nc i ng G ui de l i ne s r a nge thathe m ade a tthe se nt enci ng hear i ng , because F abi an di d n oti nt end t o st ea l a n y o n e ’s id e n titya n d h a d u s e d th e f r au d u le n t S o c ia l S e c u r ityc a r d o n lyto w o rkin th e U n ite d S ta te s . T he di s tr i c tj udge s t a t e d tha the ha d c ons i de r e d F abi a n’ s s t a t e m e nt s a nd the s ta tu to ry f

a c to r s in r e a c h in g h is s e n te n c in g d e c is io n . D e f e n s e c o u n s e l h a s f

a ile d to c ite a n y e v id e n c e f

r o m th e r e c o r d o rle g a l au th o r ityth a t w o u ld s u p p o rt h is c la im tha tthe di s tr i c tj udge abus e d hi s di s c r e t i on i n w e i ghi ng F abi a n’ s s t a t e m e nt s a nd the s t a tut ory f

a c t or s . S i gni f

i c a nt l y , F abi a n’ s s e nt e nc e w a s w i thi n the S e nt e nc i ng G ui del i nes. W e a l so com pare the se nt ence ac tual l y i m po se d t o the st atut ory m ax im u m in re v iew in g re as o n ab len es s. W in in g ea r, 4 2 2 F .3 d at 1 2 4 6 . F ab ian ’s t en-m on th sent ence for C ou nt1 i s s i gn i fi cant l y l ow erthan the po t ent i al t en-y ear, s ta tu to ry m a x im u m . W e c o n c lu d e th a t th e d is tr ic t ju d g e d id n o t ab u s e h is di sc re t i on i n d et erm i ni ng F abi an’ s s ent ence .7 I I I . CONCL US I ON F ab ia n h a s ap p e a le d h is te n - m o n th s e n te n c e o n C o u n t 1 f o rf r au d u le n tly pos s e s s i ng aS oc i a l S e c ur i ty c a r d tha the us e d t o pr ove hi s i de nt i tyf oraj ob r e q u ir in g s e c u r ityc le a r a n c e . A s w e h a v e e x p la in e d , F ab ia n h a s f a ile d to m e e t h is bu rden of es t abl i shi ng thathi s s ent ence w as un re as on abl e. B ec ause hi s s ent ence w as w i thi n b oth the S ent enci ng G ui del i nes and the st atut ory r ange, the di stri ct j udge di d notabus e hi s di s c r e t i on by s e nt e nc i ng F abi a n t o t e n m onths of i m pr i s onm e nton C ount1 f orac um ul a t i ve t ot a l of

thi rty - f ourm onths of i m p ri so n m en t . A cco rd i n g l y, F ab i an ’ s sen t en ce i s AF F I RME D.