FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P E A LS E LE V EN T HC IRC U IT OCTOB ER 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

________________________ N o. 06- 11206 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 0 0 2 4 6 - C V - 3 - L A C - E MT E D G A R V I N A S C O , P e titio n e r - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s D O N A L D F . B A U K N E C H T , W a r d e n , R e s p o n d e n t- A p p e lle e .

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f orthe N or the rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( O c t ob e r 12, 20006) B efo re B L A C K , B A R K E T T an d K R A V IT C H , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: E dg arV i nasc o, a f

eder al pri soner procee di ng pro se, appeal s the di stri ctTh ere c ord n e ith e r c ontainsthee ntirePSI no r re fl e c ts whe ther V ina sc o obje c te d to 1 these factual statements in the PS I . On appe al, Vinasc o contends that there wa s no evidenc e that he possessed thefirea

rm in connec tion with the conspiracy to launder money . 2 c o u r t’s d e n ia l o f

h is p e titio n f

o rh ab e a s r e lie f

, b r o u g h t p u r s u a n t to 2 8 U .S .C . § 2 2 4 1 . Th e d i s tr i c tc o u r tp r o p e r l y d e n i e d r e l i e f . A c c o r d i n g l y , w e a f

f i r m. I . Ba c k g r o und V in as co filed a p ro se § 2 2 4 1 p etit io n ch allen g in g th e B u re au o f P riso n s’s ( “ B O P ” ) f

a i l ur e t o gr a nthi m e a r l y r e l e a s e f orhi s pa rt i c i pa t i on i n a drug tr e a tm e nt prog ra m . T he B O P base d i t s dec i si on on the pres ent ence i nv es t i gat i on re po rt (“ P S I” ) f i nd i ng thatV i nasc o h ad ca rr i ed a f i re arm , even tho ug h h e w as no tchar ged w i th a f i r e a r m of f e ns e norw a s hi s s e nt e nc e e nha nc e d be c a us e he w a s c a rry i ng a fi re arm du ri ng the un derl yi ng offe nse. T he re cords s ho w thatV i nasc o w as c o n v ic te d o f

c o n s p ir a c y to c o m m it m o n e y la u n d e r in g , in v io la tio n o f 1 8 U .S .C . § 19 56 (h), and sent ence d t o 8 7 m on ths i m pri sonm ent . T he P S I s t at ed thatpo l i ce foun d a fi re arm and a kn apsa ck cont ai ni ng approx i m at el y $14 , 00 0 and l edgers w i th entri es re l at i ng t o n ar cot i cs and m on ey l aund er i ng i n V i nasc o’ s posse ss i on at the t i m e of hi s a rr es t . A tse nt enci ng , the di stri ctcourthad n ot ed i t s bel i ef that 1 V i nasc o’ s pl eaw as a f

avorabl e di sposi t i on because, i nt eral i a, the P S I s ho w ed that V i nasc o p osse ss ed a l oaded fi re arm atthe t i m e of hi s a rr es t , al tho ug h V i naso w as no tchar ged w i th a fi re arm offe nse. T he courtal so re com m ended t hatV i nasc oPolicy Statement (“PS”) 5612.04, § 7( c)( 3) provides that “an inmate ma y be pre cluded 2 from re ceivingcer

tain Bureau program benefits base d on an off ense listed in this section. For the offenses listed below, the Sentenc ing Guidelines may provide little insight into the court’s finding s. Ac c ording ly, rather t ha n s imp ly e xaminingtheba seof

fens ele ve l or

thesp e c if

ic offense cha

rac teristics, ca se manag ers must ca ref ully examine the entire O ffense Computation se c tio n o f t

hePSI and , if ne c e ssa ry, th eOf fens eCon du c t se c tio n tode termineif theof fens e would prec lude an inmate’ s rec eivingcer tain Bureau program benefits base d on whether the offense satisfies the standa rd listed in the introductory portion of Section 7.” Theoffense of money laundering in violation of § 1956 is listed in this s ection. F urthermore, the introduc tory no te s tose c tio n 7 statethat if theof fens e“ inv olv e d th ec arr

ying , p os se ssi on , o r u seof a fire arm ” the inmate is prec luded from rece iving c ertain Bure au program benefits. I d. § 7. Under 18 U.S.C. § 3621(e)(2) (B ), “[t] he period a prisoner convicted of

a nonviolent 3 offense remains in custody after succ essfully

completinga tre atment program may be re duced by the B urea u of Prisons, but such reduc tion may not be more tha

n one year

from the ter

m the prisoner must otherw ise serve .” 3 part i ci pat e i n a drug tre atm entprog ra m . O nce i ncar ce ra t ed, the B O P det erm i ned th at ev en th o u g h V in as co w as elig ib le fo r th e d ru g trea tm en t p ro g ra m , V in as co ’s p a r tic ip a tio n in th e p r o g r a m w o u ld n o t q u a lif y h im f o re a r ly r e le a s e b e c a u s e h is of f e ns e i nc l ude d pos s e s s i on of a f i r e a r m . V i na s c o c ha l l e nge d thi s de t e r m i na t i on

2 th r o u g h th e a d m in is tr a tiv e g r ie v a n c e p r o c e s s a n d w a s d e n ie d h is r e q u e s te d r e lie f . A f te re x h a u s tin g h is a d m in is tr a tiv e r e m e d ie s , h e f ile d th e in s ta n t § 2 2 4 1 p e titio n . T he B O P a ns w e r e d the pe t i t i on, e xpl a i ni ng tha tV i na s c o w a s i ne l i gi bl e f or e a r l y r e l e a s e unde rP S 5162. 04 be c a us e hi s of f e ns e i nvol ve d c a rry i ng a f i r e a r m a nd th ati t s p o l i ci es p erm i tt ed th e co n si d erat i o n o f th e u n d erl yi n g co n d u ctan d n o tj u st the of f e ns e of c onvi c t i on. T he B O P not e d tha tthe S upr e m e C our tha s uphe l d the e xe r c i s e of

the B O P ’ s di s c r e t i on i n thi s a r e a i n L ope z v. D a vi s , 531 U . S . 230, 241, 243- 44 ( 2001) ( hol di ng tha t18 U . S . C . § 3621 gr a nt s the B O P the a uthor i ty butnot 34

the duty t o r e duc e a n i nm a t e ’ s s e nt e nc e a f t e rc om pl e t i on of

a drug tr e a tm e nt p r o g r a m a n d th a t in e x e r c is in g th a t a u th o r ity , th e B O P m a y r e ly o n ru le m a k in g to re sol ve ce rt ai n i ss ues of genera l appl i cabi l i ty, and then m ay m ake c at egori ca l ex clu sio n s b as ed o n th o se ru les) . T h e B O P attach ed to it s a n sw er : (1 ) V in as co ’s qua l i f i c a t i on appl i c a t i on s how i ng tha the w a s i ne l i gi bl e f orthe drug tr e a tm e nt prog ra m because hi s off ense i nv ol ved a fi re arm ; and (2) the B O P ’ s pol i cy st at em en t s. V i nasc o repl i ed thathe w as bei ng pu ni shed for c on du ctfor w hi ch he w as nei ther c harged no r c on vi ct ed. H e di st i ng ui shed L op ez , ar gu i ng thathe di ff er ed f r om the pe t i t i one ri n tha tc a s e be c a us e the pe t i t i one rthe r e ha d f a c e d a s e nt e nc i ng e n h a n c e m e n t f

o rth e f ir e a r m p o s s e s s io n , b u t h e h a d n o t. T he m a gi s tr a t e j udge r e c om m e nde d de ny i ng habe a s r e l i e f , f i ndi ng tha tthe B O P p r o p e r ly e x e r c is e d its d is c r e tio n in c la s s if y in g c e r ta in o f

f e n s e s a s in e lig ib le fo r e ar ly re leas e, th at th is d iscr etio n h ad b ee n u p h eld in L o p ez , an d th at V in as co ’s o f f e n s e o f c o n v ic tio n f

e ll w ith in th e lis t o f

o f f e n s e s f o rw h ic h th e B O P c o u ld p re clu d e e ar ly re leas e. T h e m ag istrate ju d g e f u rth erfo u n d th at th e B O P ’s d e te r m in a tio n w a s r e a s o n ab le b e c a u s e th e P S I s ta te d th a t V in a s c o h a d b e e n in p o s s e s s io n o f

a f ir e a r m . T he di s tr i c tc our ta dopt e d the r e c om m e nda t i on ove rV i na s c o’ s obj e c t i ons5

a nd de ni e d habe a s r e l i e f . V i na s c o f

i l e d hi s not i c e of

appe a l , a nd the n f

i l e d a m ot i on t o am end j ud gm entun der F eder al R ul e of C i vi l P roce du re 60 (b)( 3)(6), s e e k in g to a m e n d h is c o m p la in t to e x p la in th a t th e f ir e a r m p o s s e s s io n w a s n o t in c o n n e c tio n w ith th e c o n s p ir a c y o f f e n s e , a s h e c a rr ie d th e f ir e a r m w ith h im a t a ll t i m e s be c a us e he l i ve d i n a da nge r ous ne i ghborhood. T he c our tde ni e d the m ot i on. II . S tan d ard of R evi ew T he avai l abi l i ty of habeas re l i ef un der § 22 41 pres ent s aqu es t i on of l aw that w e r evi ew de no vo . S aw ye r v. H ol der, 32 6 F . 3d 13 63 , 13 64 n. 4 (11 th C i r. 20 03 ). I I I . D i s c u s s i on V i na s c o a r gue s tha tthe B O P abus e d i t s di s c r e t i on by de ny i ng hi m c r e di tf or p a r tic ip a tio n in th e d ru g tr e a tm e n t p r o g r a m b e c a u s e , a c c o r d in g to V in a s c o , h e d id notpos s e s s the f

i r e a r m i n c onne c t i on w i th hi s c ons pi r a c y of f e ns e . H e c ont e nds that , atthe very l ea st , the di stri ctcourtshou l d h ave c on du ct ed an evi dent i ary h e a r in g . A s a n in itia l m a tte r , V in a s c o ab a n d o n e d o rw a iv e d tw o a r g u m e n ts . F ir s t, V in a s c o n o lo n g e rc h a lle n g e s w h e th e rth e B O P h a d th e d is c r e tio n to d e n y e a r ly r e l e a s e . A c c or di ngl y , he ha s aba ndone d tha ta r gum e nt . R ow e v. S c hr e i be r , 139 F . 3d 13 81 , 13 82 n. 1 (11 th C i r. 19 98 ). S ec on d, V i nasc o request s a n evi dent i ary h e a r in g f o rth e f ir s t tim e o n ap p e a l. T h e r e f o r e , h e h a s w a iv e d th a t a r g u m e n t.6

N a r e y v . D e a n , 3 2 F .3 d 1 5 2 1 , 1 5 2 6 - 2 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 7 ) ( h o ld in g th a t a r g u m e n ts r a i s e d f orthe f i r s tt i m e on appe a l a r e notc ons i de r e d by thi s c our tabs e ntone of f iv e e x c e p tio n s ) . H e r e , th e d is tr ic t c o u r t p r o p e r ly d e te r m in e d th a t th e B O P r e a s o n ab ly d e t e r mi n e d th a tV i n a s c o w a s i n e l i g i b l e f o rth e e a r l y r e l e a s e c r e d i t . U n d e rPS 56 12 . 04 , § 7 (c )( 3), the B O P i s t o con si der the offens e c on du cti n ful l . In thi s c as e, the P S I s how e d tha tV i na s c o pos s e s s e d the f i r e a r m a tthe t i m e he w a s i n pos s e s s i on of the m on ey and the l edgers . M oreover, the se nt enci ng courtno t ed thatV i nasc o h a d a f ir e a r m b u t h a d n o t b e e n c h a r g e d w ith a f ir e a r m o f f e n s e . A s s t at ed, the B O P has the di sc re t i on t o d et erm i ne w ho i s e l i gi bl e f or B ureau p r o g r a m s . I n e x e r c is in g its d is c r e tio n , th e B O P p r o m u lg a te d a p r o g r a m s ta te m e n t, w hi c h i nc l ude s “ [ i ] nm a t e s w hos e c urr e ntof f e ns e i s a f

e l ony . . . tha ti nvol ve d the c a rry i ng, pos s e s s i on, orus e of a f i r e a r m ” i n i t s l i s tof

c a t e gor i e s of

i nm a t e s the B O P chose t o excl ud e f rom el i gi bi l i ty. 28 C . F . R . § 5 50 . 58 (a )( 1)(vi ) & (a)(1 )(v i )(B ). T h e S u p rem e C o u rth as h el d th atth e B O P ’ s P ro g ram st at em en ti s a r e a s o n ab l e e x e r c i s e o f

a d mi n i s tr a t i v e d i s c r e t i o n b e c a u s e “ § 3 6 2 1 ( e ) ( 2 ) ( B) de m ons tr a t e s C ongr e s s ’ s c onc e rn f orpr e - c onvi c t i on be ha vi ora nd, the r e f or e , the B O P i s j ust i fi ed i n con si deri ng thatbehavi or w hen m aki ng ca t egori ca l excl usi on s. ” L op ez , 53 1 U . S . at24 3; W al ther v. B aukn ec ht , 15 5 F . A pp ’ x 4 63 , 46 6 (11 th C i r.7

2 0 0 5 ) . B e c a u s e th e c o n d u c t – c a rry in g a f ir e a r m “in d ic a te s a w illin g n e s s to e n d a n g e rth e liv e s o f

o th e r s , th e B O P ’s c a te g o r ic a l e x c lu s io n is a r e a s o n ab le i nt e rpr e t a t i on of

s t a tut ory i nt e ntbe c a us e the s t a tut e s t a t e s tha tonl y nonvi ol e nt of f e nde r s a r e e l i gi bl e . ” L ope z , 531 U . S . a t243- 44. In l i gh tof the fa ct s i n the P S I, the di stri ctcourt ’ s r ec og ni t i on thatV i nasc o ha d pos s e s s i on of

a f i r e a r m a tthe t i m e he w a s a rr e s t e d f orthe c ons pi r a c y , a nd the B O P ’ s di sc re t i on ary autho ri ty, the B O P ’ s det erm i nat i on thatthe fi re arm w as p o ssessed i n co n n ect i o n w i th th e u n d erl yi n g o ffen se w as reaso n ab l e. A cco rd i n g l y, w e A F F I R M.

AF F I RME D.