FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEV EN T HC IRC U IT NOV 2 , 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- 11358 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 05 -002 67 -C R -4 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 B E N J A M I N S M I T H , 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 o rth e S o u th e rn D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( N ove m b e r 2, 2006) B efo re T JO F L A T , W IL S O N an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: P ursuantt o a pl eaagre em ent , B enj am i n S m i th p l ed gu i l ty i n the di stri ct2

courtt o o ne coun t , C ou ntT w o, of a f ou r- coun ti nd i ctm ent . C ou ntT w o charged h im w ith p o s s e s s io n o f

aq u a n tity o f

m e th a m p h e ta m in e w ith in te n t to d is tr ib u te , in vi ol at i on of 21 U . S . C . § 8 41 (a )( 1). T he pl eaagre em entcont ai ned a prov i si on that the c our t , i n f

a s hi oni ng S m i th’ s s e nt e nc e , c oul d c ons i de rC ount s O ne , T hr e e a nd F ou r a s w el l as “ al l of the defendant ’ s c on du ctre l at ed t o [C ou ntT w o] . ” T he court se nt ence d S m i th t o p ri son for a t erm of 90 m on ths. H e now appeal s hi s s ent ence . S m i th co n t en d s th atth e d i stri ctco u rtcl earl y erred b y en h an ci n g h i s b ase of f e ns e l e ve l by tw o l e ve l s ba s e d on the pr e s e nc e of af i r e a rm c onne c t e d t o the offe nse. H e a l so cont ends thatthe courtac t ed contra ryt o the ho l di ng s of U ni t ed S t a t e s v. B ooke r , 543 U . S . 220, 125 S . C t . 738, 160 L . E d. 2d 621 ( 2005) , by attri b u t i n g t o h i m d ru g s sei zed fro m D arrel l G reg o ry, a co -d efen d an t . F i n al l y, S m i th ass ert s thathi s s ent ence w as no tre as on abl e. I. W e “r e v ie w [ ] th e d is tr ic t c o u r t’s f a c tu a l f in d in g s f o rc le a re rr o ra n d its ap p lic a tio n o f

th e [ s ]e n te n c in g [ g ]u id e lin e s to th o s e f a c ts d e n o v o . P u r s u a n t to U . S . S . G . § 2D 1. 1( b) ( 1) , i f ade f e nda ntpos s e s s e d ada nge r ous w e apon dur i ng a drug -tra ff

i cki ng offe nse, hi s off

ense l evel shou l d b e i ncre as ed by tw o l evel s. ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. A uda i n, 254 F . 3d 1286, 1289 ( 11th C i r . 2001) . S e c t i on 2 D 1 . 1 (b )(1 ) req u i res a tw o st ep p ro cess. F i rst , “ th e g o v ern m en t[m u st ] sh o w b y a3

pr e ponde r a nc e of

the e vi de nc e tha tthe f

i r e a rm w a s pr e s e nta tthe s i t e of the c ha r ge d c onduc t . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. C oope r , 111 F . 3d 845, 847 ( 11th C i r . 1997) ( c i t i ng U ni t e d S t a t e s v. H a l l , 46 F . 3d 62, 63 ( 11th C i r . 1995) ) . I f the gove rnm e nt c a rr ie s its e v id e n tia ry b u r d e n , th e b u r d e n “s h if ts to th e d e f

e n d a n t to s h o w th a t a conn ec t i on betw ee n the fi re arm and the offe nse i s c l ea rl y i m prob abl e. ” U ni t ed S ta te s v . F ie ld s , 4 0 8 F .3 d 1 3 5 6 , 1 3 5 9 ( 1 1 th C ir .) ( q u o tin g H a ll, 4 6 F .3 d a t 6 3 ) , c e r t. de ni e d, 126 S . C t . 221 ( 2005) . T he e nha nc e m e nt“ s houl d be appl i e d i f the w e apon w a s pr e s e nt , unl e s s i ti s c l e a r l y i m pr obabl e tha tthe w e apon w a s c onne c t e d w i th the of f e ns e . ” U . S . S . G . § 2D 1. 1, c om m e nt3. S ig n if ic a n tly , “[ t]h is e n h a n c e m e n t m a y b e ap p lie d w h e n af ir e a rm is pos s e s s e d by ac o- c ons pi r a t or . ” F i e l ds , 408 F . 3d a t1359. “ [ F ] ora§ 2D 1. 1( b) ( 1) fi re arm s e nh ance m entfor c o-conspi ra t or po ss es si on t o b e app l i ed t o a conv i ct ed de f e nda nt , the gove rnm e ntm us tpr ove by apr e ponde r a nc e of the e vi de nc e : ( 1) the po ss es sor of the fi re arm w as a c o-conspi ra t or, (2) the po ss es si on w as i n furthera nce of the c ons pi r a c y , ( 3) the de f e nda ntw a s am e m be rof the c ons pi r a c y a tthe t i m e of pos s e s s i on, a nd ( 4) the c o- c ons pi r a t orpos s e s s i on w a s r e a s onabl y f or e s e e abl e by the defendant . ” I d. (quo t i ng U ni t ed S t at es v. G al l o, 19 5 F . 3d 12 78 , 12 84 (11th C i r. 19 99 )) . W e f i nd no c l e a re rr ori n the c our t ’ s appl i c a t i on of § 2D 1. 1( b) ( 1) . T he4

r e c o r d r e v e a ls th a t th r e e f ir e a rm s w e r e f

o u n d in S m ith ’s r e s id e n c e a t th e tim e o f h is a rr e s t a n d th e s e iz u r e o f th e a m p h e ta m in e : aR o h m r e v o lv e r , f o u n d in th e k itc h e n ; a J i mi n e z p i s t o l , f

o u n d i n G r e g o ry ’ s g y m b a g u n d e rac o f f e e t ab l e i n th e l i v i n g r o o m; and an ant i qu e a nd i no perabl e s ho t gu n fou nd by the fi re pl ac e. A m ph et am i ne w as f o u n d o n S m ith ’s p e r s o n , in h is v e h ic le , a n d in G r e g o ry ’s g y m b a g , a lo n g w ith c l othe s a nd othe ri t e m s be l ongi ng t o G r e gory . A tthe s e nt e nc i ng he a r i ng, the gove rnm e ntc onc e de d tha ti tc oul d notpr ove tha tthe R ohm r e vol ve rw a s l oa de d, butthe pa r t i e s a gr e e d tha tthe J i m i ne z pi s t ol w a s l oa de d. T h e d i stri ctco u rtd i d n o tb ase S m i th ’ s en h an cem en to n th e sh o t g u n , so S m ith ’s a r g u m e n t a s to it is o f n o m o m e n t. T h e c o u r t d id , h o w e v e r , ap p e a rto a c c e pte i the rof

the othe rtw o guns a s j us t i f y i ng the e nha nc e m e nt . S m i th c ont e nds tha tthe c our tc oul d notha ve us e d the R ohm r e vol ve rbe c a us e i tw a s : ( 1) not a c qui r e d i n c onne c t i on w i th the of f e ns e ; ( 2) ne ve rus e d i n c onne c t i on w i th the o f f e n s e ; a n d ( 3 ) f

o u n d e s s e n tia lly w h e r e h e a lw a y s s to r e d it in h is h o m e . W hi l e thi s m ayexpl ai n S m i th’ s posse ss i on of the R oh m re vo l ver t o an e xt e nt , i tdoe s notm a ke i tc l e a r l y i m pr obabl e tha tthe gun w a s “ c onne c t e d t o the offe nse. ” N ot abl y, w e have never hel d thatan un l oaded fi re arm ca nn otsupp ort thi s e nha nc e m e nt . I n s hor t , the gove rnm e ntc a rr i e d i t s bur de n of s how i ng tha tthe gun w a s “ pr e s e nta tthe s i t e of the c ha r ge d c onduc t , ” C oope r , 111 F . 3d a t847, a nd5

S m i th f a i l e d t o c a rry hi s bur de n of s how i ng tha ti tw a s “ c l e a r l yi m pr obabl e tha tthe w eap o n w as co n n ect ed w i th th e o ffen se, ” U . S . S . G . § 2 D 1 . 1 (b )(1 ). A cco rd i n g l y, the courtdi d n otcl ea rl y e rrby basi ng the enhancem enton the R oh m re vo l ver. M oreover, a pre po nd er ance of the evi dence es t abl i shed that : (1) G re go ry w a s ac o- c ons pi r a t or ; ( 2) G r e gory pos s e s s e d the J i m i ne z pi s t ol “ i n f ur the r a nc e of the c ons pi r a c y ” ; ( 3) S m i th “ w a s am e m be rof the c ons pi r a c y a t[ tha t ] t i m e ” ; a nd ( 4) G r e gory ’ s “ pos s e s s i on w a s r e a s onabl y f or e s e e abl e by [ S m i th] . ” F i e l ds , 408 F . 3d a t1359. I n f

a c t , S m i th a dm i tt e d t o s e e i ng G r e gory us e af i r e a rm i n c onne c t i on w ith h is d ru g d e a lin g s . T h u s , th e c o u r t a ls o d id n o t c le a r ly e rrto th e e x te n t th a t it b a s e d its d e c is io n o n th e J im in e z p is to l. F ora l l the s e r e a s ons , the di s tr i c tc our tdi d notc l e a r l y e rri n e nha nc i ng S m ith ’s b a s e o f

f e n s e le v e l b y tw o le v e ls . II . S m i th c ont e nds tha tthe di s tr i c tc our ti nf r i nge d hi s c ons t i tut i ona l r i ght s by i nc r e a s i ng hi s s e nt e nc e ba s e d on unc ha r ge d c onduc ttha the ha d nota dm i tt e d t o, nam el y: po ss es si ng the drug s f ou nd i n G re go ry ’ s gym bag. F urther, S m i th n ot es th a t h e a n d G r e g o ryw e r e n o t c h a r g e d w ith c o n s p ir a c y . I n B o o k e r , th e S u p r e m e C o u r t r e c o g n iz e d th a t ad e f e n d a n t’s S ix th A m e n d m e n t r ig h ts w e r e d e n ie d w h e n , u n d e ram a n d a to ry g u id e lin e s s y s te m , a6

j udge e nha nc e d hi s s e nt e nc e ba s e d on f a c t s notf ound by aj uryora dm i tt e d by the defe nd ant . B oo ker, 54 3 U . S . at24 5, 12 5 S . C t . at75 6. T he S up re m e C ou rt r e m e di e d thi s pr obl e m by m a ki ng the gui de l i ne s a dvi s ory onl y . I d. a t245, 125 S . C t . a t756- 57. A c c or di ngl y , a f t e rB ooke r , as e nt e nc i ng c our tm a y f i nd f a c t s not f ound by aj ury nora dm i tt e d by the de f e nda nta nd us e the m i n f a s hi oni ng a s e n te n c e . U n ite d S ta te s v . C h a u , 4 2 6 F .3 d 1 3 1 8 , 1 3 2 3 - 2 4 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . “[ S ]e n te n c in g c o u r ts m a y c o n s id e rb o th u n c h a r g e d a n d a c q u itte d c o n d u c t in de t e rm i ni ng the appr opr i a t e s e nt e nc e . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. H a m a ke r , 455 F . 3d 1316, 1 3 3 6 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 ) . W e f in d n o c o n s titu tio n a l e rr o rh e r e . W h a t S m ith is a s k in g u s to d o is c r e a te new l aw . G i ven thatw e a re bo un d t o fol l ow S up re m e C ou rtprec edent , w e a re po w er l es s t o d o that . U ni t ed S t at es v. G re er , 44 0 F . 3d 12 67 , 12 75 -76 (11 th C i r. 2 0 0 6 ) . F u r th e r , w e a r e b o u n d b y th e d e c is io n s o f p r e v io u s p a n e ls o f

th is c o u r t. U ni t e d S t a t e s v. H oga n, 986 F . 2d 1364, 1369 ( 11th C i r . 1993) . T hus , a s e xi s t i ng pr e c e de ntc l e a r l y di c t a t e s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our tc oul d c ons t i tut i ona l l y c ons i de rthe u n ch ar g ed d ru g am o u n ts fo u n d in G re g o ry ’s g ym b ag in ca lcu lati n g S m ith ’s of f e ns e l e ve l , hi s a r gum e nti n thi s r e ga r d i s m e r i t l e s s . C ha u, 426 F . 3d a t1323- 24. II I. “A f te rth e d is tr ic t c o u r t h a s a c c u r a te ly c a lc u la te d th e [ g ]u id e lin e r a n g e , it7

m a y i m pos e am or e s e ve r e orm or e l e ni e nts e nt e nc e tha tw e r e vi e w f or re as on abl enes s. ” U ni t ed S t at es v. W i ni ng ea r, 42 2 F . 3d 12 41 , 12 44 (11th C i r. 2 0 0 5 ) ( q u o ta tio n m a rk s o m itte d ) . S u c h r e v ie w is d e f e r e n tia l, r e q u ir in g u s to

“ e va l ua t e w he the rthe s e nt e nc e i m pos e d by the di s tr i c tc our tf a i l s t o a c hi e ve the purpos e s of

s e nt e nc i ng a s s t a t e d i n [ § 3553( a ) ] . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. T a l l e y , 431 F . 3d 78 4, 78 8 (11 th C i r. 20 05 ). “ T here i s ara ng e of r ea sonabl e s ent ence s f rom w hi ch th e d is tr ic t c o u r t m a y c h o o s e , a n d w h e n th e d is tr ic t c o u rt im p o s e s as e n te n c e w ith in the advi sory[g] ui del i nes r ange, w e ordi nari l y w i l l expectthatchoi ce t o b e a re as on abl e one. ” I d. F i nal l y, “ no thi ng i n B oo ker or e l se w here re qu i re s the di stri ct courtt o st at e on the re cord thati thas e xp l i ci t l y c on si dere d eac h o f the [§ 35 53 (a )] f a c t or s ort o di s c us s e a c h of the [ § 3553( a ) ] f

a c t or s . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. S c ott , 426 F .3 d 1 3 2 4 , 1 3 2 9 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) . T he courtdi d n otst at e on the re cord thati thad con si dere d the § 3 55 3(a) se nt enci ng fa ct ors e ven tho ug h S m i th h ad es se nt i al l y r em i nd ed the courtthati thad to c o n s id e rth e m in a rr iv in g a t h is s e n te n c e . A s th e c o u r t w a s n o t r e q u ir e d to s ta te th a t it h a d c o n s id e r e d § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) , h o w e v e r , its f a ilu r e to d o s o is n o t e rr o r . S m i th’ s s e nt e nc e i s w i thi n the gui de l i ne s s e nt e nc e r a nge a nd w e l l be l ow the 20- ye arst atut ory m axi m um , 21 U . S . C . § 8 41 (b)( 1)(C ), and there i s no i nd i ca t i on that i t“ f a i l s t o a c hi e ve the purpos e s of s e nt e nc i ng a s s t a t e d i n [ § 3553( a ) ] . ” T a l l e y , 4318

F . 3 d a t7 8 8 . T h i s i s e s p e c i a l l y tru e g i v e n th e l a r g e a m o u n to f d ru g s a n d th e two f ir e a rm s in v o lv e d in th is c a s e . AF F I R ME D.