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

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ No. 1 3- 36 91

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

Bri an Ly nc h

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 Nor th ern Dis tri ct of I owa - Ced ar Ra pi ds

__ __ __ __ __ __ Su bm it te d: May 13, 2 01 4 Fil ed : J ul y

7, 2 01 4 [Pu bl is he d]

__ __ __ __ __ __ Befo re RI LEY, Chi ef J ud ge , BEAM an d S MITH, Ci rcu it Ju dg es

.

__ __ __ __ __ __
PER CURI AM.

Bri an Ly nc h pl ead ed gu il ty to po ss es si on of ch il d po rn og rap hy in vi ol at io n of 18 U.S.C. § 22 52

. Ly nc h ap pe al s hi s se nt en ce of 21 0 m o n t h s, sp eci fic al ly ch al le ng in g th e fiv e-l ev el up ward ad jus tm en t fo r di st rib u ti on in ex pe ct at io n of a "t hi ng of va lu e," se e Uni te d St at es Sen te nc in g Gui de li ne s Man ua l § 2G2 .2(b )(3 )(B) , be cau se he us ed fil e sh ari ng pro gr am s t o v ie w th e p or no gr ap hy. Ly nc h a rg ue s t ha twhi le he kn ew he was us in g th e fil e-s ha rin g pr og ram s Ares an d Sh area za, he di d no t

kn ow th at ot he rs us in g Ares an d Sh area za co ul d acce ss hi s fil es rem ot el y , a nd th us th at an y "d is tri bu ti on " th at ha pp en ed vi a th es e pr og ram s was un kn owi ng on hi s pa rt. In su pp or t of th is as se rti on , he di rect s us to th e tra ns cri pt of hi s in te rv ie w du rin g th e in it ia l en co un te r wit h law enfo rcem en t o ffi cers as t he y ser ve d t he sea rch warran t at hi s ho m e. Ly

nc h arg ue s th at th e tra ns cri pt sh ows hi s la ck of kn owl ed ge of th e rem ot e

acce ss /s ha rin g fu nc ti on of Are s an d S ha reaz a.

The de te rm in at i o n of whe th er th e fiv e-l ev el en ha nc em en t fo r di st rib ut io n ap pl ie s is m ad e on a cas e-b y -cas e ba si s, wit h th e go ve rn m en t be ari ng th e ul ti m at e bu rd en of pr oo f on th is is su e. Uni te d St at es v. Dol eh id e, 66 3 F.3 d 34 3, 34 7 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ). The go ve rn m en t m ay m eet th is bu rd en wit h di rect ev id en ce (u su al l y i n th e f o r m o f an ad m is si on ) or by ci rcu m st an ti al ev id en ce su ch as a de fen da nt 's rel at iv e

co m pu te r so ph is ti cat io n. Uni te d St at es v. Dur ha m , 6 18 F.3 d 92 1, 92 7- 29 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ). If th e de fen da nt ha s in st al le d th e fil e sh ari ng pr og ram an d us ed it hi m se lf, he

m us t sh ow "co nc ret e ev id en ce" of hi s ig no ran ce as to di st rib ut io n. D o l eh id e, 66 3 F.3 d a t 3 47

.

At th e se nt en ci ng he ari ng , vi a te st im o n y a n d th e pr e-s en te nc e in ve st ig at io n rep or t, th e go ve rn m en t pr es en te d th e fo ll owi ng ci rcu m st an ti al ev id en ce in su pp or t of th e en ha nc em en t: th at un de rco ve r of fic ers us ed a pe er-t o
- p e e r f i le sh ari ng ne two rk
to d o w n l oa d im ag es , rem ot el y , fro m Ly nc h's co m

pu te r, se ve ral di ffer en t ti m es in 20 13 ; th at Ly

nc h ke pt fo ld ers on hi s de sk to p as so ci at ed wit h th e fi l e sh ari ng pr og ram s, in whi ch he ke pt ch il d po rn og rap hy im ag es ; an d th at Ly nc h in st al le d an d be ga n us in g th e fil e-s ha rin g pr og ram s to do wnl oa d ch il d p o rn og rap hy s in ce 20 07

. Fu rth erm or e, du rin g th e po li ce in te rv ie w, Ly nc h as se ss e d hi s te ch ni cal co m pu te r kn owl ed ge as a 5- 6 on a sc al e of 1- 10

. Ly nc h's "co nc ret e ev id en ce" of ig no ran ce

co ns is ts of th e i n i t ia l po li ce in te rv ie w tra ns cri pt , whe re, ad m it te dl y , he se em ed

co nf us ed ab ou t th e co nc e p t of ho w o th ers m ig ht acce ss hi s ch il d po rn og rap hy fi le s fro m th ei r rem ot el y lo cat ed c o mp u t e rs

. Add it io na ll y , th e ag en t who in te rv ie wed

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-Ly

nc h du rin g th is in te rv ie w te st ifi ed at th e se nt en ci ng he ari ng th at Ly nc h sa id se ve ral ti m es du rin g th e in te rv ie w th at Ly nc h di dn 't th in k he was s h a r i ng an y th in g wit h

an y bo dy el se

. Fi na ll y , th e go ve rn m en t's fo ren si c co m pu te r ex am in er ad m it te d th ere

was no ev id en ce Ly

nc h em ai le d or to ok an y ot he r affi rm at iv e st ep s to di st rib ut e th e ch il d p or no gr ap hy im ag es th at he ha d d own lo ad ed

.

The di st ric t co ur

t ac know le dge d th at th e fiv e-l ev el in crea se co ul d no t be ad de d 1

s i mp l y by vi rtu e of th e fact th at th e Sh area za an d Ares pr og ram s were on th e

co m pu t e r

. H o w e ve r, th e co ur t m ad e th e fo ll owi ng fin di ng s wit h reg ard to in di rect

ev id e n c e o f Ly

nc h's kn owl ed ge : Ly

nc h was "fa irl y " co m

pu te r sa vv y , i nc lu di ng th e fact th at he ha d "d efra gm en te d" hi s co m pu te r to m ak e it ru n f

a s t e r ; h e ha d do wnl oa de d th e pr og ram s sev eral y ears ag o (in 20 07 an d 20 08 ) an d had be en us in g th e m s i nc e th en ; he was th e on ly us er of th e co m pu te r; an d th e warn in gs fro m th e

so ftwa re m an uf

act ur ers de ta il ed th e g en eral op erat io n o f ho w sh ared fil es work ed

.

In rev ie win g th e di st ric t co ur t's ad vi so ry Gui de li ne s cal cu la ti on , 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 Gui de li ne s de

no vo

. U n i te d St at es v. Pap pa s, 71 5 F.3 d 22 5, 22 8 (8 th Ci r. 20 13 ). Giv en th is
st an da rd , we can no t sa y th e di st ric t co ur t cl earl y erre d in it s fact ua l fin di ng s, de sp it e Ly nc h's , at ti m es ex cu lpa tor

y an d oth er tim es eq ui vo cal , an swe rs ab ou t hi s kn owl ed ge of fil e sh ari ng du rin g th e po li c e i n t e rv ie w. The go ve rn m en t pr es en te d su ffi ci en t ci rc um st an ti al ev id en ce of Ly nc h's kn owl ed ge of di st rib ut io n an d th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t cl earl y err in de te rm in in g th at Ly nc h's ev id en ce of ig no ran ce was no t "co nc ret e." Nor is th e wit hi n- Gui de li ne s- ran ge se nt en ce subs ta nti ve ly un reas on ab le

. Uni te d St at es v. Hus to n, 74 4 F.3 d 58 9, 59 3 (8 th Ci r. 20 14 ). Acco rd in gl y , we affi rm th e ap pl ic at io n o f th e fi ve -le ve l i nc reas e an d t he res ul ti ng sen te nc e.

The Hon or ab le Lin da R. Rea de , Ch ie f Ju dg e, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Co ur t fo r 1 th e Nor th ern Dis tri ct of I owa

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-SMI TH, Circ ui t J ud ge , con cu rri ng

.

I writ e se pa rat el y be cau se I r e a c h t h e s a me res ul t as th e pe r cu ria m bu t fo r a di ffer en t reas on

. The pe r cu ria m co rrec tl y ex pl ai ns th at "[i ]f th e de fen da n t h as in st al le d th e fil e sh ari ng pr og ram an d us ed it hi m se lf, he mu s t s ho w 'co nc ret e

ev id en ce' of hi s ig no ran ce as to di st rib ut io n." Se e su pr a (ci ti ng Dol eh id

e , 6 63 F.3 d
at 34 7)

. I wou ld ho ld th at th e di st ric t co ur t cl earl y erre d in co nc lu di n g t h a t Lynch fai le d to pr ov id e c o n c ret e ev id en ce of hi s ig no ran ce. Howev er, an y erro r was ha rm le ss be cau se th e di st ric t co ur t wou ld ha ve im po se d th e sa m e se nt en ce reg ard le ss of th e fi ve -le ve l d is tri bu ti on en ha nc em en t.

Ly nc h pr ov id e d a mp le ev id en ce sh owi ng th at he th ou gh t he was m erel y do wn loa di ng ch il d po rn og rap hy rat he r th an di st ri bu ti ng it to ot he rs

. Se e Dur ha m , 61 8 F.3 d at 92 9 (d is ti ng ui sh in g be twee n de fen da nt 's kn owl ed ge of do wnl oa di ng fil es an d
up lo a d i n g th em ). The ev id en ce up on whi ch he pr im ari ly rel ie s to de m on st rat e hi s ig no ran ce is an in te rv ie w tra ns cri pt of hi s in it ia l qu es ti on in g. The per curi am la be ls hi s in te rv ie w res po ns es as "at ti m es ex cu lp at or y an d ot he r t i mes eq ui vo cal ." Se e

su pr a . The t ran sc rip t p ro vi de s:

Q: No. B u t I am sa y in g wha t fil es y ou sh are wit h ot he r pe op le th at ot he r pe op le can sh are wi th y ou . How d o you ha ve th at set up ?

A: W el l, I d on 't.

* * *
Q: OK. OK. Um , y ou do n't ha ve a cert ai n fo ld er on th e co m pu te r th at y ou all ow i t t o s ha re?

A: No.

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-Q: OK.

A. I do n't be li ev e I d o.

* * *
Q. You kn ow wh o a ll y ou r—

A. I do n't kn ow. I d id n't sen d a nyth in g to an y bo dy. I jus t do wnl oa d it

.
* * *
Q. W he n was th e la st da te y ou were fi le sh ari ng ?

A: Bu t I a m

no t s ha rin g fi le s.

* * *
Q. Is it tu rn ed on rig ht no w sh ari ng rig ht no w?

A: I do n't kn ow. I m ean

— Q: W he n you say y ou do n't kn ow. What do y ou m ean ?

A: W el l you m ean sh ari ng as f ar as

— Q: W el l, wha t I m ean is th at li ke I sa y I go t fil es fro m y ou ov er th e week en d t hr ou gh Ares

.
A: Un- hu h.
Q: Thro ug h Are s. OK.

A: Sh ari ng th e fi le s?

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-Q: Ri gh t.

A: The fol de r is sh ared ?

* * *
Q: W ha t is th e pu rp os e of th e Ares pr og ram ? I mea n w h y d o y ou ha ve th e Ares pro gr am ?

A: The pu rp os e o f it ?
Q: Yeah

.
A: Ju st to do wnl oa d fi le s.
Q: Down lo ad f

il es

. Now ho w do es th e Ares pr og ram wor k? Now y ou , when y ou set up th e Ares pro gr am th en what ha pp en s?

A: Um , y ou can vi ew fi le s?
Q: OK. Bu t th en y ou , bu t y ou can al so sh are, y ou can pu t fil es in a f o l d er on th e co m

pu te r fo r y ou to sh are wit h ot he r pe op le al so , co rrec t?

A: Is th at what well I do n't kn ow i t s ay s s ha red fol de r on th ere.
Q: OK.

A: Bu t I do n't sh are. I am no t go in g ba ck an d f o r th an d ta lk in g to
an y bo dy.
Q: No, no no

. Bu t y ou r co m pu te r is sh ari ng it wit h ot he r pe op le

. The y can . You are d own lo ad in g s tu ff fro m ot he r pe op le

.
A: Um -h um

.

-6

-Q: Bu t y ou se t it up so ot he r pe op le are do wnl oa di ng fil es fro m y ou al so or g et ti ng fil es fro m

y ou co rrec t?

A: All rig ht

. Q: OK.

A: I as su m e, y eah

. Q: Bu t ho w do y ou kn ow wha t fil es y ou are sh a r i n g w i t h th e ot he r pe op le ?

A: How do I kn ow, well I do n't

. I m ean I jus t get in to th at an d vi ew wha t I h av e o n t he co m

pu te r.

* * *
Q: Yeah , so y ou are do wnl oa di ng fro m th em an d y ou s h a r e wit h th em so y ou can do wnl oa d fr om th em is th at co rrec t?

A: W el l, I am su re. I di dn 't kn ow I was sh ari ng

. It sa y s sh ared fo ld er th ere. So I as su m e th at is what is ha pp en in g.
Q: OK.

A: Bu t n o, al l I a m

do in g i s ju st do wnl oa di ng jus t t o s ee s tu ff.

* * *
Q: Now, we are lo ok in g at y ou r co m pu te r so we are go in g to be ab le to fig ur e th is ou t pr et ty qu ic k. Hav e y ou e v e r se nt an y ch il d po rn og rap hy ot he r t ha n th e pe er to pe er fil e sh ari ng ; ha ve y ou
ev er s en t i t t o a nybo dy els e?

A. No.

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-Q. E-m ai l o r an y th in g l ik e th at ?

A. No. (Sl am m in g n oi se )

* * *
Q: And th en , at th at po in t y ou kn ew y ou were sh ari ng y ou r fil es wit h ot he r pe op le ?

A: At th at po in t I th ou gh t th os e were m y fil e s

. I d own lo ad ed an d ke pt

. Q: And th en , y ou kn ew y ou were s ha rin g t ho se wit h o th er p eo pl e?

A: I di d n ot kn ow t ha t.
Q: OK.

A: I m ean I was u nc ert ai n o f th at y ou kn ow.
Q: OK, bu t y ou ha d an id ea y ou were sh ari ng , I go t th em fro m y ou ?

A: I do wnl oa de d.
Q: You kn ow wh at I am sayin g?

A: Ri gh t.
Q: S o a t so m e po in t y ou ha d to kn ow th at y ou r fil es were go in g to ot he r pe op le als o.

A: Ri gh t.
Q: So , at wh at po in t d id y ou kn ow t ha t?

A: W el l, I m ean I kn ew th at I was g et ti ng th em fro m so m eo ne els e. I di dn 't kn ow. So whe n I was ge tt in g th em , bu t I di dn 't crea te fil es I jus t d own lo ad ed th em

for m y own be ne fit

.

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-Q: Ri gh t.

A: So I th ou gh t you h ad to crea te th e fil es an d sh are th em ba ck an d fo rth

. Q: R i g h t , bu t th e fil es y ou do wnl oa de d ot he r pe op le were ge tt i n g
co rrec t?

A: Ri gh t.
Q: You kn ew th at pa rt?

A: Tha t o th er p eo pl e were g et ti ng ?
Q: Ri gh t th at ot he r pe op le were ge tt in g so m e of th e fil es th at y ou
were do wnl oa di ng y ou rs e l f. Fi le s th at y ou do wnl oa de d to y ou r
co m pu te r to y ou r sh ared fil e.

A: I was ge tt in g o th er p eo pl e's fil es th at I do wnl oa de d fo r m y se lf?
Q: Ri gh t, i nt o you r sh are f il e.

A: Ri gh t.
Q: And at t ha t p oi nt pe op le co ul d g et st uf f ou t o f—

A: I un de rs ta nd th e p ro ces s n ow, y eah . I di d n ot kn ow t ha t.

A co m pu te r fo ren si c ex a mine r te st ifi ed at th e se nt en ci ng he ari ng th at th e fo ld ers on Ly

n ch 's de sk to p as so ci at ed wit h th e fil e sh ari ng pr og ram s were de fau lt fo ld ers , m ean in g th at th e pe er-t o- pe er pr og ram s crea te d th es e fo ld ers wit ho ut Ly nc h's

co ns ci ou s act io n. The in te rv ie win g of fic er ev en te st ifi ed th at he to ld Ly nc h on th ree

oc cas io ns du rin g th e in te rv ie w t ha t he be li ev ed Ly nc h. The tru th fu ln es s of Ly nc h's in te rv ie w res po ns es is he ig ht en ed be cau se th e in te rv ie w was vo lu nt ary an d oc cu rred

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-a t t h e f

i rs t in st an ce in whi ch Ly

nc h kn ew of th e in ve st ig at io n. Fu rth erm or e, Ly n c h ha d a lre ad y

ad m it te d t o p os se ss in g c hi ld po rn og rap hy earli er i n t he in te rv ie w.

Thi s ev id en ce, es pe ci al ly th e in te rv ie w tra ns cri pt , rev eal a co nf us ed de fen da nt who ha d no id ea th at he di s tri bu te d, or m ad e av ai la bl e, ch il d po rn og rap hy to ot he r

us ers

. N o ne th el es s, th e pe r cu ria m pr op erl y up he ld th e di st ric t co ur t's de ci si on be cau se th e di st r i c t c o u r t ex pl ic it ly st at ed th at it wou ld se nt en ce Ly nc h to 21 0

m on th s' im

pr is on m en t reg ard le ss of an y erro r in Lyn c h ' s of fen se -le ve l cal cu la ti on

. The di st ric t co ur t ex pl ai ne d th at it wou ld va ry up ward to 21 0 m on th s' im pr is on m en t,
at lea st in pa rt, b ecau se

[Ly nc h] h as ad m it t e d h a n d s- on of fen di ng ag ai ns t at le as t on e ch il d on
m or e th an on e o ccas io n. W he n he work ed at a juv en il e fac il it y , he m et
a 16 -y ear- ol d wit h who m he la te r ha d se x

. He st at ed th at th at di d no t
oc cu r un ti l th e bo y was 18 a n d h a d be en di sc ha rg ed fro m th e juv en il e faci li ty.

As I in di cat ed , he ad m it te d th at in 20 02 he h a d o r al se x wit h a ch il d, ag e 15 , 16 , bo th at a p a r k an d at hi s ho m e. Thi s is un ch arg ed cri m in al co nd uc t an d ve ry , ve ry co nc ern in g co nsi de rin g th e type of wor k th at he di d p rio r to hi s ar res t.

W e h av e st at ed in th e co nt ex t o f a Gu id el in es -cal cu la ti on ap pe al th at

ev en if [th e de fen da nt ] were su cces sf ul on an y is su es he rai s e s o n ap pe al , th e di st ric t co ur t m ad e su ffi ci en t fin di ng s th at hi s fin al se nt en ce
wou ld be un ch an ge d r e g ard le ss of hi s gu id el in e cal cu la ti on s. The di st ric t co ur t s t a t e d th at "[i ]n th e ev en t th at th e gu id el in es wou ld fal l be lo w 48 0 mo n t h s , th e Co ur t wou ld de pa rt up ward or va ry up ward to 48 0 m on th s." Si nc e th e di st ric t co ur t ex pl ic it ly st at ed th at it wou ld ha ve im po se d a 48 0 m on th se nt en ce reg ard le ss of th e gu id el in es , an y erro r in ap pl y in g th e gu id el in es wou ld be ha rm le ss

. Se e Uni te d St at es v. Dav is , 58 3 F .3d 10 81 , 10 94 (8t h C ir. 2 00 9)

.

-1 0-Uni te d St at es v. Pap pa s , 71 5 F.3 d 2 2 5 , 2 30 (8 th Ci r. 20 13 ). In ot he r wor ds , "m is ap pl ic at io n of th e gu id el in es wou ld be ha rm le ss if 'th e di st ric t co ur t wou ld ha ve im po se d th e sa m e se nt en ce ha d it n ot rel ie d up on th e in va li d fact or or fact or s.'" Uni te d S t a t e s v. Hen so n , 55 0 F.3 d 73 9, 74 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ) (q uo ti ng W il li ams v. U n it ed St at es , 50 3 U.S. 19 3, 20 3 (1 99 2) ). Bec au se th e m is cal cu la ti on h e r e w a s ha rm le ss , I ag ree t ha t we s ho ul d a ffi rm th e d is tri ct co ur t's de ci si on

.

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