# U n i t e d S t a t e s C o u r t o f A pp e a l s

For the Eig hth Circu it

_ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

No . 1 8 -2 7 48

_ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Un i t ed St at es o f Am eri ca

l ll l l l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l Pl a i n t i

f f - Ap pel l ee

v

.

J u l ie Di an e An d rad e

l ll l l l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l Def

en da n t - Ap pel l an t

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

Ap p eal fro m

Un i t ed St at es Di s t ri ct Co u rt

fo r t h e W es t ern Di s t ri ct o f Ark an sas - Ft . Sm i t h

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Su b m i t t ed : J u ne 1 4 , 2 01 9

Fi l ed : Sep t em

b er 9 , 2 0 1 9

[Un pu b l is h ed ]

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

Befo re GRUENDER, STRAS, an d KOBES, Ci rcu i t J u d g es

.

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

PER CURIAM

.

J u l i e Di an e An d rad e p l ead ed g ui lt y t o co n s p i racy t o d i s t ri b u t e

m et h am p h et am i ne i n v i o l at i o n o f 2 1 U.S.C. § § 8 4 1 (a)(1 ) an d 8 46 . An d rad e arg u est h at t he d i s tri ct co u rt 1 co m m i t t ed p ro ced u ral erro r at s en t en ci n g b y ad di n g a two -l ev el

en h an cem en t t o h er b as e o ffen s e l ev el fo r p os s es si n g a fi rearm in co n n ect i on wi t h t h e

co n sp i racy . W e affi rm

.

I.

A n d r a d e w as i n vo l v ed in a d ru g t raffi ck in g co n sp i racy t h at s tret ch ed fro m

C a l i fo rn i a t o A rk an s as

. A co n fi d en t i al s o u rce i n fo rm ed t h e D ru g En fo rcem en t

Ad m i n i s t rat i o n (DEA) th at as earl y as 2 0 1 4

, An d rad e was t ran s p o rt in g 1 0 t o 1 5

p o u n d s o f m et ham

p h et am i n e fro m a su p pl i er i n Cal i fo rn i a t o co co n s pi rat or Dav id

Hu rl L em m on twi ce a m o n t h

. Ag en t s o b tai n ed ad d i t i o nal ev i d en ce reg ard i n g

An d rad e’ s i n v ol vem en t i n t h e co n s p i racy fo ll o wi n g t w o t raffi c s t o p s

. Ev i d en ce fro m

t h e s eco n d s t op fo rm s t h e b as i s fo r t hi s ap p eal

.

In M ay 2 0 1 5, a New M ex i co s heri ff’ s dep u t y st o p p ed An d rad e an d h er n ep h ew

fo r carel es s d r iv i n g

. An d rad e t o l d t h e d ep ut y t h at s h e was trav el i n g t o care fo r an

ai l i n g fri en d i n Ark an s as

, b u t h er n ep h ew s t at ed t h at t h ey were l oo k i n g fo r a p l ace fo r

An d rad e t o l i v e. Th e co n fl i ct in g s t o ri es rai s ed t he d ep u t y ’ s s u s p i ci on s t h at t h e t wo

were u p t o s o m et h i n g il l eg al an d h e cal l ed fo r a K-9 u n i t . Th e can i n e al ert ed t o t h e

p res en ce o f d ru g s an d o ffi cers s ei zed t h e v eh i cl e. Th e o ffi cers reco vered a

. 2 2 cal i b er

Beret t a han d g u n

, .2 2 cal i b er am m u n i t i o n

, an am m

u n i t io n m ag azi n e, an d a g u n cas e

fro m t h e tru nk

. In t h e car, t h ey fo u n d m et h am p h et am i n e i n s i d e a pu rs e an d

An d rad e’ s cel l ph o n e. Her nep h ew h ad a m et ham p h e t a m i n e p i p e in h i s p o ck et

.

Offi cers al s o l earn ed t h at t h o u g h An d rad e o wn ed t h e v eh i cl e

, i t w a s reg i s t ered to

Lem m o n ’ s wi f

e a n d h i s fo rm er b u s i n es s p art n er an d t h at Lem m o n p ai d fo r t h e

v eh icl e’ s i n s u ran ce. An drad e’ s cel l p h o n e co n t ai ned n u m ero u s t ex t m es s ag es

co o rd i n at i n g t h e s h i p m en t o f an d p ay m en t fo r l arg e q uan t i t i es o f m et h am p het am i ne.

1 Th e Ho n o rab le P.K. Ho l m es

, III, U n i t ed St at es Di s t ri ct J u d g e fo r t h e W es t ern

Di s t ri ct o f Ark an sas

.

-2

-Aft er An d rad e p lead ed g u i lt y t o co n s pi racy

, t h e p res en t en ce i n v es t i g a t i o n

rep o rt (PSR) reco m

m en d e d t h at An d rad e recei v e a t wo -l ev el en h an cem en t fo r

p o s s es s i n g a fi rearm

, U.S.S.G. § 2 D1 .1 (b )(1 ), res u lt i ng i n an ad ju st ed o ffen s e l ev el

o f 3 8

. An d rad e recei v ed a th ree-l ev el red u ct i o n fo r h er accep tan ce o f res po n s i b i l i t y

,

res u l ti n g i n a t o tal o ffen s e l ev el o f 3 5

. Bas ed o n a cat eg o ry II cri m i n al h i s t o r y, t h e

Gu i del in es reco m

m en d ed a s en t en ce b et ween 1 8 8 an d 2 3 5 m o n t h s i n p ri s o n

.

O ve r A ndr a de ’ s obj e c t i on

, t h e d is t ri ct co urt ap p l i ed t h e tw o

- le ve l e nha nc e m e nt.

Th e co u rt reas o n ed th at An drad e h ad co n s t ru ct i v e p o s s es s io n o f t h e g u n b ecau s e t h e

Al b uq u erq ue Po l i ce Dep art m e nt’ s pr ope r t y e vide nc e r ep o rt i nd i cat ed t h at th e g u n was

fo u n d l o o s e i n t h e t ru n k

, n o t i n a d u ffl e b ag as sh e h ad cl ai m ed

. Th e co u rt t h en

co n nect ed t h e g u n an d t h e d ru g s

, ex p l ai n i n g t h at

, b ecau s e “ fi rearm s are t oo l s o f t h e

t rad e

. . . y o u can al m o s t as s u m e t h at fi rearm s are g o i n g t o b e in v ol v ed ” wi th d ru g s

.

Sen t. Tr. at 7. An d rad e was s e n t e n c e d t o 1 2 0 m o nt hs i n p ri s o n

— a 6 8 -m o n th

d o wn ward v ari an ce fro m t h e lo w en d o f t h e Gu i del i n es ’ ran g e. Sh e t i m el y ap p eal ed

.

II.

On ap p ea l

, A n d rad e ch al l en g es t h e fi rearm en h an cem en t ag ai n

, arg u i n g t h at

s h e was u n aware o f th e g u n ’ s p res en ce an d t h a t i t w as n ot co n n ect ed t o t h e

co n sp i racy

. W e rev i ew a d i s t ri ct co u rt ’ s fact u al fi n d in g t h a t A n d rad e p o s s es s ed a

fi rearm w i th i n t h e m ean i n g o f Sect i o n 2 D 1 .1 (b )(1 ) fo r cl ear erro r. Un i t ed St at es v.

Perez-Gu errero

, 3 34 F.3 d 7 7 8

, 7 8 3 (8 t h Ci r. 20 0 3). F o r t h e en h an cem en t to ap p l y

,

t h e G o v ern m en t m

us t p ro v e b y a p rep o n d eran ce o f t h e ev i d en ce t h at : (i ) a weap o n

was p o s ses s ed ; an d (i i ) it was no t cl earl y i m p ro b ab l e th at t h e weap o n h a d a n ex u s

wi t h t h e co n sp i racy ch arg e. Un i t ed St at es v. An d ers o n

, 6 1 8 F.3 d 8 7 3

, 8 8 0 (8 t h Ci r.

2 0 1 0 ).

To p ro v e po s s es s i o n

, t h e Go v ern m en t m u s t s h o w th at t h e d efen d an t act u al l y

o r co n st ru ct iv el y

p o ss es s ed a fi rearm

. Id

. at 8 7 9

. Co n st ru ct iv e p o ss es s i o n req u i res

-3

-t h at an i n di v id u al “ ex erci s e[] o wn ers h i p

, d o m in i o n

, o r co n tro l ei t h er o v er t h e fi rearm

o r t h e p rem i ses o n wh i ch i t is fo u n d .” Id

. at 8 8 0 (c i t a t i o n o m i tt ed ). A fi n d i n g o f

co n st ru ct i v e p o s s es s i o n i m p l i es t h at t h e d efen d an t k n o wi n g l y p o s s es s ed t h e fi rearm

.

Un i ted St at es v

. Ren t eri a, 7 5 5 F.3 d 85 6

, 8 5 9 (8 t h Ci r. 20 1 4 ). To p ro v e a co n n ect i o n

b et ween t h e g un an d t h e cri m e th e g o v ern m en t “ m u s t s i m pl y s h ow t h at i t i s n ot

cl earl y i m

p ro b ab le t hat t h e weap o n was co n n ect ed to t h e d ru g o ffen s e.” Un i t ed

St at es v

. Pero ces k i

, 5 2 0 F.3 d 8 8 6

, 8 8 9 ( 8 t h C i r

. 2 0 08 ). W e h av e p rev i o u s l y s t at ed

t h at t h ere i s a n ex u s b et ween a g u n an d th e dru g o ffen s e w h e n t h e g u n was fo u n d

“ wh ere p art o f t h e co n s p i racy t o o k p l ace.” Un i t ed St at es v . At k in s , 2 5 0 F.3 d 1 2 0 3,

1 2 1 4 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 0 1 ); acco rd Perez-Gu errero

, 33 4 F.3 d at 78 4 ; Brag g s

, 3 1 7 F.3 d at

9 0 4

. “ W e hav e al s o reco g n i zed t h at a wel l -k n o wn t en d en cy of dru g cri m in al s t o u s e

fi rearm s i n co n n ect i o n wi t h t h ei r d ru g act i v i t i es s u p p o rt s an i n feren ce t h at a g u n n ear

t h e v i ci n i t y o f d ru g act iv i t y i s s om eh o w co nn ect ed t o i t .” Pero ces k i

, 5 20 F.3 d at 8 8 9.

Th e d i s t ri ct co u rt d i d n o t cl earl y err wh en it co n cl u d e d t h at An d rad e h ad

co n st ru ct i v e p o s s es s i o n of th e gu n

. Aft er rev i ewi n g t h e pro p ert y ev i d en ce rep o rt

, i t

ru l ed th at t h e g u n was reco vered fro m t h e tru n k becau s e t h e rep ort d i d no t “ s ay i n a

d u ffl e b ag i n t h e t ru n k, [i t] s ay s i n t h e t ru n k .” 2 Sen t

. Tr. at 9. O n c e t h e c o u rt

d et erm i n ed t h at th e g u n w as l o o s e in t h e t ru n k

, i t co u l d co ncl u d e t hat s h e p o s s es s ed

i t b ecau s e s h e o wn ed an d o p erat ed t h e v eh i cl e an d t h erefo re “ had d o m i n i on o v er t h e

area wh ere t h e g u n was fo u n d .” Id

. M o reo v er, i t is w el l es tab l is h ed th at th e weap o n

en h an cem en t ap p li es w h e n t h e d efen dan t was i n t h e s am e v eh icl e as t h e g u n

. See

Perez-Gu errero

, 3 3 4 F.3 d at 7 8 3; Brag g s, 31 7 F.3 d at 9 0 5 ; At k i ns

, 2 5 0 F.3 d at 1 2 1 4.

2 Im p l i ci t i n An d rad e’ s arg u m en t i s t h at t h e d i s t ri ct co urt ’ s co n cl u s io n t h at t h e

g u n w as i n t he tru nk an d n o t a d u ffl e b ag wi t h i n t h e t ru n k was n o t s u p p o rt ed by

ev i d en ce. W h en a d efen d an t o bject s t o a PSR’ s fact u al fi n d i ng s

, a s en t en ci n g co u rt

m u st m ak e a fi n d i n g wi t h res p ect t o t h o s e d is p u ted fact s an d i t m u s t d o so b as ed o n

ev i d en ce an d n o t t h e PSR. Un i t ed St at es v. Hu d s o n

, 1 2 9 F.3 d 9 9 4, 9 95 (8 t h Ci r.

1 9 9 7 ) ( p er cu ri am ). Here, th e co u rt rel i ed o n t h e p ro p ert y ev i d en ce rep ort

, n o t t h e

PSR.

-4

-Th ere i s al s o a cl ear n ex u s b et ween t h e g u n an d t h e d ru g t raffi ck i n g co n s p i racy

.

Th e g u n w as i n t h e v ici n i t y o f d ru g t raffi ck i n g b ecau se i t was fo u n d i n a v eh i cl e: (i )

d ri v en b y An d rad e wh o p lead ed g u i lt y to k n owi n gl y traffi ck i n g m et ham p het am i n e;

(i i) reg i s t ered t o Lem

m o n’ s wi fe an d h i s fo rm er bu s in es s p art n er; an d (i ii ) i n s u red by

Lem m o n

. In ad d i t i o n

, t he DEA l earn ed t h at An d rad e was t ran s po rt i n g 1 0 t o 1 5

p o u n d s of m et h am

ph et am i n e t o Lem

m o n an d t ex t m es s a g e s s h owed t h at s h e was

co o rd i n at i n g t h e s h i p m en t o f an d p ay m en t fo r l arg e q uan t i t i es o f m et h am p het am i ne.

Becau s e t h e g u n was fo u n d i n t h e t ru n k an d t h e v eh i cl e w as u s ed i n t h e co n s p i racy

,

i t is n o t cl earl y

i m p ro b ab l e t h at t h e g u n was co n n ect ed t o t h e co n s pi racy

.

III.

Th e s en t en ce i s affi rm ed

.

__ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _

-5

-