# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls

For the Eig hth Circu it

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

No. 1 6- 40 88

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

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.

Ted Howar d F ul k, al so kn own as S et h Al le n

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 So ut he rn Dis tri ct of I owa - Dav en po rt

__ __ __ __ __ __

Su bm it te d: Sep te m

be r 18 , 20 17
Fil ed : J an ua ry

11 , 20 18

__ __ __ __ __ __

Befo re SM ITH, Chi ef J ud ge , MELLOY and GRUENDER, Circu it Ju dg es

.

__ __ __ __ __ __
MELLOY, Circu it Ju dg e.

Defen da nt Ted Howar d Fu lk pl ead ed gu il ty to on e co un t of fai lu re to reg is te r

as a s e x o f

f e n d e r in vi ol at io n of 18 U.S.C. § 22 50

, hi s fo ur th co nv ic ti on rel at ed to

reg is try req ui rem en ts

. The di st ric t co ur t se nt en ced hi m to t hi rty-sev en m on th s’ 1

Th e Hon or ab le St ep ha ni e M. Ro se , Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r t h e 1

So ut he rn Dis tri ct of I owa

.im

pr is on m en t an d te n y ears ’ su pe rv is ed rel eas e. His su pe rv is ed rel eas e in cl ud es a

sp eci al co nd it io n req ui rin g co ur t ap pr ov al be fo re tra ve li ng ou ts id e of t h e s ta te of

Io wa. Fu lk ap pe al s th e le ng th of su pe rv is ed rel eas e an d th e sp eci al tra ve l co nd it io n.

W e aff irm.

In Ju ly 20 15

, th e po li ce st op pe d Fu lk whi le he w a s d r i v in g in Des Mo in es , Io wa. Fu lk id en ti fie d hi m se lf as an Aus tra li an na m ed Set h Mat th ew All en

. Fu lk di d

no t ha ve a va li d dr iv er’s li cen se an d was arre st ed

. Fi ng erp rin ti ng rev eal ed Fu lk ’s tru e
id en ti ty, in cl ud in g th at he was a se x of fen d e r

. O n rel eas e, Fu lk reg is te red wit h th e

Io wa Sex Offen de r Reg is try, but he di d s o u nd er t he na m e Set h M at th ew All en

.

Sh or tl y th erea fte r, po li ce in it ia te d a se co nd tra ffi c st op an d arre st ed Fu lk fo r

fai li ng to co m

pl y wit h th e se x of

fen de r reg is try. Law en fo rcem en t ha d di sc ov ered

th at Fu lk ha d be en li vi ng in Mo un t Pl eas an t, Io wa, as an un reg is te red se x of fen de r
si nc e at lea st Sep te m

be r 20 14

.

Dur in g Fu lk ’s se nt e n c in g he ari ng , th e di st ric t co ur t th or ou gh ly rev ie wed hi s
bi og rap hi cal an d cri m in al hi st or y

. The di st ric t co ur t no te d Fu lk ha d pr ev io us ly us ed

se ve ral kn own al ia se s. W hi le hi s res id en ti al an d em pl oym en t hi st or y a re la rg el y

un kn own , th e di s t r i c t co ur t po in te d ou t th at Fu lk ha d li ve d in Geo rg ia

, Io wa,
Okl ah om a, Ohi o, an d Ten ne ss ee. The co ur t al so to ok no ti ce of Fu lk ’s de si re to m ov e

to th e Uni te d Ki ng do m

wit h h is gi rlf

rie nd , a Bri ti sh cit iz en

.

At the ti m e o f th e se nt en ci ng he ari ng Fu lk was in carc erat ed at th e Mu sc at in e
Co un ty Ja il

. The di st ric t co ur t no te d th at du rin g hi s t i me a t th e jail

, Fu lk acq ui red

m or e th an fif

te en di sc ip li na ry ch arg es

. The di st ric t co ur t al so fo un d th at Fu lk m ad e

a fal se se xu al as sa ul t cl ai m ag ai ns t a co rrec ti on al of fic er. Fu lk co nt act e d s e v e r a l

go ve rn m en ta l an d no n- go ve rn m en ta l ag en ci es , at ti m es m ak in g fal se cl ai m s ab ou t th e jail

. The co ur t no te d th at Fu lk wro te a le tt er to hi s gi rlf rie nd

, w h i l e h i s mai l was

m on it or ed

, th at co nt ai ne d tro ub li ng th reat s ag ai ns t jail em pl oyees. Acco rd in gl y , th e

-2

-di st ric t co ur t ex pr es se d a ne ed to ha ve “ so m e co ns is te nt lo ng ev it y in who is ke ep in g

an ey e o n h im .”

I. Te n-Yea r Ter m of S uper vi se d Rel ea se

Fu lk co nt en ds th at th e te n- y ear te rm of su pe rv is ed rel eas e is un reas on ab le

. W e

rev ie w th e reas on ab le ne ss of hi s se nt en ce “und er a de fere nt ia l ab us e-o f-d is cret io n

st an da rd .” Gall v. Uni te d St at es , 55 2 U.S. 38

, 41 (2 00 7)

. Add i ti on al ly, whe re a
di st ric t co u r t i mp o s es a se nt en ce wit hi n th e ad vi so ry gu id el in e ran ge th ere is a
reb ut ta bl e pr es um

pt io n th at th e se nt en ce i s s ub st an ti ve ly reaso na bl e. Uni te d Stat es

v. Ru el as -Me nd ez, 55 6 F.3 d 65 5, 65 7 ( 8 t h C i r

. 20 09 ). Fu lk ’s te n- y ear te rm of

su pe rv is ed rel eas e is well wit hi n th e ad vi so ry gu id el in e ran ge of fiv e y ears to li fe an d

sh ou ld be pre su m ed to be su bs ta nt iv el y reas on ab le

.

Fu rth erm or e, th e se n t e n ci ng co ur t ha s “ su bs ta nt ia l di sc ret io n in de te rm in in g
ho w to weig h” th e st at ut or y se nt en ci ng fact or s. Uni te d St at es v. M or ai s, 67 0 F.3 d

88 9, 89 3 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ). “ A di st ric t co ur t is no t req ui re d t o reci te each of th e

se nt en ci ng fact or s un de r 18 U.S.C. § 35 53 (a), as lo ng as th e reco rd m ak es cl ear th at

th ey were co ns id ered .” Uni te d St at es v. Po wil ls

, 53 7 F.3 d 94 7, 95 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ).
Here, th e di st ric t co ur t th or ou gh ly di sc us se d, on th e reco rd

, th e el em en ts of Fu lk ’s

bi og rap hi cal an d cri m in al hi st or y. Th e di st ric t co ur t al so di sc us se d th e sp eci fic

fact or s t ha t s up po rte d F ul k’s t erm of s up erv is ed rel eas e.

Fi na ll y , Ful k a rg ue s th at at s en te nc in g b ot h p art ie s re co m m en de d a fiv e-year

te rm of su pe rv is ed re le as e an d no t th e di st ric t co ur t’s se nt en ce of te n y ears ’

su pe rv is ed rel eas e. Howev er, “ [s ]ent en ci ng reco m m en da ti on s are ju s t th at

—

reco m m en da ti on s— whi ch do no t bi nd th e di st ric t co ur t.” Uni te d St at es v. W hi te

, 36 7

F.3 d 96 8, 97 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 04 ). In st ead

, as di sc us se d ab ov e, th e se nt en ci ng co ur t ha s

su bs ta nt ia l di sc ret io n in weig hi ng th e se nt en ci ng f act or s an d ne ed no t art ic ul at e
in de pe nd en t reas on s fo r de vi a t i n g f r om a joi nt reco m

m en da ti on

. As th e te rm of

su pe rv is ed rel eas e is wit hi n th e se nt en ci ng gu id el ines, an d th e di st ric t co ur t m or e th an

su ffi ci en tl y co ns id ered th e § 35 53 (a) fact or s, we fin d th e te n- y ear te rm of su pe rv is ed

rel eas e to be reas on ab le

.

-3

-II . Speci al Tra ve l Co ndi tio n

F u l k a pp eal s th e sp eci al tra ve l co nd it io n in cl ud ed wit h th e te rm s of h i s

su pe rv is ed rel eas e. Th e s pe ci al tra ve l co nd it io n pr ov id es “ [t]he de fen da nt is no t

pe rm it te d to tra ve l ou ts id e th e st at e of Io wa du rin g hi s te rm o f s u p e rv is io n wit ho ut

fu rth er or de r of th e Co ur t.” Gen eral ly, “[w ]e r ev ie w t he di st ric t co ur t’s im po si ti on

of sp eci al co nd it io ns fo r ab us e of di sc ret io n.” Mo rai s, 67 0 F.3 d at 89 5. Und er 18

U.S.C. § 35 83 (d ), a di st ric t cou rt has br oa d di sc ret io n to im po se sp eci al co nd it io ns ,

as lo ng as th e co nd it io ns sa ti sf y al l th ree st at ut or y req ui rem en ts

. 67 0 F.3 d at 89 5. At

is su e are th e fir st two req ui rem en ts

, sp eci fic al ly, whe th er th e sp eci al tra ve l co nd it io n (1 ) is “ reas on ab ly rel at ed to th e se nt en ci ng fact or s se t fo rth in § 35 53 (a),” an d (2 )

“ in vo lv e[s ] no gr eat er de pr iv at io n of li be rty th an is reas on ab ly ne ces sa ry fo r th e

pu rp os es se t fo rth in § 35 53 (a).” Id

. To d e t e r mi ne whe th er a sp eci al co nd it io n

sa ti sf ie s th es e req ui rem en ts

, th e co ur t m us t m ak e an “ in di vi du al iz ed in qu iry” in to th e

fact s an d ci rcu m st an ces t o a v o id cat eg or ic al se nt en ci ng an d m us t m ak e su ffi ci en t

fin di ng s o n t he reco rd to be st at ut or il y co m pl ia nt . Id.

Fi rs t, th e sp eci al tra ve l co nd it io n is s u f f i c ie nt ly rel at ed to th e st at ut e’s

se nt en ci ng fact or s to sa ti sf y th e reas on ab le -rel at io n req ui rem en t. Sp eci al co nd it io ns

are reas on ab ly rel at ed to th e st at ut or y se nt en ci ng fact or s if the y are “ ta il or ed to ‘the

na tu re an d ci rcu m st an ces of th e of fen se , th e de fen da nt ’s hi st or y an d ch arac te ris ti cs , th e de te rren ce of cri m in al co nd uc t , t he pr ot ect io n of th e pu bl ic fro m fu rth er cri m es

of th e de fen da nt

, an d th e de fen da nt ’s ed uc at io na l, vo ca t i o n a l

, m ed ic in al or ot he r

co rrec ti on al ne ed s.’” Uni te d St at es v. Ben de r, 56 6 F.3 d 74 8, 75 1 ( 8 t h C i r. 20 09 )
(q uo ti ng Uni te d St at es v. Cru m e, 42 2 F.3 d 72 8, 7 3 3 ( 8 th Ci r. 20 05 )). Here, th e
di st ric t co ur t im

po se d th e sp eci al tra ve l c o n di ti on ba se d on th e na tu re an d

ci rcu m st an ces su rro un d i n g th e Ju ly 2 01 5 tra ffi c st op s an d Fu lk ’s f ou rth co nv ic ti on

fo r fai li ng to reg is te r as a se x offe nd er. The di st ric t cou rt tai lo red th e sp eci al tra ve l

co nd it io n to Fu lk ’s res id en ti al hi st or y , hi s rece nt act io ns in th e Mu sc at in e Co un ty

Ja il

, an d th e po te nt ia l ris ks po se d by hi s fu tu re tra ve l pl an s. The di st ric t co ur t m ad e

-4

-de ta il ed fin di ng s, on th e rec or d, an d d id so in a m an ne r th at was s pe ci fic to Fu lk as

an in di vi du al , rat he r th an Fu lk as a m em be r of a cl as s o f in di vi du al s.

Und er th e se co nd fact or , a co nd it io n of su pe rv is ed rel eas e is st at ut or i ly

pe rm is si bl e as lo ng as th e co nd it io n do es no t in vo lv e a gr eat er de pr iv at io n of li be rty

th an is reas on ab ly n eces sa ry to de te r cri m in al co nd uc t, to pr ot ect th e pu bl ic , a nd to

pr ov id e th e de fen da nt wit h ne ces sa ry care , tre at m en t, an d tra in in g. See 18 U.S.C. §§

35 83 (d )(2 ) & 35 53 (a)( 2) (B)- (D). See al so Mo rai s, 67 0 F.3 d at 89 6. In Uni te d St at es

v. Ri ng ge nb erg , we co nc lu de d th at th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t ab us e it s di s c r e t i o n in

im po si ng a sp eci al tra ve l co nd it io n pr oh ib it in g tra ve l wit hi n fo rty-fiv e m il es of Si ou x
Ci ty or Fo rt Dod ge , Io w a , w i t h o u t p rio r ap pr ov al of th e pr ob at io n of fic e. 49 4 F.
App ’x 68 5, 68 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ) (p er cu ria m ). W e he ld th at th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t

ab u s e i t s di sc ret io n in fin di ng th at th e sp eci al tra ve l co nd it io n was reas on ab ly

ne ces sa ry to pro te ct th e p ub li c, sa ti sf y in g t he sec on d fa ct or of 18 U.S.C. § 35 53 (a).

Id

.

Si m il arl y he re, w e f i n d t h a t th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t ab us e it s di sc ret io n in

in cl ud in g t he sp eci al tra ve l co nd it io n in Fu lk ’s su pe rv is ed rel eas e. A rev ie w of t he

reco rd sh ows th at th e di st ric t co ur t id en ti fie d pu bl ic sa fet y co nc ern s, in cl ud in g Fu lk ’s

hi st or y of ev ad in g reg is try req ui rem en ts

, us in g fal se na m es , an d lying to la w

en fo rcem en t o f

f i c ers

. The co ur t al so no te d co nc ern ab ou t Fu lk ’s be ha vi or at th e

Mu sc at in e Co un ty Ja il

, in cl ud in g th e le tt e r s th at co nt ai ne d a th reat ag ai ns t jail

em pl oyees an d fal se cl ai m s ab ou t th e jail

. Fu lk a l s o m ad e a fal se se xu al as sa ul t

accu sa ti on ag ai ns t a co rrec ti on al of fic er. Bas ed on th es e fact s, th e di st ric t co ur t co ul d

reas on ab ly qu es ti on whe th er Fu lk w o u l d ad he re to hi s reg is tra ti on req ui rem en ts

wit ho ut th e sp eci al tra ve l co nd it io n.

Fu lk co nt en ds th at th e sp eci al tra ve l co nd it io n in vo lv es a g reat er d ep riv at io n

of li be rty th an i s r e a s o na bl y ne ces sa ry be cau se th e sp eci al tra ve l co nd it io n is

red un da nt

. Unc ha ll en ge d, st an da rd co nd it io ns of hi s su pe rv is ed rel eas e in cl ud e

-5

-req ui rem en ts th at he pr ov id e no ti ce to th e pr ob at io n of fic e at le as t te n da y s be fo re a
ch an ge in res id en ce or em pl oym en t an d th at he can no t le av e th e So ut he rn Dis tri ct of

Io wa wit ho ut th e pe rm is si on of th e co ur t or pr ob at io n of fic e. W hi le th ere is po te nt ia l

ge og rap hi cal ov erl ap be twee n th es e st an da rd co nd it io n s an d th e sp eci al tra ve l

c o nd it io n, th e di st ric t co ur t ex pr es se d a sp eci fic ne ed to ha ve “ so m e co ns i s t e n t

lo ng ev it y in who is ke ep in g a n e y e o n h im .”

Fu rth er, Fu l k a r g u e s th e sp eci al tra ve l co nd it io n is ov erl y br oa d. “ A sp eci al

co nd it io n of su pe rv is ed rel eas e is on ly un co ns ti tu ti on al ly ov erb ro ad if its ov erb read th

is real an d su bs ta nt ia l in rel at io ns hi p to it s pl ai nl y le gi ti m at e swe ep .” Uni te d St at es

v. W es t, 82 9 F.3 d 10 13 , 1 02 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 16 ) (q uo ti ng Uni te d St at es v. Tho m ps on , 65 3 F.3 d 68 8, 69 5 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 )). Fu lk ci te s cas es th at di sc us s, at so m e le ng th

, th e
el e men t s o f o ve rly br oa d sp eci al co nd it io ns

. Bas ed on th e fact s at ha nd an d th e
di st ric t co ur t ’s r e as on in g, as de sc rib ed ab ov e, we do no t fin d th os e cas es to be

in co ns is te nt wit h th e sp eci al tra ve l co nd it io n in th is cas e. See ge ne ral ly Uni te d St at es

v. Dea th erag e, 68 2 F .3d 75 5, 7 64 (8t h C ir. 2 01 2)

.

Fi na ll y , we ex pe ct th e di st ric t co ur t wil l no t arb it rari ly r e f u s e a pp ro va l of

Fu lk ’s req ue st to tra ve l ou ts id e of th e st at e of Io wa whe n ap pr op ria te sa feg ua rd s are

av ai la bl e. As d is cu ss ed ab ov e, th e rec or d i nd ic at es th at th e di st ric t co ur t ba la nc ed

th e ne ed to en co ur ag e ad he ren ce t o t h e r e gi st ry req ui rem en ts wit h a po te nt ia l

de pr iv at io n of li be rty. The refo re, we fin d no ab us e of di sc ret io n by th e di st ric t co ur t

in im po si ng th e sp eci al tra ve l co nd it io n.

Acco rd in gl y , we affi rm

th e jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ct co ur t.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

-6

-