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

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No. 1 4- 10 48

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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 on Dod d J oh ns on

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

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Su bm it te d: Sep te m

be r 10 , 20 14 Fil ed : Dec em

be r 4, 2 01 4

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Befo re BYE, COLLOTON, an d GRUENDER, Ci rcu it Ju dg es

.

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GRUENDER, Circ ui t J ud ge

.

Bri on Dod d Jo hn so n ap pe al s th e GPS-m on it or in g co nd it io n of hi s su pe rv is ed
rel eas e. W e co nc lu de th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t ab us e it s di sc ret io n by im po si ng th is 1

co nd it io n, an d we t he refo re af fir m

.

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

.Jo hn so n pl ead ed gu il ty to po ss es si on an d at te m pt ed 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 A(a)(5 )(B) an d (b )(2 ). The di st ric t

co u rt se nt en ced hi m to 97 m on th s’ im pr is on m en t fo ll owe d by fif te en y ears of

su pe rv is ed rel eas e. The co ur t rev ok ed Jo hn so n’s su pe rv is ed rel eas e aft er h e

co m m it te d twen ty-on e vi ol at io ns of hi s rel eas e co nd it io ns , in cl ud in g fai lu re to

co m pl y wit h se x- of

fen de r tre at m en t, un au th or iz ed po ss es si on of a co m pu te r,
po ss es si on of po rn og rap hy, an d us e of il le ga l dr ug s. Fi nd in g th at Jo hn so n co m m it te d
th es e vi ol at io ns , th e co ur t se nt e n c e d hi m to a se co nd

, el ev en -m on th te rm of
im pr is on m en t fo ll owe d b y

ten y ears of s up erv is ed rel eas e.

The di st ric t co ur t rev ok ed Jo hn so n’s se co nd te rm of su pe r v i s ed rel eas e aft er h e c o mm it te d an ot he r fo ur te en vi ol at io ns , in cl ud in g as so ci at in g wit h so m eo n e in vo lv ed in cri m in al act iv it y , fa ili ng to an sw er his pa ro le of fic er tru th fu ll y , po ss es si ng dr ug pa rap he rn al ia , p os se ss in g po rn og rap hy, an d us in g ph o t o g r a ph ic eq ui pm en t to

pr od uc e po rn og rap hy. The co ur t t he n se nt en ced Jo hn so n to el ev en m on th s’
im pr is on m en t fo ll owe d by a th ird

, ei gh t-year te rm of su pe rv is ed rel eas e. In ad di ti on
to th e st an da rd su pe rv is ed -rel eas e co nd it io ns , th e di st ric t co ur t req ui red th at Jo hn so n be su bjec t to el ect ro ni c m on it or in g vi a a gl ob al -p os it io ni ng sa te ll i t e syste m (“ GPS

m on it or in g” ) an d th at Jo hn so n pa y th e co st s of th is m on it or in g as de te rm in ed by th e Uni te d St at es Pro ba ti on Offi ce. Jo hn so n as ke d th e co ur t to reco ns id er th e GPSm on it or in g c on di ti on . The co ur t d en ie d h is req ue st . Jo hn so n n ow ap pe al s.

“ [S]ent en ci ng jud ge s are affo rd ed ‘w i d e d i sc ret io n whe n im po si ng te rm s of

su pe rv is ed rel eas e.’” Uni te d St at es v. Sma r t , 4 7 2 F.3 d 55 6, 55 7 (8 th Ci r. 20 06 ) (q uo ti ng Uni te d St a t e s v. Beh le r , 18 7 F.3 d 77 2, 77 8 (8 th Ci r. 19 99 )). The di st ric t

co ur t ha s th e po wer to i mp o s e an y co nd it io n it co ns id ers to be ap pr op ria te , s o lo ng

as th e co nd it io n co m

pl ie s wit h th e li m it s se t ou t in 18 U.S.C. § 35 83 (d ), na m el y , th e

co nd it io n m

us t “ (1 ) [b e] reas on ab ly rel at ed to th e pe rti ne nt § 35 53 (a) se nt en ci ng fact or s, (2 ) in vo lv e[] no gr eat er de pr iv at io n of li be rty th an reas on ab ly ne ces sa ry fo r th e pu rp os es se t fo rth in § 35 53 (a), an d (3 ) [b e] co ns is te nt wit h an y pe rti ne nt po li cy

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-st at em en ts is su ed by th e Uni te d S t a t e s Sen te nc in g Co m m is si on .” Uni te d St at es v. Mef fo rd

, 71 1 F.3 d 92 3, 92 6 (8 th Ci r.), ce rt

. de ni ed

, 13 4 S. Ct

. 24 2 (2 01 3)

. “ W e

rev ie w a di st ric t co ur t’s im po si ti on of sp eci al co nd it io n s o f su pe rv is ed rel eas e fo r ab us e o f di sc ret io n.” Uni te d S ta te s v. Ho bb s , 71 0 F .3d 85 0, 8 52 (8t h C ir. 2 01 3)

.

Jo hn so n fir st arg ue s th at th e di st ric t co ur t ab us ed it s di s c r e t i o n be cau se th e Sen te nc in g Co m

m iss ion ’ s re co m

m en de d supe rv ise d- re le as e co ndi tio ns do not inc lu de
GPS m on it or in g. Howev er, th e di st ric t co ur t is no t li m it ed to th e reco m m en de d

co nd it io ns , and it ret ai ns wid e d is cret io n t o i m po se an y co nd it io n i t co ns id ers to be

ap pr op ria te so lo ng as th e co nd it io n co m p l i e s w i th th e li m it s se t ou t in
18 U.S.C. § 3 58 3( d)

. Se e Uni te d St at es v. Dur ha m , 6 18 F.3 d 92 1, 9 33 -3 4 (8 th Cir

. 2 0 1 0 ) (u ph ol di ng sp eci al co nd it io n of su pe rv is ed rel eas e req ui rin g de fen da n t

co n v i c te d of rece iv in g ch il d po rn og rap hy to “ su bm it to an y m ean s ut il iz ed by th e
pr ob at io n of

fic e to tra ck hi s whe reab ou ts or lo c a t i on at an y ti m e du rin g su pe rv is ed
rel eas e”).

Jo hn so n ne xt arg ue s th at th e co nd it io n do es no t co m pl y wit h § 35 83 (d ) be cau se th e § 35 53 fact or s do no t jus ti fy GPS m on it or in g. W e di sa gr ee. W he n Jo hn so n’s

at to rn ey as ke d th e co ur t to reco ns id er th e G P S co nd it io n, arg ui ng th at “ no ne of [J oh ns on ’s] vi ol at io ns pe rta in [ed ] to be in g so m ewh ere [h e was ] no t su pp os ed to be ,”
th e co ur t ex pl ai ne d th at th e co n di ti on aro se fro m a co nc ern fo r th e sa fet y of th e

co m m un it y —a v al id fact or pu rs ua nt to § 35 53 (a)( 2) (C). The co ur t th en refe rred to
Jo hn so n’s crim in al hi st or y —n am el y , hi s po ss es si on of ch il d po rn og rap hy—an d hi s
pa tt ern of vi ol at i n g h i s su pe rv is ed -rel eas e co nd it io ns , in cl ud in g by pr od uc in g

se xu al ly ex pl ic it im ag es in an un kn own lo cat io n. W e al so no te th at Jo hn so n ha d pr io r

co nv ic ti on s fo r se co nd -d eg ree m ur de r an d se co nd -d eg ree bu rg la ry

. The se fact s an d
th is co nc ern fo r co m

m un it y sa fet y di st in gu is h Jo hn so n’s cas e fro m th os e in whi ch we reject ed “ co nd it io ns of rel eas e

. . . i m po se d w i t h o u t an y ev id en ce of th ei r ne ed an d

. . . no t reas on ab ly rel at ed to de te rren ce, pr ot ect in g th e pu bl ic

, or pr ov id in g ne ces sa ry
tra in in g or co rrec ti on al tre at m en t.” Uni te d St at es v. Ca mp , 41 0 F.3 d 10 42
, 10 45 -4 6

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-(8 th Ci r. 20 05 ) (co ll ect in g cas es ); cf

. Uni te d St at es v. Bai rd

, 27 6 F. App ’x 69 1, 69 2 (9 th Ci r. 20 08 ) (v acat in g GPS co nd it io n an d rem an di ng be cau se reco rd di d no t pe rm it

m ean in gf ul rev i e w or de sc rib e na tu re of m on it or in g, th us pr ecl ud in g co ur t fro m d e t e r m in in g whe th er co nd it io n fu rth ered go al s of su pe rv is ed rel eas e). Giv e n J oh ns on ’s sp eci fic of

fen se hi st or y an d hi s reco rd of rep eat ed ly vi ol a t i n g h i s

su pe rv is ed -rel eas e co nd it io ns , we fin d n o a bu se of d is cret io n o n t hi s b as is

.

Thi rd

, Jo hn so n arg ue s th at , be cau se he al read y face s m ul ti pl e tra ve l, lo cat io n,

an d as so ci at io n co nd it io ns of su pe rv is ed rel eas e, GPS mo n i to rin g en ta il s a gr eat er de pr iv at io n of li be rty th an is reas on ab ly ne ces sa ry to fu rth er th e pu rp os es of § 35 53

. W e ag ai n di sa gr ee. Befo re im po si ng th e GPS-m on it or in g co nd it io n, th e di st ric t co ur t

no te d th at Jo hn so n was a se ria l vi ol at or of hi s su pe rv is ed -rel eas e co nd it io ns an d th at

m an y of hi s ne w vi ol at io ns were si m il ar to th os e he ha d pr ev io us ly co m m it te d. The

co ur t al so fo un d th at Jo hn so n fai le d to co m pl y wit h th e di rect iv es of an d be tru th fu l
wit h hi s pr ob at io n of

fic er. In li gh t of th is reco rd

, we fin d no ab us e of di sc ret io n be ca u s e t h e GPS-m on it or in g co nd it io n wil l al lo w th e pr ob at io n of fic er to ve rif

y Jo hn so n’s co m

pl ia nc e wit h h is lo cat io n a nd tra ve l re st ric ti on s d ur in g hi s t hi rd ter m of su pe rv is ed rel eas e. Se e Uni te d St at es v. Mil le r , 53 0 F. App ’x 33 5, 33 8 (5t h Cir.) (p er cu ria m ) (h ol di ng GPS-m on it or in g co nd it io n was no t a gr eat er de pr iv at io n of
li be rty th an reas on ab ly ne ces sa ry be cau se “ an y im pa irments of [th e de fen da nt ’s]

pr iv acy du e to th e GPS m on it or in g [were] ou twei gh ed by the co nd it io n’s ben efi ts ,”
whi ch in cl ud ed “ effe ct iv e ve rif ic at io n of co m

pl ia nc e wit h th e ot he r co nd it io ns of

su pe rv is ed rel eas e”), cer t. de ni ed

, 13 4 S. Ct

. 48 6 (2 01 3) ; cf

. Dur ha m , 61 8 F.3 d at 93 3 (u ph ol di ng tra ck i n g c o n di ti on be cau se , am on g ot he r reas on s, th e di st ric t co ur t
in di cat ed tra c k i n g w a s “ de si gn ed to as si st Dur ha m if he was te m pt ed to ha ve
pr ob le m s i n t he fut ur e”).

F in al ly, Jo hn so n arg ue s th at th e co ur t im pr op erl y de le ga te d au th or it y to th e
pr ob at io n of

fic e t o de te rm in e whe th er Jo hn so n co ul d pa y fo r hi s GPS m on it or in g.

“ Co nd it io ns de le ga ti ng li m it ed au th or it y to no n jud ic ia l of fic ia ls su ch as pr ob at io n

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fic ers are pe rm is si bl e so lo ng as th e de le ga ti ng jud ic ia l of fic er ret ai ns an d ex erci se s ul ti m at e res po ns ib il it y .” Dur ha m , 61 8 F.3 d at 93 3 (q uo ti ng Uni te d St at es v. Mic kel so n , 43 3 F.3 d 10 50
, 1 0 5 6 (8 th Ci r. 20 06 )). In de te rm in in g whe th er a de le ga ti on is pe rm is si bl e, we as k whet he r th e co ur t ab di cat ed it s ul ti m at e au th or it y

. Sma rt , 47 2 F.3 d at 56 0. W he n a co ur t ha s no t di sc la im ed ul ti m at e au th or it y , th ere is

“ an as su m

pt io n

. . . th at th e pr ob at io n o f f i c e r w i ll co ns ul t wit h th e co ur t ab ou t th e

m at te r or , at a m in im

um , th e co ur t wil l en te rta in a m ot io n fro m th e d e f en da nt fo r

reco ns id erat io n of th e pr ob at io n of fic er’s i ni ti al de ci si on .” Uni te d St at es v. W yn n , 55 3 F .3d 11 14 , 11 20 (8t h C ir. 2 00 9)

.

W e fin d th at th e di st ric t co ur t’s de le ga ti on was pr op er be cau se th e co ur t ga ve

no in di cat io n it was rel in qu is h i n g it s ul ti m at e au th or it y an d th e co nd it io n was fle xi bl e, al lo win g th e pr ob at io n of fic e to ad jus t th e am ou nt ba se d on Jo hn so n’s ab il it y
to pa y

. Se e Mic kel

so n , 43 3 F.3 d at 10 56 -5 7 (u ph ol di ng su pe rv is ed -rel eas e co nd it io n affo rd in g pr ob at io n of

fic e di sc ret io n t o t r ack de fen da nt ’s whe reab ou ts be cau se di st ric t cou rt gav e no in di cat io n i t was gi vi ng up ul ti m at e au th or it y an d con di ti on ’s
fle xi bl e na tu re al lo wed it to be ta il or ed to de fen da nt ’s ne ed s)

. Oth er ci rcu it s si m il arl y ha ve ap pr ov ed de le ga ti on s to th e pr ob at io n of fic er to de te rm in e th e ab il it y of th e de fen da nt to pa y fo r hi s or he r rel eas e-co nd it io n co st s. Se e Uni te d St at es v. So lt er o , 51 0 F.3 d 85 8, 86 4- 65 (9 th Ci r. 20 07 ) (p er cu ria m ) (h ol di ng th at di st ric t co ur t di d no t
ab us e it s di sc ret io n in de le ga ti ng to th e p ro ba ti on off ic er t he au th or it y

to de te rm in e whe th er de fen da nt co ul d pa y fo r tre at m en t req ui red as a co nd it io n of rel eas e); Uni te d
St a t e s v

. Wa r de n , 29 1 F.3 d 36 3, 36 5- 66 (5 th Ci r. 20 02 ) (s am e). W e th us reject
Jo hn so n’s ar gu m en t t ha t an im pe rm is si bl e d el eg at io n o ccu rred

.

Fo r th e fo reg oi ng reas on s, we ho ld th at th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t ab us e it s di sc ret io n i n i m

po si ng th e GPS-m on it or in g c on di ti on of s up erv is ed rel eas e.

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