FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC U IT SEPTEMBER 26, 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- 10564 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D. C . Do c k e tNo . 0 5 - 0 0 2 9 3 - C R - T - 2 3 - T GW 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 D O N Y E L L E C H I L D S , 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 orthe M i ddl e D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( S e p t e m b e r 26, 2006) B efo re B IR C H , B L A C K an d B A R K E T T , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: D ony e l l e C hi l ds appe a l s hi s 262- m onth s e nt e nc e f orpos s e s s i on w i th i nt e ntOn a tablenext t o Childs, officers f ound 32 grams of crack cocaine cut into small block 1 piece s, half of a

crack coc aine “ cookie”weighing 36 grams, razor blades, $1000 in cash, a nd a boxcontainingan additional “c ookie” we ighing54 grams. In the kitchen, the of ficers found a drugscale , marijuana , a sauc e pot with cocaine re sidue, plastic bag s, a .32 caliber handgun, four roundsof ammunition , a

nd an additi on al thre egra

ms o f c oc ainepo wder. In Child s’ s b e droo m, the offic ers f

ound a Rug er .223 rifle loade d with a full ammunition magazine holding 30 rounds of .223 ammunition. 2 t o di s tr i but e f

i f tygr a m s orm or e of

c oc a i ne ba s e a nd f

orbe i ng af

e l on i n pos s e s s i on o f af i r e a rm, i n v i o l a t i o n o f

2 1 U . S. C. §§ 841( a ) ( 1) a nd ( b) ( 1) ( A ) ( i i i ) , a nd 18 U . S . C . § 9 2 2 ( g ) ( 1 ) . We A F F I R M. I . B AC KG RO UN D B a s e d on i nt e l l i ge nc e r e ga r di ng a n ongoi ng na r c ot i c s di s tr i but i on i nv es t i gat i on , the S heri ff’ s O ff i ce of P i nel l as C ou nty, F l ori da, exec ut ed a s ea rc h w a rr a nta tC hi l ds ’ s apa r tm e nton 22 J une 2005. T he of f i c e r s s e i z e d 122 gr a m s of c r a c k c oc a i ne a nd thr e e gr a m s of c oc a i ne pow de ra s w e l l a s tw o f i r e a rm s , a l l of w h i ch C h i l d s ad m i tt ed w ere h i s. C h i l d s p l ed g u i l ty. 1 B e c aus e C hi l ds w a s a tl e a s te i ght e e n y e a r s of a ge w he n he c om m i tt e d the c r i m e s , o n e o f

wh i c h wa s ac o n tr o l l e d - s u b s t a n c e o f f e n s e , a n d h e h a d a tl e a s ttwo pri or fe l on y c on vi ct i on s f or control l ed subst ance offe nses , the prob at i on offi ce r d e t e rm i n e d th a tC h i l d s wa s a“ c a r e e ro f f e n d e r ” a s d e f

i n e d b y U. S . S . G. § 4 B 1. 1(N ov . 20 05 ). B as ed on thi s det erm i nat i on , the prob at i on offi ce r pl ac ed C hi l ds’ s t ot al offe nse l evel at37 , the l evel for c ar ee r off enders conv i ct ed of anTh ereis a statutor y minimum of

ten ye arsand

a maximumof

lif efo r p os se ssi on

with 2 intent to distribute fifty

grams or moreof coc aine ba se. 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1) (A). 3 offe nse f or w hi ch the m axi m um penal ty i s l i fe i m pri sonm ent . T he offi ce r 2 de duc t e d thr e e poi nt s a s a n a dj us tm e ntf ora c c e pt a nc e of

r e s pons i bi l i ty a nd f

or assi st i n g au th o ri t i es b y p ro v i d i n g t i m el y n o t i fi cat i o n o f i n t en tt o p l ead g u i l ty, re sul t i ng i n the fi nal offe nse l evel det erm i nat i on of 34 . B ec ause C hi l ds w as c la s s if ie d a s ac a r e e ro f

f e n d e r , h is c r im in a l h is to ry c a te g o ry w a s p la c e d a t V I . B a s e d on a n of

f e ns e l e ve l of

34 a nd ac r i m i na l hi s t ory c a t e gory of V I , the S e nt e nc i ng G ui de l i ne s r a nge f orC hi l ds ’ s c r i m e s w a s 262- 327 m onths of i m p r i s o n m e n t . U. S . S . G. C h . 5 , P t . A. A tthe s e nt e nc i ng he a r i ng, the di s tr i c tj udge c ons i de r e d C hi l ds ’ s obj e c t i ons t o the P r e s e nt e nc e I nve s t i ga t i on R e por t( “ P S I ” ) . C hi l ds ' s a tt orne y a r gue d tha tthe c a l c ul a t i ons m a de by the pr oba t i on of f i c e rw e r e ba s e d on a n “ ove r - r e pr e s e nt a t i on” o f C h il d s’s c rim in al h isto ry . R 3 at 7 . T h e ju d g e listen ed to d ef en se co u n se l’ s a r g u m e n ts ab o u t p a s t c o n v ic tio n s in v o lv in g th e s a le o f “f a k e ,” r a th e rth a n a c tu a l, d ru g s, an d ab o u tC h i l d s’ s tro u b l ed p ast . Id . at8 -1 0 . O v erru l i n g th ese o b j ect i o n s, the j ud ge concl ud ed thatthe prob at i on offi ce r’ s e val uat i on i n the P S I w as

“ un qu es t i on abl y c orre ct l y s core d” and, further, that“ the consi dera t i on s thattri gg er tha tpol i c y a r e c l e a r l y pr e s e nt . ” I d. a t11. T h e d istrict j u d g e a lso h ea rd testim o n y f ro m se v er al m em b er s o f C h il d s’s4

f a m ily , a s w e ll a s h is g ir lf r ie n d , r e g a r d in g C h ild s ’s d if f ic u lt u p b r in g in g , h is s truggl e w i th c r i m i na l a c t i vi t i e s , hi s r e l i gi ous f a i th, a nd hi s good c ha r a c t e r . C hi l ds te s tif ie d r e g a r d in g h is r e m o r s e , h is a c c e p ta n c e o f r e s p o n s ib ility , a n d h is d if f ic u lt c hi l dhood. T he gove rnm e ntde c l i ne d t o of f e ra ddi t i ona l e vi de nc e i n a ggr a va t i on or m i t i gat i on of the offens e. C hi l ds' s a tt orney a sked for the st atut ory m andat ory m i ni m um se nt ence of t en y e a r s . T he j udge a c know l e dge d the “ i m pr e s s i ve gr oup of pe opl e ” w ho s poke on C hi l ds’ s behal f and the “ di ff i cul ty” pres ent ed by C hi l ds’ s c as e. Id. at32 . A ft er n o t i n g th e “ g reatth reat ” o f C h i l d s’ s act i v i t i es, th e seri o u sn ess o f C h i l d s’ s o ffen ses, C hi l ds ’ s m a tur e a ge , a nd C hi l ds ’ s pa s tof “ s y s t e m a t i c a l l y vi ol a t i ng the l a w , a nd s pr e a di ng s ubs t a nc e s w i de l y r e ga r de d a s poi s on i n the c om m uni ty , ” i d. a t33, the j udge s e nt e nc e d C hi l ds t o 262 m onths a s t o C ount1, a nd 120 m onths a s t o C ount 2, t o run c onc urr e nt l y , i d. a t35, a nd not e d tha tthi s s e nt e nc e s a t i s f i e d the r e qui r e m e nt s of

18 U . S . C . 3553( a ) , i d. a t37. C hi l ds a r gue s on appe a l tha thi s s e nt e nc e i s unr e a s onabl e be c aus e of m i t i ga t i ng c i r c um s t a nc e s r e l a t i ng t o hi s pr i orc onvi c t i ons . S pe c i f i c a l l y , C hi l ds c ont e nds tha thi s c l a s s i f i c a t i on a s ac a r e e rof

f e nde rw a s i nappr opr i a t e , s i nc e one of hi s pri or conv i ct i on s had been for sa l e of acoun t er fe i tsubst ance , w hen h e w as onl y e i ght e e n y e a r s ol d. M or e ove r , C hi l ds a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tj udge ga ve5

i na de qua t e c ons i de r a t i on t o hi s good c ha r a c t e ra nd di f f i c ul tupbr i ngi ng. I I . DI S CUS S I ON

“ I n r e vi e w i ng the ul t i m a t e s e nt e nc e i m pos e d by the di s tr i c tc our tf or r e a s onabl e ne s s , w e c ons i de rthe f i na l s e nt e nc e , i n i t s e nt i r e ty , i n l i ghtof the § 3553( a ) f

a c t or s . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. M a r t i n, 455 F . 3d 1227, 1237 ( 11th C i r . 2006) (c i t at i on s and al t er at i on om i tt ed). T he § 3 55 3(a) fa ct ors i ncl ud e: 1) the na tur e a nd c i r c um s t a nc e s of the of f e ns e a nd the hi s t ory a nd ch aract eri st i cs o f th e d efen d an t ; (2 ) th e n eed t o refl ectth e seri o u sn ess o f th e o ffen se, t o p ro m o t e resp ectfo r th e l aw , an d t o p ro v i d e j u st p u n is h m e n t f

o rth e o f f e n s e ; ( 3 ) th e n e e d f

o rd e te rr e n c e ; ( 4 ) th e n e e d to prot ec tthe pu bl i c; (5) the need t o p rovi de the defendantw i th n ee ded e duc a t i ona l orvoc a t i ona l tr a i ni ng orm e di c a l c a r e ; ( 6) the ki nds of s e nt e nc e s a va i l abl e ; ( 7) the S e nt e nc i ng G ui de l i ne s r a nge ; ( 8) pe r t i ne nt p o lic y s ta te m e n ts o f

th e S e n te n c in g C o m m is s io n ; ( 9 ) th e n e e d to a voi d unw a nt e d s e nt e nc i ng di s pa r i t i e s ; a nd ( 10) the ne e d t o pr ovi de rest i tu t i o n t o v i ct i m s. U ni t e d S t a t e s v. T a l l e y , 431 F . 3d 784, 786 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( pe rc ur i a m ) ; s e e 18 U .S .C . § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) . W e ha ve he l d tha tadi s tr i c tj udge ne e d nots t a t e on the r e c or d tha the ors he ex p l i ci t l y h as co n si d ered each fact o r o r d i scu ss th e fact o rs i n d i v i d u al l y. T al l ey, 43 1 F . 3d at78 4. A n ackno w l edgm entby a di stri ctj ud ge thathe or she has consi dere d the defendant ’ s argum ent s and the § 3 55 3(a) fa ct ors w i l l suff i ce . Id. In r e vi e w i ng as e nt e nc e f

orr e a s onabl e ne s s , “ ' w e m us tbe m i ndf ul of the f a c t or s t o be c ons i de r e d i n i m pos i ng as e nt e nc e , a s s e tf or th i n [ 18 U . S . C . § 3553( a ) ] , a nd6

eval uat e these i n l i gh tof the re as on s f or the i m po si t i on of the part i cul arse nt ence as s ta te d b y th e d is tr ic t c o u r t'”; w e f u r th e rc o n s id e rth e d is tr ic t ju d g e ’s s ta te m e n ts ove rthe e nt i r e s e nt e nc i ng he a r i ng. U ni t e d S t a t e s v. W i l l i a m s , 435 F . 3d 1350, 1355 (11th C i r. 20 06 ) ( per c uri am ) ( ci t at i on om i tt ed) ( al t er at i on i n o ri gi nal ). T he bu rden of prov i ng thatthe se nt ence i s unrea sonabl e i n v i ew of the re cord and the § 3 55 3(a) f a c to r s is o n th e c h a lle n g e r . T a lle y , 4 3 1 F .3 d a t 7 8 8 . A l though as e nt e nc e w i thi n the S e nt e nc i ng G ui de l i ne s r a nge w i l l notbe c ons i de r e d pe rs e r e a s onabl e , the G ui de l i ne s r e m a i n c e ntr a l t o the s e nt e nc i ng pr oc e s s . I d. a t787. “ [ O ] r di na r i l y w e w oul d e xpe c tas e nt e nc e w i thi n the G ui de l i ne s r a nge t o be r e a s onabl e . ” I d. a t788. W e pr e vi ous l y ha ve r e j e c t e d a de f e nda nt ’ s a r gum e nttha tal ow - e nd s e nt e nc e w a s unr e a s onabl e ba s e d on the de f e nda nt ’ s a s s e r t i on “ tha tthe di s tr i c tc our tha d f a i l e d t o pl a c e s uf

f i c i e ntw e i ghton hi s pe r s ona l c ha r a c t e r i s t i c s a nd hi s t ory . ” U ni t e d S t a t e s v. S c ott , 426 F . 3d 1324, 13 30 (11th C i r. 20 05 ). I n T a l l e y , w e r e j e c t e d ar e a s onabl e ne s s c ha l l e nge w he r e the di stri ctj ud ge had con si dere d the defendant ’ s argum ent s i n m i t i gat i on and then s e nt e nc e d the de f

e nda nta tthe l ow e nd of the G ui de l i ne s r a nge . 431 F . 3d a t788. A tthe s e nt e nc i ng he a r i ng, the di s tr i c tj udge c ons i de r e d C hi l ds ’ s obj e c t i ons t o the P S I butc onc l ude d tha tthe pr oba t i on of f i c e r ’ s e va l ua t i on w a s c orr e c ta nd th a t “th e c o n s id e r a tio n s th a t tr ig g e rth a t p o lic y a r e c le a r ly p r e s e n t.” R 3 a t 1 1 .7

B ec ause the di stri ctj ud ge consi dere d C hi l ds’ s argum ent s i n l i gh tof the fa ct ors out l i ne d i n § 3553( a ) a nd i m pos e d as e nt e nc e a tthe l ow e nd of the S e nt e nc i ng G u id e lin e s r e c o m m e n d a tio n f o rC h ild s ’s c r im e s , it d id n o t im p o s e a n u n r e a s o n ab le s e n te n c e . B e f

o r e is s u in g th e s e n te n c e , th e d is tr ic t ju d g e s o lic ite d e v id e n c e in m i t i ga t i on of

the s e nt e nc e a nd c ons i de r e d the t e s t i m ony of s e ve r a l w i tne s s e s , w ho t es t i fi ed as t o C hi l ds’ s goo d charac t er , di ff i cul tup bri ng i ng , strugg l e w i th cri m i nal ac ti v it ies, an d re li g io u s f aith . A d d it io n ally, th e ju d g e c o n sid er ed C h il d s’s t e s t i m ony r e ga r di ng hi s r e m or s e , hi s a c c e pt a nc e of r e s pons i bi l i ty , a nd hi s r e l i gi ous f a i th. A f t e rthi s t e s t i m ony , C hi l ds ’ s a tt orne y a s ke d the j udge t o i m pos e the t e ny e a rm a n d a to ry m in im u m s e n te n c e . T he j udge r e

j e c t e d de f

e ns e c ouns e l ' s r e que s ttha tC hi l ds be s e nt e nc e d t o the s t a tut ory m i ni m um of

t e n y e a r s a nd de c i de d i ns t e a d t o i m pos e as e nt e nc e of 262 m onths i n pr i s on, as e nt e nc e a tthe l ow e nd of the G ui de l i ne s r a nge . T he j udge no t ed thatthi s s ent ence w as bei ng m ade “ pu rs uantt o the S ent enci ng R ef orm A ct o f 1 9 8 4 , a n d t o th e e x t e n ti ti s ap p l i c ab l e a f t e rU n i t e d St a t e s v s . Bo o k e r [ , 5 4 3 U . S. 2 2 0 , 1 2 5 S .C t. 7 3 8 ( 2 0 0 5 ) ] a n d p u r s u a n t to 1 8 U .S .C . 3 5 5 3 .” R 3 a t 3 5 . E xpl a i ni ng hi s r e a s oni ng f orthe s e nt e nc e , the di s tr i c tj udge f ound tha tC hi l ds ha d a hi s t ory of

vi ol a t i ng the l a w , pa r t i c ul a r l y , di s tr i but i ng c ontr ol l e d s ubs t a nc e s . T he j udge f ur the rnot e d C hi l ds ’ s m a tur e a ge a nd obs e rve d tha tC hi l ds w a s “ ge tt i ng on8

t ow a r d 30. ” I d. a t33. T he j udge r e c ogni z e d tha tC hi l ds ’ s a c t i vi t i e s ha d be e n a

“ grea tthrea t. . . t o the com m un i ty” and thathi s w as a “ se ri ou s off ense , ” w hi ch re q u ired a “se rio u s p en alty.” Id . at 3 4 . T h e ju d g e w as sa ti sf ied th at C h il d s’s s e nt e nc e c om pl i e d w i th the r e qui r e m e nt s of § 3553( a ) . I d. a t37. B a s e d o n th is r e c o r d , C h ild s h a s n o t m e t h is b u r d e n o f s h o w in g th a t h is se n ten ce w as u n re as o n ab le. T h e d istrict j u d g e c o n sid er ed all o f d ef en se co u n se l’ s ar gu m ent s and spec i fi ca l l y f ou nd thatthe se nt ence i m po se d w as i n com pl i ance w i th § 3553( a ) . T he di s tr i c tj udge ’ s f i ndi ngs r e l a t e d t o the c onc e rns of § 3553( a ) w i th “ the na tur e a nd c i r c um s t anc e s of the of f e ns e a nd the hi s t ory a nd c h a r a c te r is tic s o f

th e d e f e n d a n t,” “th e s e r io u s n e s s o f th e o f f e n s e ,” th e n e e d “to prot ec tthe pu bl i c, ” a nd the G ui del i nes “ se nt enci ng rang e. ” 18 U . S . C . § 3 55 3(a) . A cc ordi ng l y, C hi l ds' s s ent ence w as re as on abl e. I I I . CONCL US I ON A f t e rpl e a di ng gui l ty t o c r i m e s i nvol vi ng pos s e s s i on a nd di s tr i but i on of coca i ne base and p osse ss i on of fi re arm s by aconv i ct ed fe l on , C hi l ds chal l enged th e r e a s o n ab le n e s s o f

h is s e n te n c e o n ap p e a l. A s w e h a v e e x p la in e d , C h ild s 's se nt ence w as re as on abl e. AF F I RME D.