# 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- 19 08

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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.

Nich ol as Jac ob Harp er

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 Weste rn Dis tri ct of Ark an sa s - F ay et te vi ll e

__ __ __ __ __ __

Su bm it te d: Jan ua ry

12 , 20 15
Fil ed : M ay

29 , 20 15 [Pu bl is he d]

__ __ __ __ __ __

Befo re LOKEN, MURPHY, and MELLOY, Circu it Ju dg es

.

__ __ __ __ __ __

PER CURI AM.

Pu rs ua nt to a co nd it io na l pl ea ag reem en t in whi ch he pr es erv e d h i s r i g ht to

ap pe al a su pp res si on is su e, Defen da nt Nich ol as Jac ob Harp er p le ad ed gu il ty to o ne

co un t of Rec ei pt of Im ag es of Ch il d Po rn og rap h y i n vi ol at io n of 18 U.S.C.
§§ 22 52 (a)( 2) an d (b )(1 ). He rece iv ed a se nt en ce o f 12 1 m on th s' i m pr is on m en t, 2 0y ears ' su pe rv is ed rel eas e, an d a $2 0,0 00 fin e. He no w ap pe al s th e su pp res si on is su e.

In ad di ti on , he a ss ert s a p la in -err or ch al le ng e to th e fi ne . W e aff irm.

I.

Offi cers ob ta in ed a warra nt to se arch a ho m e in Ark an sa s whe re an id en ti fia bl e

in te rn et co nn ect io n an d co m pu te r ha d be en us ed to rece iv e ch il d po rn og rap hy. Upo n

ex ecu ti ng th e warra nt

, of

fic ers di d no t di sc ov er th e co m pu te r be in g so ug ht

. Offi cers , ho wev er, di sc ov ered th at a wire le ss ne two rk fo r th e ho m e was un se cu re an d co ul d be

acce ss ed fro m

ne ig hb or in g h om es

.

W hi le on th e pr op ert y b e i n g se arch ed

, of fic ers ob se rv ed Harp er le av in g a

ne ig hb or in g ho m e in a pi ck -u p tru ck be ari ng Okl ah om a li cen se pl at es

. Offi cers kn ew

th e co m pu te r be in g so ug ht ha d be en us ed in th e vi ci ni ty o f O w a ss a, Okl ah om a, to

do wnl oa d i m ag es of ch il d po rn og rap hy. Offi cers ran th e pl at es an d di sc ov ered
Harp er h ad an ou ts ta nd in g war ran t fo r co nt em pt

.

Offi cers als o a pp ro ach ed th e h om e Harp er ha d ex it ed an d ta lk ed to a wom an

at th at ho m e. The wom an , Harp er's gi rlf rie nd

, st at ed sh e an d Harp er ha d rece nt ly

m ov ed to Ark an sa s fro m Owass a. Late r, Harp er ret ur ne d to th e ne ig hb or ho od bu t di d

no t ret ur n to th e st reet whe re th e of fic ers were co ng reg at ed

. Rat he r, he dr ov e up an d

do wn a n earb y

st reet

.

O f f i c e rs ev en tu al ly lo cat ed Harp er pa rk ed in a gr as sy area whe re th e y

ap pr oa ch ed hi m

. The pa rti es ge ne ral ly do no t di sp ut e wha t ha pp en ed ne xt —o ffi cers

arre st ed hi m , s earc he d hi s tru ck , a nd di sc ov ered a co m pu te r an d a th um

b d riv e in a

ba ck pa ck lo cat ed in a tru ck -b ed to ol bo x. Late r, at th e po li c e s t a t i o n , of fic ers ga ve Harp er a Mi ran da warn in g, an d he si gn ed a co ns en t fo rm to al lo w of fic ers to se arch 1

Mi ran da v. Ari zo na , 38 4 U.S. 4 36 (19 66 ). 1

-2

-th e co m

pu te r an d th um

b dr iv e. Harp er in it ia ll y de ni ed do wnl oa di ng im ag es of ch il d

po rn og rap hy, bu t aft e r of fic ers di sc ov ered im ag es , Harp er ad m it te d he ha d

do wnl oa de d t he im ag es

.

Harp er m ov ed to su pp res s th e m at eri al s fo un d in th e tru ck

. The pa rti es di sp ut e

whe th er an of

fic er, Dete ct iv e Mo ns on , as ke d fo r co ns en t be fo re se arch in g th e tru ck 's

cab or to ol bo x. The y al so di sp ut e whe th er Harp er pr ov id ed co ns en t to th es e se arch es

. In th is reg ard

, Dete ct iv e Mo ns on te st ifi ed at a su pp res si on he ari ng th at he a s k ed
Harp er fo r co ns en t be fo re se arch in g th e cab an d ag ai n be fo re se arch in g th e to ol bo x.

Dete ct iv e Mo ns on al so te st ifi ed th at Harp er ga ve co ns en t bo th ti m es an d th at he to ld
Harp er, bo th ti m es , th at Harp er was no t req ui red to co ns e n t

. Dete ct iv e Mo ns on

ex pl ai ne d th at he di d no t ob ta in writ te n co ns en t be cau se he ro de in an ot he r of fic er's

v eh ic le an d th eref

or e di d no t ha ve th e fo rm s he no rm al ly wo ul d ha ve carr ie d in hi s

own car.

Oth er of fic ers co ul d ne it he r co nf

irm no r de ny th at Dete ct iv e Mo ns on as ke d fo r

or ob ta in ed co ns en t. Dete ct iv e Mo ns on te st ifi ed th at at le as t on e of th e ot he r of fic ers

ha d be en st an di ng in cl os e pr ox im it y whe n he as ke d Harp er fo r co ns en t. Tha t of fic er,

h o w e v e r , co ul d no t reca ll whe th er Dete ct iv e Mo ns on as ke d fo r co ns en t. Harp e r

te st ifi ed th at he di d no t co ns en t to th e se arch es an d th at Dete ct iv e Mo ns on di d no t as k

fo r co ns en t.

A m ag is tra te jud ge is su ed a de ta il ed rep or t reco m m en di ng de ni al of th e 2

m ot io n, fin di ng Dete ct iv e Mo n s on cred ib le

, an d ho ld in g Harp er pr ov id ed co ns en t.
Harp er fil ed ob

jecti on s, an d th e di st ric t c o u r t i ss ue d an or de r ad dr es si ng th e 3

The Hon or ab le Erin L. Set se r, Uni te d St at es Mag is tra te Ju dg e fo r th e W es te rn 2

Dis tri ct of Ark an sa s.

The Hon or ab le Ji m

m La r r y H e n d ren , Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e 3

W es te rn Dis tri ct of Ark an sa s.

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-ob

jecti on s, ad op ti ng th e rep or t an d reco m m en da ti on , an d de nyin g the m ot io n. Harp er

th en en te red in to a co n d i ti on al pl ea ag reem en t an d pl ead ed gu il ty, pr es erv in g th e

su pp res si on is su e fo r ap pe al

.

At se nt en ci ng , th e di st ric t co ur t ga ve a do wnwar d va ria nc e fro m a gu id el in es 4

ran ge of 15 1– 18 0 m on th s' im pr is on m en t an d im

po se d a se nt en ce of 12 1 m on th s. The

co ur t al so im

po se d a su bs ta nt ia l te rm of su pe rv is ed rel eas e an d a $2 0,0 00 fin e. The

st at ut or y m ax im

um fo r th e fin e was $2 50 ,00 0, an d th e gu id el in es ran ge was $1 7,5 00 –$ 17 5,0 00

.

The co ur t ad dr es se d at le ng th co nc ern s wit h th e se nt en ci ng gu id el in es fo r ch il d

po rn og rap hy of

fen se s. In pa rti cu la r, th e co ur t d is cu ss ed wit h c ou ns el th e d iff ic ul ty

of de al in g wit h req ue st s fo r va ria nc es an d t h e a p p li cat io n of en ha nc em en ts whe n

m an y en ha nc em en ts in ch il d po rn og rap hy cas es ha ve be co m e th e no rm (h ig h nu m be r

of im ag es , us e of co m

pu te r, et c.) and whe n m an y de fen da nt s pres en t sim il ar factu al

ba ck gr ou nd s an d pe rs on al hi st or ie s. The co ur t ad dr es se d th e 18 U.S.C. § 35 53 (a)

fact or s in two way s— im pl ic it ly th ro ug h th es e ex te nd ed di sc us si on s an d ex pl ic it ly

whe n hi gh li gh ti ng th e fact or s. Fi na ll y , in fas hi on in g th e ov eral l sen te nc e, th e co ur t

di sc us se d th e ne ed t o u s e a l l of th e to ol s at it s di sp os al —i nc arce rat io n, su pe rv is ed

rel eas e, an d t he fin e—t o a rri ve at a n a pp ro pr ia te sen te nc e.

The co ur t di d no t ex pr es sl y di sc us s th e de ta il s of Harp er's ab il it y to pa y , bu t th e

co ur t ex pr es se d a cl ear an d co m pr eh en si ve un de rs ta nd in g of th e reco r d s ho win g

care fu l st ud y pr io r to se nt en ci ng —a di ffer en t jud ge ha d ha nd le d th e cas e th ro ug h th e

acce pt an ce of th e co nd it i o n a l p l e a

. As a pa rt of th e reco rd

, th e pr es en te nc e

in ve st ig at io n rep or t sh ows Harp er ha d few as se ts an d a ne ga ti ve ne t wor th

. The

rep or t st at es Harp er gr ad ua te d hi gh sc ho ol

, at te nd ed fo ur se m es te rs of co ll eg e, earn ed

The Hon or ab le Tim ot hy L. Bro ok s, Uni te d S t a t es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e 4

W es te rn Dis tri ct of Ark an sa s.

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-g o o d gr ad es , an d ob ta in ed a de gr ee in Elec tri cal Tech no lo gy. The rep or t al so

in di c at es Harp er cl ai m ed to ha ve "s pe ci al iz ed tra in in g an d sk il ls as an el ect ric al

te ch ni ci an in da ta co m

m un ic at io ns , in fib er op ti cs an d is CPR/ AED cert ifi ed

. Als o,

he rep or ts ha vi ng pr of

es si on al li cen se s in weld in g, fo rk li f t / a l l l ift s op erat io n an d

bo b c a t o p e r a ti on ." Fi na ll y , th e rep or t in di cat es he he ld em pl oym en t rel at ed to th e

fie ld of hi s ed uc at io n fro m 20 07 th ro ug h 20 12

, earn in g $1 6.5 0– $2 4 pe r ho ur ex cep t

fo r br ie f st in ts when he work ed lo wer p ay in g jo bs in ret ai l se tt in gs

. Harp er di d no t

ob ject t o t he se fact ua l as se rti on s.

W he n a dd res si ng th e fi ne , th e co ur t s ta te d:

The re's al so go in g to be a fai rly su bs ta nt ia l fin e im po se d, an d I'v e ta ke n in to co ns id erat io n th e fact t h a t yo u ' re go in g to be in pr is on fo r a lo ng

am ou nt of ti m e, y ou 're no t go in g to ha ve a who le lo t of in co m e co m in g in

. To th e Co ur t ' s kn owl ed ge ba se d on wha t th e Co ur t ha s rev ie wed

, y ou do n't ha ve a who le lo t of as se ts fro m whi ch to pa y a fin e. Bu t y ou 're

go in g to be or de red

—t o th e ex te nt y ou can 't pa y th e fin e im m ed ia te ly,

y ou 're go in g to be or de r e d t o m ak e a pa y m en t. And whi le y ou 're in

pr is on , y ou 're go in g to m ak e—you kn ow, if y ou ha ve a job in pr is on or

y ou in cu r earn in gs in pr is on , y ou 're go in g t o ha ve to pa y on th at fin e. And ev ery ti m e y ou se e th at fin e de du ct ed fro m y ou r earn in gs , an d whe n

y ou 're on a pe rio d o f su pe rv is ed rel eas e, co nt in ua l p ay m en ts are g oi ng

to be req ui red

. And ev ery m on th

, Mr. Harp er, whe n y ou m a k e a

pa y m en t on th at fin e, I wan t y ou to rem em be r th is da y in co ur t. I wan t

y ou to rem em

be r th e vi ct im iz at io n th at y ou ha ve cau se d to th e na m el es s vi ct im in th is cas e. 5

T he dis tr ic t co ur t al so refe ren ced a pa y m en t pl an , reco gn iz in g Harp er's pr es en t 5

in ab il it y to pa y th e fi ne in ful l:

Any un pa id fin an ci al p e na lt y sh al l be pa y ab le du rin g th e pe rio d of
im pr is on m en t in qu art erl y i n s t a l l m en ts of $2 5 or 10 pe rcen t of th e de fen da nt 's q u a r t e r l y earn in gs , whi ch ev er is gr eat er. The pa y m en t of

an y rem ai ni ng ba la nc e sh al l be a co nd it i o n o f s up erv is ed rel eas e an d

-5

-W he n th e co ur t an no un ced th e fin e of $2 0,0 00 as a pa rt of th e ov eral l se nt en ce,

Harp er's co un se l di d no t ob ject. Harp er no w ap pe al s th e su pp res si on is su e an d rai se s

a p la in -err or ch al le ng e to th e fi ne

.

II.

A. Sup pr es si on Mo ti on

W e rev ie w th e co ns ti tu ti on al it y of a se arch or se iz ur e d e no vo bu t th e

un de rlyin g fact ua l de te rm in at io ns on ly fo r c l ear erro r. Uni te d St at es v. Crai g, 63 0

F.3 d 71 7, 72 1 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ); Uni te d St at es v. Alm ei da -Per ez, 54 9 F.3 d 11 62

, 11 70
(8 th Ci r. 20 08 ) ("I n th e ap pe al fro m a su pp res si o n r u l in g, we rev ie w f or cl ear erro r

th e qu es ti on s of hi st or ic al fact

, su ch as who sa id wha t." ). Cred ib il it y as se ss m en ts are

"t he pr ov in ce of th e tri al co ur t." Uni te d St at es v. Heat h, 58 F.3 d 12 71

, 12 75 (8 th Ci r.

19 95 ). As su ch

, th e "d eci si on to cred it a wit ne ss 's te st im on y ov er th at of an ot he r can

al m os t ne ve r be a c l e a r erro r un le ss th ere is ex tri ns ic ev id en ce th at co nt rad ic ts th e

wit ne ss 's st or y or th e st or y is so in te rn al ly in co ns is te nt or im pl au si bl e on it s face th at

a rea so na bl e fac t-f

in de r wou ld no t cr ed it it ." Id

.

Harp er at te m

pt s to at ta ck th e di st ric t co ur t's de te rm in at io n un de r th is ex act in g

st an da rd

. He id en ti fie s se ve ral po in ts th at arg ua bl y de tra ct fro m Dete ct iv e Mo ns on 's

cred ib il it y

. Fi rs t, Harp er no te s th at no of fic ers co ul d co rro bo rat e Dete ct iv e Mo ns on 's

cl ai m th at he as ke d fo r an d ob ta in ed co ns en t fro m Harp er. Harp er al so no te s th at on e

of th e of fic ers who co ul d no t co rr o b o r at e Dete ct iv e Mo ns on 's cl ai m ha d be en

st an di ng b y Dete ct iv e Mo ns on an d, ne ces sa ril y , wou ld ha ve he ard an y req ue st fo r

m ay be p ai d in m on th ly in st al lm en ts of $2 00 or 10 pe rcen t of th e de fen da nt 's ne t m on th ly h ou se ho ld in c o me, whi ch ev er is gr eat er, wit h
th e en ti re ba la nc e of th e fin e to be pa id i n f u l l o n e m on th —o r no la te r th an on e m on th pri or to th e en d o f th e p eri od of s up erv is ed rel eas e.

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-co ns en t. Fi na ll y , Harp er no te s th at

, ev en if Dete ct iv e Mo ns on arri ve d at th e sc en e in

a di ffer en t of

fic er's car, th e la ck of fo rm s di d no t pr ecl ud e Dete ct iv e M o n s o n fro m

ob ta in in g o r m em or ia li zi ng co ns en t o n a ny avai la bl e p ap er.

Harp er is co rrec t to th e ex te nt he arg ue s an y or al l of th es e fact or s m ig ht ha ve gi ve n th e di st ric t co ur t reas on to be li ev e Harp er rat he r th an Dete ct iv e Mo ns on

. Non e

of th em , ho wev er, crea te th e in te rn al in c o n s i st en cy or im pl au si bi li ty ne ces sa ry to

co m pe l th e co nc lu si on th at D e t e ct iv e Mo ns on was no n- cred ib le

. Fu rth er, Harp er's

arg um en ts ne ces sa ril y as k us to ov erl oo k th e co un te rv ai li ng co ns id erat io ns th at : hi s

own cl ai m s al so are un co rro bo rat ed ; hi s c l a im s are se lf- se rv in g; an d Dete ct iv e

Mo ns on hi m se lf was th e on e who te st ifi ed th at th e ot he r of fic er was st an di ng by hi m

whe n he a s ke d Harp er fo r co ns en t— an un li ke ly cl ai m un le ss Dete ct iv e Mo ns on

act ua ll y be li ev ed th e ot he r of fic er he ard hi m ob ta in co ns en t (o r un le ss Dete ct iv e

Mo ns on an d th e ot he r of

fic er were no t on ly bo th no n- cred ib le bu t act ua ll y co ns pi rin g

to co nc eal a la ck of c on se nt ).

In th e en d, th e di st ric t co ur t co ul d ha ve ch os en to be li ev e ei th er m an , an d aft er

watc hi ng th e m en te st ify an d li st en i n g to th e ot he r of fic ers ' te st im on y , th e co ur t

be li ev ed Dete ct iv e Mo ns on

. W e ha ve rev ie we d t he su pp res si on he ari ng tra ns cri pt

an d wil l no t di st ur

b th is fin di ng

. Co ns en t is a va li d e x c e p t i o n to th e warra nt

req ui rem en t, an d an of

fic er's cred ib le rep or t of ve rb al co ns en t can su ffi ce to m eet th e

go ve rn m en t's bu rd en of es ta bl is hi ng co ns en t. See Uni te d St at es v. Dup ree, 20 2 F.3 d

10 4 6

, 10 49 (8 th Ci r. 20 00 ) (fi nd in g co ns en t ba se d on of fic er te st im on y de sp it e

co nt rad ic ti ng de fen da nt tes ti m on y ).

B. Fin e

Harp er co nc ed es we rev ie w m erel y fo r pl ai n erro r th e fin e im po se d as a pa rt of

hi s se nt en ce. Harp er arg ue s he do es no t, an d wil l no t, ha ve th e ab il it y to pa y th e fin e.

He al so arg ue s th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t ad dr es s hi s ab il it y to pa y th e fin e or ot he rwis e

-7

-d i s c u s s t he ap pl ic ab le fact or s li st ed in 18 U.S.C. § 35 72 (a), U.S. Sen te nc in g

Gui de li ne s M an ua l § 5E1 .2, o r U.S.S.G § 5 E1.2 cm t. n .3.

Harp er ov ers ta te s th e di st ric t co ur t's bu rd en to ex pl ai n it se lf whe n im po si ng a

ne ar -t he -b ot to m -o f-t he -Gu id el in es fin e. Fi rs t, al th ou gh Harp er's st at us as a convi ct ed

fel on an d se x of

fen de r wil l im

pe de hi s ab il it y to earn , he po ss es se s tra in in g an d sk il ls

th at ha ve al lo wed hi m to se cu re m ean in gf ul emp l o ym e n t i n th e pa st

. Seco nd

, th e

co ur t in th is in st an ce de m on st rat ed fam il ia rit y wit h th e reco rd an d no te d Harp er's la ck

of as se ts an d li m it ed ab il it y to earn whi le in carc erat ed

. Thi rd

, th e co ur t s u p p l i e d

pa y m en t req ui rem en ts fo r th e te rm s of in carc erat i o n a n d su pe rv is ed rel eas e. And

fo ur th

, th e co ur t ex pl ai ne d th e ro le of th e fin e as a pa rt of th e ov eral l se nt en ce— a

se nt en ce wh ic h i nc lu de d a su bs ta nt ia l d own ward va ria nc e.

Aga in st th is ba ck dr op , we no te th at th e rel ev an t Gui de li ne pr ov id es th e "co ur t

sh al l im po se a fin e in al l cas es , ex cep t whe re th e d e f e n d an t es ta bl is he s th at he is

un ab le to pa y an d is no t li ke ly to be co m e ab le to pa y an y fin e." U.S.S.G. § 5E1 .2(a ).

In ot he r wor ds , Ha rp er bo re th e bu rd en of pr ov in g h is in ab il it y to pa y a fin e wit hi n

th e Gui de li ne s ran ge

. Uni te d St at es v. Co rn el is on , 71 7 F.3 d 62 3, 63 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 13 ).

He di d n ot do so

.

In an y ev en t, t o s ho w p la in erro r, Harp er m us t "s ho w a n erro r th at is cl ear or

ob vi ou s un de r cu rren t la w, an d he m us t de m on st rat e th at th e erro r a f f ect ed hi s

su bs ta nt ia l rig ht s an d se r i o u s l y affe ct ed th e fai rn es s, in te gr it y , or rep ut at io n of th e jud ic ia l pr oc eed in gs ." Uni te d St at es v. Hin ke ld ey , 62 6 F.3 d 1 01 0, 10 12 (8 th Ci r.

20 10 ) (d es cri bi ng Uni te d St at es v. Olan o, 50 7 U.S. 72 5, 73 2– 34 (1 99 3) ). Eve n if we

be li ev ed th e fin e or th e co ur t's rel at iv el y sh or t di sc us si on of th e fact or s su pp or ti ng th e

fin e am ou nt ed to a cl ear o r ob vi ou s er ro r, rel ie f wou ld rem ai n u na va il ab le

.

-8

-Not hi ng ab ou t th e fin e vi ewed ag ai ns t th is reco rd affe ct s th e in te gr it y or pu bl ic

rep ut at io n of jud ic ia l p r o c e e d i ng s or ot he rwis e su gg es ts a la ck of fai rn es s. See

Co rn el is on , 71 7 F .3d at 6 30 (reject in g a pl ai n- erro r ch al le ng e to a fi ne ).

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

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

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