FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT M ar c h 24, 2008 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ 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. 07- 13341 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D. C . Do c k e tNo . 0 7 - 0 0 0 4 1 - C R - 3 - L AC 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 T O D D R A N D A L M A U P I N , 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 N or the rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( M ar c h 24, 2008) B efo re A N D E R S O N , B L A C K an d H U L L , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

T od d M aupi n app ea l s hi s 240 -m on th and 48 0-m on th sent ence s i m po se d f ol l ow i ng hi s gui l ty pl e at o tw o c hi l d pornogr aphy c ount s , both i n vi ol a t i on of 18 U . S . C . § 2 25 2A . M aupi n ass ert s the di stri ctcourterre d i n enh anci ng hi s s ent ence s ba s e d on i t s de t e rm i na t i on tha ta1991 n o lo co n ten dere pl e aw i th a dj udi c a t i on w i thhe l d t o F l or i dac hi l d pornogr aphy c ha r ge s w a s apr i orc onvi c t i on w a rr a nt i ng a s e nt e nc i ng e nha nc e m e ntunde r18 U . S . C . § 2252A ( b) ( 1) a nd ( b) ( 2) . W e c onc l ude th e d i s tr i c tc o u r td i d n o te rri n e n h a n c i n g M a u p i n ’ s s e n t e n c e s , a n d a f f i rm. I . B AC KG R OU ND M aupi n w as char ged w i th k no w i ng l y posse ss i ng m at er i al cont ai ni ng i m ages of chi l d p orno graphy i n v i ol at i on of 18 U . S . C . § 2 25 2A (a )( 5)(B ), (b)( 2) (C ou ntI) , a n d k n o w in g ly a n d in te n tio n a lly r e c e iv in g a n d a tte m p tin g to r e c e iv e c h ild pornogr aphy m a t e r i a l s s hi ppe d a nd tr a ns por t e d thr ough i nt e r s t a t e a nd f or e i gn com m er ce by com pu t ervi a the Int erneti n v i ol at i on of 18 U . S . C . § 2 25 2A (a )( 2)(B ), (b)( 1) (C ou ntII ). M a u p in p le d g u ilty to b o th c o u n ts . T he G ove rnm e ntf

i l e d anot i c e of

s e nt e nc i ng e nha nc e m e nt . I n the not i c e , the G o v e rn m e n t s ta te d M a u p in w a s c o n v ic te d in 1 9 9 1 o f p o s s e s s io n o f

c h ild pornogr aphy , i n vi ol a t i on of S e c t i on 847. 012 of

the F l or i daS t a tut e s . T he G o v e rn m e n t n o te d th e s ta te c o u r t w ith h e ld a d ju d ic a tio n a n d s e n te n c e d M a u p in to fi ve ye ar s’ prob at i on . B as ed on thi s pre vi ou s c on vi ct i on , the G ov ernm enti nt ended3

t o s e e k e nha nc e m e ntof hi s s e nt e nc e pur s ua ntt o 18 U . S . C . § 2252A ( b) ( 1) a nd ( b ) ( 2 ) . T h e p r o b a tio n o f

f ic e p r e p a r e d ap r e s e n te n c e in v e s tig a tio n r e p o r t ( P S I ) . A ft ergrou pi ng the coun t s pursuantt o U . S . S . G . § 3 D 1. 2(d), the prob at i on offi ce a s s ig n e d M a u p in ab a s e o f f e n s e le v e l o f

2 2 p u r s u a n t to U .S .S .G . § 2 G 2 .2 . B ecau se th e o f f e n s e in v o lv e d c h ild r e n u n d e r1 2 y e a r s o f a g e , s a d is tic a n d m a s o c h is tic cond uct , use of c om pu t er , and m ore than 6 00 i m ages , the offens e l evel w as i nc r e a s e d 13 l e ve l s unde rU . S . S . G . § 2G 2. 2( b) t o y i e l d a n a dj us t e d of f e ns e l e ve l of 35. T he of

f e ns e l e ve l w a s the n de c r e a s e d by 3 l e ve l s f ora c c e pt a nc e of r e s p o n s ib ility p u r s u a n t to U .S .S .G . § 3 E 1 .1 to y ie ld ato ta l o f f e n s e le v e l o f

3 2 . M aupi n’ s c ri m i nal hi st ory c at egory w as I. W i th a cr i m i nal hi st ory c at egory of I an d a t o t al o ffen se l ev el o f 3 2 , M au p i n ’ s G u i d el i n es ran g e w as 1 2 1 t o 1 5 1 m o n th s’ im p r is o n m e n t. M a u p in ’s r a n g e w a s in c r e a s e d to 1 8 0 m o n th s ’ im p r is o n m e n t, ho w ever , pu rs uantt o U . S . S . G . § 5 G 1. 1(b) base d u po n the st atut ory m andat ory m in im u m te rm r e q u ir e d f o rC o u n t I I . R el yi ng on the 19 91 F l ori da no lo con tendere pl e aw i th a dj udi c a t i on w i thhe l d a s apr i orc onvi c t i on w a rr a nt i ng as t a tut ory s e nt e nc i ng e nha nc e m e nt , the pr oba t i on of

f i c e i de nt i f

i e d the pe na l ty r a nge s t o be 10 t o 20 y e a r s ’ i m pr i s onm e nt pur s ua ntt o 18 U . S . C . § 2252A ( b) ( 2) f orC ountI , a nd 15 t o 40 y e a r s ’ i m pr i s onm e nt4

pu rs uantt o 1 8 U . S . C . § 2 25 2A (b)( 1) for C ou ntII . T he prob at i on offi ce r e c om m e nde d c onc urr e nt , s t a tut ory - m a xi m um s e nt e nc e s ( 240 m onths a nd 480 m o n th s , r e s p e c tiv e ly ) w ith as u p e rv is e d r e le a s e te rm o f lif e f o re a c h c o u n t. M aupi n o bj ec t ed t o the P S I by l ett er . H e o b je c te d to e n h a n c e m e n t o f h is s e nt e nc e ba s e d on the 1991 n o lo co n ten dere p le aw ith a d ju d ic a tio n w ith h e ld . M au p in as se rted 1 8 U .S .C . § 2 2 5 2 A (b )( 1 )’s a n d (b )( 2 )’s use of the ph ra se “ un der l aw s of a ny S t at e” m ea ntF l ori da l aw shou l d d et erm i ne w hether the n o lo co n ten dere pl e ac ons t i tut e d apr i orc onvi c t i on. H e c l a i m e d i tw oul d notbe c o n s id e r e d ap r io rc o n v ic tio n u n d e rF lo r id ala w . T h e d is tr ic t c o u r t d e te rm in e d th e P S I w a s a c c u r a te a n d c o n s id e r e d its f in d in g s in its im p o s itio n o f as e n te n c e . T he di stri ctcourtst at ed i thad con sul t ed th e S e n te n c in g G u id e lin e s b e f o r e c a lc u la tin g th e a d v is o ry r a n g e . T he c our tf ound aggravat i ng ci rc um st ance s e xi st ed pu rs uantt o 1 8 U . S . C . § 3 55 3(b)(2)(A )( i ) that w e r e n o t a d e q u a te ly a c c o u n te d f o rb y th e G u id e lin e s b e c a u s e th e n u m b e ro f c h ild pornogr aphy i m a ge s e xc e e de d 110, 000. Co n s i d e r i n g th e f a c t o r s o f 1 8 U . S. C. § 3553( a ) –pa r t i c ul a r l y the s e r i ous ne s s a nd dur a t i on of the of f e ns e , the num be ra nd vul ne r abi l i ty of

the vi c t i m s , M a upi n’ s pr i orm i s c onduc t , pr om ot i on of r e s pe c tof the l a w a nd pr ot e c t i on of s oc i e ty , a nd pr ovi s i on of j us tpuni s hm e nta nd det erre nce–the courtfoun d thaton l y al engthy se nt ence w as adequat e. T here fore ,5

th e co u rti m p o sed th e m ax i m u m p en al t i es an d sen t en ced M au p i n t o 2 4 0 m o n th s’ i m pr i s onm e ntf

orC ountI a nd 480 m onths ’ i m pr i s onm e ntf orC ountI I , t o run co n cu rren t l y, fo l l o w ed b y su p erv i sed rel ease t erm s o f l i fe i n b o th sen t en ces. M au p i n n o w ap p eal s h i s sen t en ces. I I . DI S C US S I ON M aupi n em ph as i ze s § 22 52 A (b)( 1) and (b)(2) re qu i re a def endantt o h ave a p r io rc o n v ic tio n “u n d e rth e la w s o f a n y S ta te ” b e f

o r e as e n te n c e m a y b e e n h a n c e d . B ec ause the preposi t i on al ph ra se “ un der the l aw s of a ny S t at e” m od i fi es the t erm

“ conv i ct i on , ” M aupi n argues s t at e l aw m ustdet erm i ne w hether or nota n o lo co n ten dere p le aw ith a d ju d ic a tio n w ith h e ld s h o u ld b e c o n s id e r e d ac o n v ic tio n . M aupi n con t ends F l ori da l aw do es no tconsi der e ntryof a no lo con tendere pl ea w i th a dj udi c a t i on w i thhe l d t o be ac onvi c t i on. E ve n i f thi s c onc l us i on i s not com pel l ed by the st atut ory l angu age, M aupi n argues hi s i nt erpret at i on i s ara t i on al c o n s tru c tio n , n o t p r o h ib ite d b y C o n g r e s s ’s la n g u a g e , a n d c o n s is te n t w ith th e ru le o f le n ity . We r e v i e w de no vo q u e s tio n s o f s ta tu to ry in te rp r e ta tio n . U ni ted Stat es v . J ohns on , 3 9 9 F . 3 d 1 2 9 7 , 1 2 9 8 (1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 5 ). T h e st atu t e ati ssu e p ro v i d es: ( b) ( 1) W hoe ve rvi ol a t e s , ora tt e m pt s orc ons pi r e s t o vi ol a t e, pa r a gr aph ( 1 ) , ( 2 ) , ( 3 ) , ( 4 ) , o r( 6 ) o f s u b s e c tio n ( a ) s h a ll b e f in e d u n d e rth is title a n d im p r is o n e d n o t l e s s th a n 5 y e a r s a n d n o t m o r e th a n 2 0 y e a r s , b u t, i f s uch p er son h as a pri or conv i ct i o n u nd erthi s c hapt er. . . or un der6

th e la w s o

f a n y S ta te r e l a t i ng t o . . . c hi l d pornogr aphy . . . s uc h pe r s on shal l be fi ned und er thi s t i t l e and i m pri soned f or no t l es s than 1 5 ye ars n o r m o re th an 4 0 years. ( 2) W hoe ve rvi ol a t e s , or at t em pt s orc ons pi r e s t o vi ol a t e , s ubs e c t i on ( a )(5 ) s ha l l be f

i ne d unde rthi s t i t l e ori m pr i s one d notm or e tha n 10 years, o r b o th , b u t , i f su ch p erso n h as a p ri o r co n v i ct i o n u n d er th is chapt er. . . or u n de r th e la w s o f a ny S ta te r e la tin g to . . . c h ild pornogr aphy , s uc h pe r s on s ha l l be f i ne d un d er t hi s t i t l e a nd i m p ri so n ed fo r n o tl ess th an 1 0 years n o r m o re th an 2 0 years. 18 U . S . C . § 2 25 2A (b)( 1), (2) ( em ph as i s a dd ed). N ei ther w e nor the S up re m e C ou rt has a dd re ss ed the spec i fi c i ss ue of w hether apl eaof no lo con tendere w ith a dj udi c a t i on w i thhe l d c ons t i tut e s apr i orc onvi c t i on f orpurpos e s of

§ 2252A . T he E i gh th C i rc ui t , ho w ever , re l i ed on fe dera l l aw i n con cl ud i ng entryof a n o lo co n ten dere pl e ai n F l or i das t a t e c our tt o c om m i tt i ng l e w d a nd l a s c i vi ous a c t s upon ac hi l d unde r16 w i th a dj udi c a t i on w i thhe l d c ons t i tut e d apr i orc onvi c t i on unde r18 U .S .C . § 2 2 5 2 A ( b ) ( 2 ) . U ni ted Stat es v. St orer , 41 3 F . 3d 91 8, 92 1-22 (8th C i r. 2 0 0 5 ) .A l tho ug h w e have notdeci ded thi s e xacti ss ue, ou r c as es i nt erpret i ng si m i l ar s t a tut ory l a ngua ge a r e i ns truc t i ve . I n U ni te d State s v . Me

j i as , 47 F . 3d 401, 404 (11th C i r. 19 95 ), w e hel d entryof a n o lo co n ten dere pl e aw i th a dj udi c a t i on w i thhe l d qua l i f

i e d a s apr i orc onvi c t i on t o e nha nc e as e nt e nc e f orpurpos e s of 21 U . S . C . § 841( b) ( 1) ( B ) . T he r e , the de f e nda nt ’ s f

e de r a l s e nt e nc e f

orpos s e s s i on7

w i th i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e c oc a i ne i n vi ol a t i on of 21 U . S . C . § 846 w a s e nha nc e d due t o h i s pri or n o lo co n ten dere pl e aw i th a dj udi c a t i on w i thhe l d t o athi r d- de gr e e drug f e lo n y u n d e rF lo r id ala w . Me j i as , 47 F . 3d at40 2. U nd er§ 8 41 (b)( 1)(B ), st atut ory pe na l t i e s i nc r e a s e i f

the de f e nda ntha s c om m i tt e d the of f e ns e “ a f t e rapr i or c o n v ic tio n f

o raf e lo n y d ru g o f

f e n s e h a s b e c o m e f

in a l.” “F e lo n y d ru g o f

f e n s e ” is defi ned as “ an offens e thati s pun i shabl e by i m pri sonm entfor m ore than o ne ye ar unde ra ny l a w of

the U ni t e d S t a t e s orof

aS t a t e orf

or e i gn c ountry tha tpr ohi bi t s or r e s tr i c t s c onduc tr e l a t i ng t o na r c ot i c drugs , m a r i hua na , a nabol i c s t e r oi ds , or de pr e s s a ntors t i m ul a nts ubs t a nc e s . ” 21 U . S . C . § 802( 44) . R e l y i ng on D i c ke rs on v. N ew B an ner I

nst i tut e, Inc. , 4 6 0 U. S . 1 0 3 , 1 1 9 , 1 0 3 S . C t . 9 8 6 , 9 9 5 ( 1 9 8 3 ) , we s t a t e d i n Me

j i as , “ [t ] h e m ean i n g o f th e w o rd ‘ co n v i ct i o n ’ i n a fed eral st atu t e i s a que s t i on of

f e de r a l l a w unl e s s C ongr e s s pr ovi de s othe rw i s e . ” 47 F . 3d a t403. B ec ause fe dera l l aw w ou l d con si der the n o lo co n ten dere pl e aw i th a dj udi c a t i on w ith h eld a c o n v icti o n , w e h eld th e d istrict co u rt d idn o t errin en h an cin g M ejias’s s e n te n c e . I

d. a t 4 0 4 . Me j i as is in a c c o r d w ith o u ro th e rh o ld in g s th a t f e d e r a l la w g e n e r a lly d e te rm in e s w h e th e ra n o f f e n s e c o n s titu te s ap r io rc o n v ic tio n . Se e , e . g. , U ni ted State s v . A nde r

s on , 32 8 F . 3d 13 26 , 13 27 -28 (11 th C i r. 20 03 ) ( no t i ng fe dera l l aw defi nes w hether ast at e c on vi ct i on , base d o n a n o lo co n ten dere p le aw ith8

adj ud i ca t i on w i thh el d, i s aconv i ct i on for purpo se s of U . S . S . G . § 2 L 1. 2(b)(1)(B)); U ni ted Stat es v. Ferna nd ez , 234 F . 3d 1345, 1347- 48 ( 11th C i r . 2000) ( appl y i ng fe dera l l aw i n d et erm i ni ng w hether ast at e c on vi ct i on , base d o n a n o lo co n ten dere pl eaw i th adj ud i ca t i on w i thh el d, i s aconv i ct i on for purpo se s of U . S . S . G . § 2 K 2. 1); U ni ted Stat es v. Jones , 91 0 F . 2d 76 0, 76 1 (11 th C i r. 19 90 ) ( ho l di ng entryof a n o lo co n ten dere pl e aw i th a dj udi c a t i on w i thhe l d qua l i f i e d a s apr i orc onvi c t i on t o m a ke a def endantel i gi bl e f

or ca re eroffe nd erst atus un der U . S . S . G . § 4 B 1. 1). I n U n ite d S ta te s v . W

illis , 1 0 6 F . 3 d 9 6 6 , 9 7 0 ( 1 1 th C i r . 1 9 9 7 ) , h o we v e r , we hel d entryof a n o lo co n ten dere p l ea w i th ad j u d i cat i o n w i th h el d d i d n o tq u al i fy as a p r e d ic a te , p r io rc o n v ic tio n f o rp u rp o s e s o f

1 8 U .S .C . § 9 2 2 ( g ) ( 1 ) . T h a t s ta tu te ma k e s i t“ u n l a w f

u l f o ra n y p e r s o n w h o h a s b e e n c o n v i c t e d i n a n y c o u r to f , ac r i me p u n is h ab le b y im p r is o n m e n t f o rate rm e x c e e d in g o n e y e a rto s h ip o rtr a n s p o r t in i nt e r s t a t e orf

or e i gn c om m e r c e , orpos s e s s i n ora f f e c t i ng c om m e r c e , a ny f i r e a rm or a m m uni t i on; ort o r e c e i ve a ny f i r e a rm ora m m uni t i on w hi c h ha s be e n s hi ppe d or tr a ns por t e d i n i nt e r s t a t e orf or e i gn c om m e r c e . ” 18 U . S . C . § 922( g) ( 1) . S e c t i on 922 r e l i e s on 18 U . S . C . § 921 t o de f i ne i t s s t a tut ory t e rm s . S e c t i on 921( a ) ( 20) s p e c if ic a lly p r o v id e s th a t w h a t c o n s titu te s ac o n v ic tio n “s h a ll b e d e te rm in e d in ac cordance w i th the l aw of the j uri sdi ct i on i n w hi ch the proceedi ng s w er e hel d. ”9

T he r e f or e , s t a t e l a w w a s c ontr ol l i ng i n W illis . 1 0 6 F .3 d a t 9 7 0 . W e s p e c if ic a lly di s t i ngui s he d W

illis f r om ourpr i orhol di ng i n Me j i as . I d. a t969- 70. U nl i ke W

illis , th e s ta tu te a t is s u e h e r e d o e s n o t p r o v id e th e ju r is d ic tio n in w h i ch th e p ro ceed i n g s w ere h el d sh o u l d d et erm i n e w h eth er an o ffen se co n st i tu t es a p r io rc o n v ic tio n . Se e i d. a t970. I ns t e a d, i ti nvol ve s as t a tut ory s e nt e nc i ng e nha nc e m e nts i m i l a rt o the s t a tut ory e nha nc e m e ntc ons i de r e d i n Me j i as . See Me j i as , 47 F . 3d a t403. F orpurpos e s of appl y i ng the e nha nc e m e ntunde r21 U . S . C . § 841( b) ( 1) ( B ) , the s t a tut e a ti s s ue i n Me j i as , 21 U . S . C . § 8 02 (44) defi nes fe l on y drug o ff

ense usi ng the preposi t i on al ph ra se “ un der a ny l aw . . . of a S t at e. ” S i m i l a r l y , the s t a tut e a ti s s ue he r e , 18 U . S . C . § 2252A , de f i ne s ac onvi c t i on us i ng the preposi t i on al ph ra se “ un der the l aw s of a ny S t at e. ” L i ke Me j i as , the l a ngua ge of § 2 25 2A do es no tproh i bi tthe use of f eder al l aw or re qu i re re fe re nce t o st at e l aw t o d ef i ne pri or conv i ct i on . T hu s, w e c on cl ud e the ou t com e i n thi s c as e i s di ct at ed b y Me j i as , i n w hi ch w e hel d entryof a n o lo co n ten dere pl e aw i th a dj udi c a t i on w ith h e ld q u a lif

ie d a s ap r io rc o n v ic tio n to e n h a n c e as e n te n c e . W e jo in th e E ig h th C i rc ui ti n h ol di ng thatentryof a n o lo co n ten dere p le aw ith a d ju d ic a tio n w ith h e ld c o n s titu te s ap r io rc o n v ic tio n u n d e r1 8 U .S .C . § 2 2 5 2 A . See Storer , 41 3 F . 3d at 9 2 1 - 2 2 ( 8 th C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) .10

A d d itio n a lly , w e a r e n o t p e r s u a d e d b y M a u p in ’s ru le o f le n ity a r g u m e n t.

“ T he s i m pl e e xi s t e nc e of s om e s t a tut ory a m bi gui ty . . . i s nots uf f i c i e ntt o w a rr a nt appl i ca t i on of thatrul e, for m ostst atut es ar e a m bi gu ou s t o som e degree . ” Muscare l lo v. U

ni ted Stat es , 52 4 U . S . 12 5, 13 8, 11 8 S . C t . 19 11 , 19 19 (199 8). In or de rt o i nvoke the rul e , the r e m us tbe a“ gr i e vous a m bi gui ty orunc e r t a i nty i n the st atut e. ” I

d. ( q u o t a t i o n s o m i tt e d ) . T h e r e i s n o tag r i e v o u s a m b i g u i ty h e r e , a n d we d o n o ti n v o k e th e ru l e o f l en i ty. I I I . C ON C L US I ON T he di s tr i c tc our tdi d note rri n e nha nc i ng M a upi n’ s s e nt e nc e s pur s ua ntt o 18 U . S . C . § 2252A ( b) ( 1) a nd ( b) ( 2) , ba s e d on a1991 n o lo co n ten dere pl e aw i th a d ju d ic a tio n w ith h e ld to F lo r id ac h a r g e s r e la te d to p o s s e s s io n o f c h ild p o rn o g r ap h y . A c c o r d in g ly , w e a f f irm M a u p in ’s s e n te n c e s . A FFI R M ED .