FI L ED

U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S

EL EVENTH CI RCUI T

November

12, 2008

THOMAS K. KAH

N

CL ERK [ P U B L I S H ]

I N T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S C O U R T O F A P P E A L S

F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C I R C U I T

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

N o

. 0 8

- 1 2 0 6 7

N o n

- A r g u m e n t C a l e n d a r

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

D

. C

. D o c k e t N o

. 9 0

- 0 4 0 5 1

- C R

- 4

- W S

- W C S

U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A

,

P l a i n t i f f

- A p p e l l e e

,

v e r s u s

N A T H A N I E L J A M E S

,

D e f e n d a n t

- A p p e l l a n t

.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A p p e a l f r o m t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s D i s t r i c t C o u r t

f o r t h e N o r t h e r n D i s t r i c t o f F l o r i d a

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ( N o v e m b e r 1 2

, 2 0 0 8 )

B e f o r e C A R N E S

, M A R C U S

, a n d P R Y O R

, C i r c u i t J u d g e s

.

P E R C U R I A M :N a t h a n i e l J a m e s

, a f e d e r a l p r i s o n e r w h o w a s c o n v i c t e d o f o n e f e l o n y c o u n t

i n v o l v i n g a c r a c k c o c a i n e a n d p o w d e r c o c a i n e o f f e n s e

, a p p e a l s t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s

j u d g m e n t d e n y i n g h i s m o t i o n t o r e d u c e h i s s e n t e n c e u n d e r 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 )

.

H e c o n t e n d s t h a t A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6 t o t h e s e n t e n c i n g g u i d e l i n e s l o w e r s h i s b a s e

o f f e n s e l e v e l b y t w o l e v e l s a n d

, a s a r e s u l t

, l o w e r s h i s g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e

. H e a l s o

c o n t e n d s t h a t d u r i n g t h e r e s e n t e n c i n g p r o c e e d i n g h e s e e k s t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t s h o u l d

r e c a l c u l a t e t h e d r u g q u a n t i t i e s f o r w h i c h h e i s a c c o u n t a b l e i n l i g h t o f U n i t e d S t a t e s

v

. B o 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 K i m b r o u g h v

. U n i t e d S t a t e s

,

5 5 2 U

. S

.

_ _ , 1 2 8 S

. C t

. 5 5 8 ( 2 0 0 7 )

.

W e r e v i e w d e n o v o a d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s c o n c l u s i o n s a b o u t t h e s c o p e o f i t s l e g a l

a u t h o r i t y u n d e r 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 )

. U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. M o o r e

, 5 4 1 F

. 3 d 1 3 2 3

,

1 3 2 6 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 8 ) ( c i t i n g U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. W h i t e

, 3 0 5 F

. 3 d 1 2 6 4

, 1 2 6 7 ( 1 1 t h

C i r

. 2 0 0 2 ) )

. A d i s t r i c t c o u r t g e n e r a l l y c a n n o t m o d i f y a t e r m o f i m p r i s o n m e n t o n c e 1

i m p o s e d

. U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. M o r e n o

, 4 2 1 F

. 3 d 1 2 1 7

, 1 2 1 9 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 5 )

.

H o w e v e r

, t h e r e i s a n e x c e p t i o n u n d e r 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) t h a t p r o v i d e s :

[ W h e n ] a d e f

e n d a n t

. . . h a s b e e n s e n t e n c e d t o a t e r m o f i m p r i s o n m e n t

b a s e d o n a s e n t e n c i n g r a n g e t h a t h a s s u b s e q u e n t l y b e e n l o w e r e d b y

t h e S e n t e n c i n g C o m m i s s i o n p u r s u a n t t o 2 8 U

. S

. C

. 9 9 4 ( o )

, . . . , t h e

c o u r t m a y r e d u c e t h e t e r m o f i m p r i s o n m e n t

, a f t e r c o n s i d e r i n g t h e

Once it is established that 18 U.S.C. § 3582 applies, a district court’s dec ision to gra nt 1

or deny a sente nce r eduction is revie wed only for a buse of discr etion. United States v. Vautier

, 144 F.3d 756, 759, n.3 ( 11th Cir. 1998); see also White, 305 F.3d a t 1267.

2f

a c t o r s s e t f

o r t h i n [ 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) ] t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t t h e y a r e

a p p l i c a b l e

, i f s u c h a r e d u c t i o n i s c o n s i s t e n t w i t h a p p l i c a b l e p o l i c y

s t a t e m e n t s i s s u e d b y t h e S e n t e n c i n g C o m m i s s i o n

.

1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) ; s e e a l s o M o r e n o

, 4 2 1 F

. 3 d a t 1 2 1 9

.

F o r c r a c k c o c a i n e o f

f e n s e s

, A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6 t o t h e S e n t e n c i n g G u i d e l i n e s

,

c o n s i d e r e d a l o n g w i t h A m e n d m e n t 7 1 3

, r e t r o a c t i v e l y r e d u c e d a p p l i c a b l e b a s e

o f f e n s e l e v e l s

. U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. M o o r e

, 5 4 1 F

. 3 d 1 3 2 3

, 1 3 2 5 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 8 ) ; s e e

a l s o U

. S

. S

. G

. A p p

. C

, A m e n d

. 7 0 6 ( 2 0 0 7 ) ; A m e n d

. 7 1 3 ( S u p p

. M a y 1

, 2 0 0 8 )

.

U n d e r M o o r e

, h o w e v e r

, “ [ w ] h e r e a r e t r o a c t i v e l y a p p l i c a b l e g u i d e l i n e a m e n d m e n t

r e d u c e s a d e f

e n d a n t ’ s b a s e o f

f e n s e l e v e l

, b u t d o e s n o t a l t e r t h e s e n t e n c i n g r a n g e

u p o n w h i c h h i s o r h e r s e n t e n c e w a s b a s e d

, § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) d o e s n o t a u t h o r i z e a

r e d u c t i o n i n s e n t e n c e

. ” 5 4 1 F

. 3 d a t 1 3 3 0

.

I n M o o r e w e h e l d t h a t A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6 d i d n o t a l t e r t h e s e n t e n c i n g r a n g e o f

d e f e n d a n t s c o n v i c t e d o f c r a c k c o c a i n e o f f e n s e s b e c a u s e t h o s e d e f e n d a n t s h a d b e e n

s e n t e n c e d a s c a r e e r o f

f e n d e r s u n d e r U

. S

. S

. G

. § 4 B 1

. 1

. I d

. a t 1 3 2 8

. W e f o l l o w e d

a n d a p p l i e d t h e M o o r e d e c i s i o n i n U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. T h o m a s

, N o

. 0 8

- 1 1 4 9 2

, 2 0 0 8

W L 4 6 5 9 3 5 9 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. O c t

. 2 3

, 2 0 0 8 )

. T h e d e f e n d a n t i n t h a t c a s e h a d b e e n

c o n v i c t e d o f c r a c k c o c a i n e o f f e n s e s a n d o f b e i n g a f

e l o n i n p o s s e s s i o n o f a f i r e a r m

,

a n d f o r p u r p o s e s o f s e n t e n c i n g t h o s e c o n v i c t i o n s w e r e g r o u p e d t o g e t h e r u n d e r

U

. S

. S

. G

. § 3 D 1

. 2 ( c )

. I d

. B e c a u s e o f t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e U

. S

. S

. G

. § 4 B 1

. 4

3a r m e d c a r e e r c r i m i n a l p r o v i s i o n s i n T h o m a s ’ c a s e

, A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6 d i d n o t a l t e r

h i s s e n t e n c e

, a n d t h e r e f o r e § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 ) d i d n o t a u t h o r i z e a r e d u c t i o n i n h i s

s e n t e n c e

. I d

. M o o r e a n d T h o m a s d i c t a t e t h e r e s u l t i n t h i s c a s e

. A l t h o u g h t h e

2

f a c t s o f t h i s c a s e a r e s o m e w h a t d i f f e r e n t

, t h e o v e r r i d i n g s i m i l a r i t y i s t h a t

A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6 d i d n o t a l t e r t h e g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e o n w h i c h J a m e s ’ s e n t e n c e w a s

b a s e d

.

J a m e s o r g a n i z e d a n d o p e r a t e d a l a r g e d r u g o r g a n i z a t i o n i n F l o r i d a

, r e s u l t i n g

i n h i s 1 9 9 1 c o n v i c t i o n f o r c o n s p i r a c y t o p o s s e s s w i t h i n t e n t t o d i s t r i b u t e c o c a i n e

a n d c r a c k c o c a i n e i n v i o l a t i o n o f 2 1 U

. S

. C

. § 8 4 6

. H e w a s s e n t e n c e d u n d e r t h e

s e n t e n c i n g g u i d e l i n e s i n e f f e c t o n J u l y 3 1

, 1 9 8 9

. H i s b a s e o f f e n s e l e v e l u n d e r

U

. S

. S

. G

. § 2 D 1

. 1 ( a ) ( 3 ) w a s d e t e r m i n e d t o b e 3 6 b e c a u s e t h e c o n s p i r a c y i n v o l v e d

h u n d r e d s o f k i l o g r a m s o f p o w d e r e d c o c a i n e a n d b e t w e e n 1 0 a n d 1 5 k i l o g r a m s o f

I n cer tain situations Amendment 706 may apply even w here the def

endant wa s 2

sentenc ed under

the ar med ca ree r cr iminal provisions. The offense level for an ar med ca ree r

criminal is taken f

rom the g rea test of seve ral c alculations, including “the of fense level

applicable from Chapter s Two and Thr ee.” See U.S.S.G. § 4B1.4( b)(1) –(3). Chapte r Two of the

Sentencing Guidelines Manua l includes the drug quantity table in § 2D1.1(c ) that sets for th the

offe nse leve ls for quantities of c rac k coca ine. U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(c) . Thus, for e x ample, if a n

offe nse leve l of 36 under § 2D 1.1(c) was a pplied at the orig inal sentenc ing f or an a rmed c are er

criminal bec ause it produc ed the hig hest offe nse leve l among the re levant ca lculations in

§ 4B1.4( b), that off

ense le vel play ed a r ole in the ca lculation of the ra ng e. I n that situation the

new of fense level of 34 c ould mean that the a rmed c are er c riminal was sente nced to a “ra ng e that

has subseque ntly

been lowe red” under 18 U .S.C. § 3582(c)(2) . I n this way , Amendment 706

could apply

to the sentenc e of a

n arme d car eer

criminal.

4c r a c k c o c a i n e

. I t w a s i n c r e a s e d t w o l e v e l s u n d e r U

. S

. S

. G

. § 2 D 1

. 1 ( b ) ( 1 ) f o r 3

p o s s e s s i o n o f a f

i r e a r m a n d a n o t h e r f

o u r l e v e l s u n d e r § 3 B 1

. 1 ( a ) b e c a u s e o f h i s

l e a d e r s h i p r o l e i n t h e o f f e n s e

. T h o s e i n c r e a s e s r e s u l t e d i n a n a d j u s t e d o f f e n s e l e v e l

o f 4 2

. T h e c o u r t f

o u n d t h a t t h e a p p r o p r i a t e c r i m i n a l h i s t o r y c a t e g o r y w a s I I

. A n

o f f e n s e l e v e l o f 4 2 a n d c r i m i n a l h i s t o r y c a t e g o r y o f I I p r o d u c e d a g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e

o f 3 6 0 m o n t h s t o l i f

e

. T h e c o u r t s e n t e n c e d h i m t o l i f e

. A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6 c h a n g e s

n o n e o f t h a t

.

A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6 d o e s n o t a f f e c t t h e c a l c u l a t i o n o f J a m e s ’ b a s e o f f e n s e l e v e l

i n a w a y f

a v o r a b l e t o h i m

. A t h i s s e n t e n c i n g i n 1 9 8 9 J a m e s w a s h e l d r e s p o n s i b l e

f o r 1 0 t o 1 5 k i l o g r a m s o f c r a c k c o c a i n e

, w h i c h a t t h a t t i m e r e s u l t e d i n a b a s e

o f f e n s e l e v e l o f 3 6

. B e c a u s e o f a n i n t e r v e n i n g c h a n g e i n t h e g u i d e l i n e s

, u n d e r t h e

a m e n d m e n t h i s b a s e o f

f e n s e l e v e l n o w w o u l d b e 3 8

. U

. S

. S

. G

. § 2 D 1

. 1 ( c ) ( 1 )

( 2 0 0 7 ) ( p r o v i d i n g t h a t 4

. 5 k i l o g r a m s o r m o r e o f c r a c k c o c a i n e r e c e i v e a b a s e

o f f e n s e l e v e l o f 3 8

, t h e h i g h e s t p o s s i b l e l e v e l i n t h e d r u g q u a n t i t y t a b l e )

. T h e s a m e

i s t r u e o f t h e b a s e o f

f e n s e l e v e l i f i t i s c a l c u l a t e d o n t h e b a s i s o f t h e p o w d e r

c o c a i n e

. H e w a s h e l d r e s p o n s i b l e f o r “ h u n d r e d s o f k i l o g r a m s ” o f i t

. T h a t a l s o

3 The district cour

t did not convert the qua

ntities of two ty

pes of dr ug s into an

equivalenc y

ag g reg ate dr

ug amount. Howeve r, the lar g e quantities of e ach ty pe of dr ug place d

J ames we ll over the thre shold quantity nece ssary

for a base of fense level of 36, the highe st

possible level for dr

ug quantity

at the time of sente ncing in 1989. See U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1, Drug

Quantity Table ( 1989).

5r e s u l t e d i n a b a s e o f f e n s e l e v e l o f 3 6

, t h e h i g h e s t t h e n a v a i l a b l e f o r l a r g e q u a n t i t i e s

o f p o w d e r c o c a i n e

. N o w

, t h e g u i d e l i n e s p r o v i d e f o r a b a s e o f

f e n s e l e v e l o f 3 8 f

o r

1 5 0 o r m o r e k i l o g r a m s o f p o w d e r c o c a i n e

. I d

. W h a t t h i s m e a n s i s t h a t w h e t h e r

h i s s e n t e n c e w a s b a s e d o n t h e c r a c k c o c a i n e o r t h e p o w d e r c o c a i n e

, u n d e r

A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6 t h e b a s e o f f e n s e l e v e l u s e d t o c a l c u l a t e J a m e s ’ s e n t e n c e w o u l d b e

h i g h e r t h a n t h e o n e u s e d a t h i s 1 9 8 9 s e n t e n c i n g

. T h e r e s u l t w o u l d b e a h i g h e r

a d j u s t e d o f f e n s e l e v e l a n d a h i g h e r g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e

.

T h e p r o v i s i o n s o f A m e n d m e n t 7 0 6 w o u l d n o t r e s u l t i n a l o w e r b a s e o f f e n s e

l e v e l a n d g u i d e l i n e s r a n g e f o r J a m e s

. I t f

o l l o w s t h a t J a m e s i s n o t e n t i t l e d t o

r e s e n t e n c i n g u n d e r § 3 5 8 2 ( c ) ( 2 )

. S e e T h o m a s

, 2 0 0 8 W L 4 6 5 9 3 5 9 ; M o o r e

, 5 4 1

F

. 3 d a t 1 3 2 8

. H i s a r g u m e n t s f o r t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f B o o k e r a n d K i m b r o u g h a t

r e s e n t e n c i n g a r e a c a d e m i c

.

A F F I R M E D

.

6