# 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 3- 27 44

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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.

Vero ni qu e Zsa Zsa An ti qu e Mu ck le

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll an t

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App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Dis tri ct of M in ne so ta - St. Pa ul

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Su bm it te d: May 12, 2 01 4
Fil ed : M ay

27 , 20 14

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Befo re MUR PHY, MELLOY, an d B ENTON, Ci rcu it Ju dg es

.

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MURP HY, Circ ui t J ud ge

Vero ni qu e ZsaZs a Ang el iq ue Mu ck le was co nv ic te d in Apr i l 20 13 on on e

co un t of wit ne ss ret al ia ti on

. Her pr es en te nc e rep or t ap pl ie d a cro ss refe ren ce un de r
U.S.S.G. § 2J 1.2 (c)( 1) fo r ob st ru ct in g a cri mi n a l pr os ecu ti on , whi ch le d to ase nt en ci ng ran ge fo r he r of fen se of 12 1 to 15 1 m on th s in pr is on

. The di st ric t cou rt 1

s e n t e n c e d Mu ck le to 12 1 m on th s aft er ap pl y in g th e Uni te d St at es Sen te nc in g
Gui de li ne § 2 J1 .2(c )(1 ) cro ss refe ren ce. Mu ck le ap pe al s, an d we a ffi rm

.

Vero ni qu e Mu ck le an d Ang el iq ue Vos were bo th m em be rs of a pr es cri pt io n
dr ug tra ffi ck in g con sp ira cy in Dul ut h, M in ne so ta an d S up eri or , W is co ns in

. One of

th e co ns pi racy's le ad ers , Lawren ce Co lt on , ha d recr ui te d Mu ck le to m an ag e dr ug
di st rib ut io n in th e area

. M u c k le ev en tu al ly be cam e a hi gh ran ki ng m em be r of th e

or ga ni zat io n as well as Co lt on 's gi rlf rie nd

. Vos was th e gi rlf rie nd of a n ot he r

co ns pi racy le ad er, Je ffre y Lid de ll

, wit h who m Mu ck le cl ai m s al so to ha ve ha d a

ro m an ti c rel at io ns hi p. Mu ck le

, Vos

, an d Co lt on were arre st ed al on g wit h do zen s of

al le ge d c oc on sp ira to rs in Sep te m be r 20 11

.

Vos be ga n co op erat in g wit h th e g o v e rn m en t im m ed ia te ly aft er he r arre st by

co nf irming th e co ns pi racy's le ad ers hi p a n d i de nt ifyin g th e so ur ces , co st s, an d

tra ns po rte rs of t he pre sc rip ti on dru gs . Rath er t ha n h id in g h er co op erat io n with la w

en fo rcem en t, Vos m ad e it kn own to he r co de fen da nt s, in cl ud in g Mu ck le an d Co lt on

. Beg in ni ng in Feb ru ary 20 12

, Mu ck le

, Vos

, an d Co lt on were al l he ld in th e sa m e

M i n n e s ot a jail

. Mu ck le an d Vos awai te d se nt en ci ng in th e wom en 's win g of th e
Sh erb ur ne Co un ty j ai l, wh il e Co lt on was h ou se d i n t he m en 's wi ng

.

Co lt on 's tri al be ga n in ea r l y A u gu st 20 13

, an d Vos te st ifi ed ag ai ns t hi m on Aug us t 14

. At th e en d of th at da y , Vos an d Co lt on were ret ur ne d se pa rat el y to th ei r

res pe ct iv e win gs of th e jail

. Mu ck le was at th at ti m e be in g de ta in ed fo r di sc ip li na ry

reas on s in an in ta ke un it se pa rat ed fro m th e res t of th e jail by a s e c u r i t y do or

. Vid eo ta pe sh owe d th at on Aug us t 14 whi le walk in g to hi s ho us in g un it at

ap pr ox im at el y 6: 30 p.m ., Co lt on pa us ed br ie fly ou ts id e th e se cu rit y do or to sp eak to

The Hon or ab le Dav id S. Dot y , Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e Dis tri ct of 1
Mi nn es ot a.

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-Mu ck le an d co nt in ue d ta lk in g to he r ov er hi s sh ou ld er aft er pa ss in g th e do or

. Mu ck le

th en sa t do wn on a ch ai r , p u t on he r sh oe s an d so ck s, an d tu ck ed th e cu ffs of he r

pa nt s in to th e to ps of he r so ck s. Ja il of fic ia ls te st ifi ed at tri al th at th is be ha vi or was

co ns is te nt wit h so m eo ne pr ep ari ng fo r a "jai l fig ht ." Mu ck le th en st oo d up an d pa ced

th e cel l un ti l th e ne xt sc he du le d ch eck whe n th e do or be twee n th e in ta ke un it an d th e

wom en 's wi ng wou ld be op en ed

.

At ap pr ox im at el y 6: 58 p.m ., a co rrec ti on s of fic er fro m th e w o men ' s win g

un lo ck ed th e in ta ke un it do or an d wen t in si de it

. As so on as th e of fic er m ov ed pa st

he r, Mu ck le sp rin te d th ro ug h th e do or in to th e wom en 's win g, cl os in g th e do or be hi nd

he r an d lo ck in g th e of

fic er ins id e. Mu ck le th en tu rn ed to fin d Vos

, y el le d "sn it ch !"

an d beg an st rik in g h er. Sh e g rab be d Vos by th e ha ir and dr ag ge d her to th e gr ou nd

whe re sh e co nt in ue d to hi t he r. Vos su st ai ne d se ve ral sc rat ch es , br ui se s, an d bu m

ps

to he r he ad be fo re an ot he r in m at e br ok e up th e at ta ck

. Afte r free in g he rs el f fro m th e
in ta ke u n i t c e l l

, th e co rrec ti on s of fic er or de red a un it lo ck do wn. W he n th e of fic er

at te m pt ed to res tra in Mu ck le

, th e la tt er sc ream ed "t ha t bi tc h be sn it ch in g! " Mu ck le

was th en ha nd cu ffed an d pl aced in a se pa rat e ho ld in g cel l whe re sh e to ld an of fic er,
"Yo u a in 't g ot to worr y

ab ou t m e. I go t wh o I wa nt ed ."

Mu ck le was ch arg ed wit h on e co un t of wit ne ss ret al ia ti on in v i o la ti on of 18

U.S.C. §§ 15 13 (b )( 1 )

, 1 5 1 3 (c), an d 15 15 (a). At he r tri al in Apr il 20 14

, th e

go ve rn m en t in tro du ced ev id en ce sh owi ng th at Mu ck le ha d to ld ot he r i n mat es th at

Vos was a sn it ch

. Vos he rs el f te st ifi ed th at in ad di ti on to be in g a wit ne ss in Co lt on 's

tri al

, sh e was pr ov id in g te st i mo n y to a gr an d jury in a cas e ag ai ns t fo ur ot he r

co ns pi rat or s. W it ne ss es fo r Mu c k l e te st ifi ed th at he r as sa ul t on Vos was al so

m ot iv at ed by j eal ou sy ove r Lid de ll . The jur y co nv ic te d M uc kl e o n Ap ril 12

.

M u c k l e 's pr es en te nc e in ve st ig at io n rep or t cal cu la te d a ba se of fen se le ve l f

o r
ob st ru ct in g jus ti ce un d e r U

. S.S.G. § 2J 1.2

. It al so su gg es te d th at § 2J 1.2 (c)( 1)

tri gg ered a cro ss refe ren ce to § 2X3 .1 fo r ob st ru ct in g t h e p r o s e cu ti on of a cri m in al

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-of

fen se be cau se th e res ul ti ng ba se of fen se le ve l was gr eat er th an un de r § 2J 1.2

. Ove r
Mu ck le 's ob

jecti on , th e di st ric t co ur t ap pl ie d th e cro ss refe ren ce, br in gi ng th e to ta l

of fen se le ve l to 30

. Co m

bi ne d wit h a cri m in al hi st or y cat eg or y of I II, th e res ul ti ng

se nt en ci ng ran ge was 12 1 to 15 1 m on th s im pr is on m en t. Mu ck le was se nt en ced to

12 1 m on th s, to be se rv ed c o n se cu ti ve ly t o th e te rm sh e rece iv ed fo r he r un de rlyin g
dr ug off en se . She no w app eal s.

W e re vie w the sent en ci ng co ur t's co ns tru ct io n an d ap pl ic ation of the se nte nc ing

gu id el in es de no vo an d i ts fact ua l fi nd in gs for cle ar er ro r. Uni te d S ta te s v . Pap pa s,
71 5 F.3 d 22 5, 22 8 (8 th Ci r. 20 13 ). Sect io n 2J 1.2 (c) di rect s th e se nt en ci ng c o u r t to

ap pl y a cro ss refe ren ce to § 2X3 .1 if a de fen da nt 's co nd uc t in vo lv ed ob st ru ct in g th e

pr os ecu ti on of a cri m in al of fen se

. U.S.S.G. § 2J 1.2 (c). Mu ck le arg ue s t h a t a §

2J 1.2 (c)( 1) cro ss refe ren ce to § 2X3 .1 wou ld req ui re ev id en ce th at sh e in te nd ed he r

at ta ck to affe ct th e pr og res s of Co lt on 's pr os ecu ti on

. Bec au se Mu ck le at ta ck ed Vos

aft er kn owi ng th at sh e ha d co m pl et ed he r te st im on y i n t h e t ria l, Mu ck le as se rts th e

at ta ck co ul d no t ha ve be en in te nd ed to ob st ru ct th e pr os ecu ti on

. At th at po in t Mu ck le

cl ai m s s he co ul d n ot ha ve pre ve nt ed or c ha ng ed Vos ' tes ti m on y

.

W hi le § 2X3 .1 is m or e co m m on ly ap pl ie d fo r be in g an acce ss or y aft er th e fact

, it al so se rv es as a to ol fo r cal cu la ti ng th e ba se of fen se le ve l fo r a pa rti cu la rly se rio us
ob st ru ct io n of

fen se li ke wit ne ss ret al ia ti on

. See Uni te d St at es v. Gall im or e, 49 1 F.3 d

87 1, 87 5 (8 th Ci r. 20 07 ). In Gall im or e, we reject ed an arg um en t th at was ne arl y
id en ti cal to th e o n e M uc kl e no w m ak es

. The re, we affi rm ed th e di st ric t co ur t's

ap pl ic at io n of a § 2J 1.2 (c)( 1) cro ss refe ren ce to §2 X3.1 whe re th e de fen da nt ha d be en

aware of a wit ne ss 's gr an d jury te st im on y an d "ca rri ed ou t th e as sa ul t [o n th e wit ne ss ]

in di rect ret al ia ti on ag ai ns t it ." Id

. at 87 5. Alt ho ug h Gall im or e arg ue d th at ret al ia ti on

ag ai ns t a gr an d jury wit ne ss wou ld on ly tri gg er th e § 2J 1.2 (c) cro ss refe ren ce if it ha d

so m e effe ct on a c r i mi na l pr oc eed in g, th e co m m en ta ry fo r § 2J 1.2 li st s "ca us in g a
wit ne ss bo di ly in

jury

. . . in ret al ia ti on fo r pr ov id in g te st imo n y

. . . in a fed eral

pr oc eed in g" as a n e xa m

pl e o f an ob st ru ct io n of j us ti ce warran ti ng a cro ss refe ren ce

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-to § 2X3 .1. Id

. at 87 6 (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s om it te d)

. A s w e o b s e r v ed in

G a l l i more, "t he Sen te nc in g Co m m is si on was co nc ern ed th at ret al ia ti on ag ai ns t a
wit ne ss fo r pa st te st im on y was li ke ly to in te rfer e wit h th e effe ct iv e ad m in is tra ti on of jus ti ce." Id

. The tri al reco rd es ta bl is he s th at Mu ck le i n t e n t io na ll y at ta ck ed an d

in jure d Vos fo r te st ifyin g in a fed eral tri al

, an d we co nc lu de th at th e di st ric t co ur t di d

no t e r r i n ap pl y in g th e § 2J 1.2 (c)( 1) cro ss refe ren ce to cal cu la te he r gu id el in e

se nt en ci ng ran ge

.

Mu ck le 's arg um en t th at he r cas e is m or e li ke Uni te d S t a t e s v. Gala vi z, 68 7

F.3 d 10 42 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ), th an Gall im or e is wit ho ut m eri t. The en ha nc em en t at is su e
in Gala vi z was fo r ob st ru ct io n o f ju s t i c e un de r U.S.S.G. § 3C 1.1 , n ot ob st ru ct in g a

c r i m in al pr os ecu ti on un de r § 2J 1.2 (c)( 1)

. Mo reo ve r, th e Gala vi z co ur t ap pl i e d t h e § 3C 1.1 ob st ru ct io n of jus ti ce en ha nc em en t a f t e r f i nd in g th at th e de fen da nt ha d

en ga ge d in a co ns pi racy to m ur de r a co nf

id en ti al in fo rm an t. Id

. W e rev ers ed be cau se
th e al read y co nv ic te d de fen da nt ha d ha d no reas on to th in k th at th e in fo rm an t wou ld

ha ve in te nd ed to te st ify ag ai ns t hi m at se nt en ci ng

. Id

. at 10 43

. As in Gall im or e, an d

in co nt ras t to Gala vi z, Mu ck le kn ew Vos ha d te st ifi ed in a fed eral pr oc eed in g whi ch

co ul d h arm

he r lo ve r an d a tt ack ed th e o th er wo m an for it at t he fir st op po rtu ni ty.

Bas ed on th e reco rd he re, th e gu id el in e co m m en ta ry fo r § 2J 1.2 (c)( 1)

, an d ou r

pr eced en t in Gall im or e, we co nc lu de th e di st ric t c o u r t di d no t err at Mu ck le 's

se nt en ci ng by ap pl y in g a cro ss refe ren ce to § 2X3 .1 fo r ob st ru ct in g a cri m in al

pr os ecu ti on

.

Acco rd in gl y , we affi rm

th e jud gm en t.

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