United States Court of Appeals

for the Fifth Circuit

No. 19-10805

United States of America, 

Plaintiff—Appellee,

versus

Jonathon Edward Warren; Antonio Enrique Martinez, 

Defendants—Appellants.

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Northern District of Texas

USDC No. 3:15-CR-65

Before Wiener, Costa, and Willett, Circuit Judges.

Don R. Willett, Circuit Judge:

The timeshare market has spawned a cottage industry of cancellation 

firms claiming they can help desperate timeshare owners unload their 

unwanted vacation rentals. It’s a market ripe for scammers. In this case, a

jury convicted Antonio Martinez and Jonathan Warren on multiple federal 

charges for their roles in a telemarketing timeshare-exit scam that bilked 

millions from owners eager to escape timeshares they could no longer afford.

They appeal their convictions and sentences on numerous grounds. We 

affirm.

United States Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit

FILED

January 22, 2021

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 1 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

2

I

This case involves the “heat pitch,” a high-pressure scheme to 

defraud those hoping to extricate themselves. Telemarketers from phony real 

estate advertising firms would contact timeshare owners and falsely 

represent that buyers are lined up for their timeshares. Then, the 

telemarketers charged the owners marketing and closing fees for the 

purported sale. The fees ranged from $1,000–$7,000, depending on the fake 

sale amount and how much the telemarketers thought each timeshare owner 

would be willing to pay. The key was to string the owners along about the 

supposed sale for enough time to avoid credit card disputes and chargebacks, 

typically 90–120 days. At the outset, owners were told that it would take a 

minimum of 120 days for the sale to be finalized. Telemarketers would use 

“lulling” scripts to reassure anxious or suspicious owners. For example, they 

would pretend the buyer had an outstanding tax lien that would take another 

30 days to resolve. The process ended when the timeshare owners gave up 

and stopped calling or when the company turned its phones off and the 

owners could not get in touch with anybody.

The telemarketers employed various tactics to cover their tracks from 

credit card companies and the authorities. After first contacting a timeshare 

owner, the telemarketers would stage a “verification” call, in which they 

asked the owner to falsely state that no buyer had been promised. To 

convince the owners to play along on the verification call, the telemarketers 

would explain that it was necessary to follow this procedure because, as 

marketing and advertising agents, they could not officially match buyers until 

a property was listed. Most of the owners agreed to lie on the verification calls

because they were desperate to sell their timeshares. The telemarketers 

would then send marketing and advertising contracts to the owners. When 

facing credit card disputes or complaints from government agencies, the 

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 2 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

3

telemarketers would provide the verification call and the contract as evidence 

that they only agreed to market and advertise, not sell, the timeshare.

Even so, credit card chargebacks by timeshare owners were common. 

While retail merchants generally have chargeback rates below 1%, the fraudulent telemarketing operations had chargeback rates of 10–15% or more. The 

fraud thus depended on having a merchant processor—the third party that 

processes credit card transactions—who was willing to accept the risk.

The fraud also depended on concealing the location and identity of the 

telemarketers. The companies would use fake addresses and telephone 

numbers that appeared to come from out of state. They would also change 

their names every six months. Similarly, the telemarketers would use 

fictitious names on the phone and would change their pseudonyms to stay 

ahead of bad online reviews.

Martinez’s role in the scheme began in 2009, when he was 

approached by his friend Richard Mendez about starting a timeshare resale 

telemarketing business. Mendez was in bankruptcy at the time and needed 

somebody with good credit to serve as a business partner; Martinez agreed.

Martinez incorporated the company JAMS Management of Central Florida, 

applied for the fictitious “doing business as” name Resorts Condos 

Management, opened a bank account, and opened a merchant processor 

account for Mendez. He also rented office space to Mendez. By mid-2009, 

Mendez was operating Resorts Condos Management and his telemarketers 

were using the fraudulent heat pitch. At first, Martinez did not play a major 

role in the operation and, at trial, he claimed not to know that Mendez’s 

telemarketers were using the heat pitch. However, Mendez and one of his

managers, Max Chilson, testified that Martinez was aware of the fraud and 

that by fall of 2009, Martinez was managing his own satellite telemarketing 

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 3 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

4

operation under Mendez. At some point, the operation reincorporated as 

Vision Ventures, Inc. doing business as Timeshare Goldline.

In March 2010, Martinez changed the locks at the office that he rented 

to Mendez and transferred the operation’s money into an account in his 

name. He claims that he acted out of concern about the effect the operation 

was having on his credit. Mendez and Chilson claim that he wanted more 

control and a larger share of the operation’s proceeds. According to 

Martinez, after the lockout he proceeded to work on his own painting and 

fuel additive businesses and had nothing to do with Mendez. However, 

Mendez testified that he gave Martinez his own satellite telemarketing 

operation to manage after the lockout. 

In summer 2010, Martinez went into the timeshare business on his 

own. He claimed that he was operating a legitimate advertisement and 

marketing firm, which included publishing a magazine. However, Chilson, 

Gunner Jenkins, Eric Rosado, and Peter Guillette all claimed to be running 

fraudulent telemarketing operations under Martinez and using his merchant 

processor account. According to Chilson and Jenkins, the magazine was 

merely an attempt to conceal the fraud.

Warren joined the scheme sometime in 2009. His company, 

VoiceOnyx, provided phone, internet, and database services to Mendez’s 

and Chilson’s fraudulent telemarketing operations. He set up the telephone 

numbers so they appeared to come from the operations’ fake addresses. He

also consulted about switching the business names, moving customers from 

one company to the next without raising suspicion, and avoiding law 

enforcement. He was aware that the telemarketing operations used the 

fraudulent heat pitch.

In September 2016, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment 

alleging that Martinez, Warren, Mendez, Angelina Smith, and Harold Smith 

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 4 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

5

conspired to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and bank fraud, in violation of 18 

U.S.C. § 1349; aided and abetted each other in committing mail fraud on five 

dates between March 15 and November 19, 2010, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 

§§ 2 and 1341; and aided and abetted each other in committing wire fraud on 

March 28 and April 9, 2010, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 1343. The 

superseding indictment also charged that each offense occurred in 

connection with the conduct of telemarketing and victimized ten or more 

persons over the age of 55, which, if proven, allows a sentencing 

enhancement of up to ten years under 18 U.S.C. § 2326.

Martinez and Warren proceeded to trial in January 2018. The 

prosecution presented 20 witnesses, including 11 timeshare owners. 

Martinez testified in his own defense and presented testimony from Jose 

Ayala, Mendez’s accountant. Warren presented testimony from Elizabeth 

Allen, a VoiceOnyx employee; Edward Warren, his father and a VoiceOnyx 

employee; James Fort, a software developer in the timeshare industry; and 

Curtis Binney, an accountant. 

In mid-February 2018, the jury convicted Martinez and Warren of all 

eight counts and found the telemarketing sentencing enhancement applicable 

to each count. The district court set aside the verdict on the sentencing 

enhancement because the evidence established only that the offenses were 

committed in connection with the conduct of telemarketing, and not that 

they victimized ten or more persons over the age of 55. The ruling limited the 

available sentencing enhancement to five years, not ten.

Martinez was sentenced to 108 months on the eight counts of 

conviction plus six months consecutive under the telemarketing 

enhancement, for a total of 114 months, followed by three years of supervised 

release. He was ordered to pay $5,573,045.84 in restitution. Warren was 

sentenced to 96 months on the eight counts of conviction plus six months 

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 5 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

6

consecutive under the enhancement, for a total of 102 months, followed by 

three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $291,854.58 in 

restitution. Martinez and Warren timely appealed. 

II

The district court had jurisdiction under 18 U.S.C. § 3231. We have

jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 and 18 U.S.C. § 3742(a).

III

On appeal, Martinez argues that the evidence was insufficient to 

support his convictions and that the district court’s restitution order violated 

his Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial. Warren argues that the district 

court erred by treating him as a “manager or supervisor” of the criminal 

activity and applying the corresponding offense-level increase under § 3B1.1 

of the Sentencing Guidelines. Both Martinez and Warren argue that the 

district court erred by admitting statements under the co-conspirator 

exception to the hearsay rule and that the district court erred in imposing 

consecutive six-month sentences under 18 U.S.C. § 2326(1).

A

We first address Martinez’s argument that the evidence was 

insufficient to support his convictions for conspiracy (Count One), mail fraud 

(Counts Two through Six), and wire fraud (Counts Seven and Eight). 

Because Martinez properly preserved his argument by moving for a judgment 

of acquittal in the district court, our review is de novo.1 We must consider 

the evidence and draw all inferences in favor of the verdict.2 And we must 

1 United States v. Danhach, 815 F.3d 228, 235 (5th Cir. 2016).

2 United States v. Hoffman, 901 F.3d 523, 541 (5th Cir. 2018).

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 6 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

7

affirm “unless no rational juror could have found guilt beyond a reasonable 

doubt.”3

1

Martinez argues that the evidence does not support the jury’s finding 

that a single conspiracy existed from March 2009 to March 2011, as charged 

in Count One. Instead, he contends that the Government offered proof of 

one conspiracy, led by Mendez from early 2009 through early 2011, and a 

second conspiracy, led by Martinez from mid-2010 until early 2011. “The 

question of whether the evidence establishes the existence of a single 

conspiracy or multiple conspiracies is a question of fact for the jury.”4 The 

jury’s finding must be affirmed “unless the evidence and all reasonable 

inferences, examined in the light most favorable to the government, would 

preclude reasonable jurors from finding a single conspiracy beyond a 

reasonable doubt.”5 “The principal considerations in counting the number 

of conspiracies are (1) the existence of a common goal; (2) the nature of the 

scheme; and (3) the overlapping of the participants in the various dealings.”6

Martinez concedes that the second and third factors are met. He 

argues only that there was no evidence of a “common goal” after the failed 

March 2010 lockout because he and Mendez became competitors at that 

point. As support, he cites the Second Circuit case United States v. Reiter, in 

which the fact that two narcotics distribution enterprises were competitors 

was evidence that they were distinct conspiracies.7 But Reiter was a Double 

3 United States v. Sanjar, 876 F.3d 725, 744 (5th Cir. 2017).

4 United States v. Beacham, 774 F.3d 267, 273 (5th Cir. 2014).

5 Id. (quoting United States v. Simpson, 741 F.3d 539, 548 (5th Cir. 2014)).

6 Id. (quoting United States v. Mitchell, 484 F.3d 762, 770 (5th Cir. 2007)).

7 848 F.2d 336, 341 (2d Cir. 1988).

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 7 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

8

Jeopardy case, not a sufficiency-of-the-evidence case.8 The question there 

was whether, on the face of the indictment, a different conspiracy had been 

alleged than in previous cases.9 The court concluded that the new case 

charged a separate conspiracy, taking a deferential view of the indictment.10

Our question is whether the jury could have determined that a single 

conspiracy existed, giving deference to the verdict. So, while the inquiries 

look similar, the baselines are different: Reiter started from the proposition 

that there were separate conspiracies; we start from the proposition that 

there was just one.

In considering the sufficiency of the evidence that a single conspiracy 

existed, we “have applied the criteria for a common goal broadly, such that 

the ‘test may have become a matter of semantics.’”11 A common goal is 

“shown when alleged co-conspirators all sought ‘personal gains’ through 

some participation in a broad conspiracy scheme.”12 That is a low hurdle. 

Here, the jury could have easily inferred that the co-conspirators shared a 

common goal to profit through their participation in the telemarketing 

scheme during the time period alleged in the indictment.

2

Martinez also argues that the evidence does not support the jury’s 

finding that he aided and abetted mail fraud as charged in Counts Two 

through Six and wire fraud as charged in Counts Seven and Eight. “The 

8 Id. at 337.

9 Id. at 340.

10 Id. at 340–41.

11 Beacham, 774 F.3d at 273 (quoting United States v. Richerson, 833 F.2d 1147, 1153 

(5th Cir. 1987)).

12 Id. (citing Richerson, 833 F.2d at 1153).

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 8 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

9

federal aiding and abetting statute, 18 U.S.C. § 2, states that a person who 

furthers—more specifically, who ‘aids, abets, counsels, commands, induces 

or procures’—the commission of a federal offense ‘is punishable as a 

principal.’”13 “[A] person is liable under § 2 for aiding and abetting a crime 

if (and only if) he (1) takes an affirmative act in furtherance of that offense, 

(2) with the intent of facilitating the offense’s commission.”14

Martinez does not argue that he lacked the requisite intent. Instead, 

he contends that the evidence doesn’t connect him to the particular offenses 

alleged. For example, he emphasizes that no evidence linked any of the 

named timeshare owners to the telemarketing operation that he managed for 

Mendez in 2010. He thus argues that unidentified telemarketers in any part 

of Mendez’s operations could have committed the fraud. Martinez reads the 

“affirmative act” requirement far too narrowly.

The Government need only prove that Martinez “associated with, 

participated in, and acted to help the” offense.15 It does not need to show that 

he “was present when the crime was committed or that he actively 

participated.”16 In United States v. Sanders, this court affirmed convictions 

for aiding and abetting health care fraud and wire fraud without analyzing the 

defendants’ precise roles in each count. Rather, it was enough that the 

defendants had, among other things, pushed employees to maximize billing, 

fired an employee for refusing to lie, and moved money around after learning 

that search warrants had been served.17 Here, Martinez was involved in the 

13 Rosemond v. United States, 572 U.S. 65, 70 (2014).

14 Id. at 71.

15 United States v. Sanders, 952 F.3d 263, 278 (5th Cir. 2020).

16 Id. at 277 (internal quotation marks omitted).

17 Id. at 278.

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 9 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

10

scheme from the very beginning, when he incorporated the telemarketing 

company, secured its merchant processor account, and provided the office 

space. Later, he directly managed various fraudulent operations, first on 

behalf of Mendez and then on his own. Viewing this evidence in the light 

most favorable to the verdict, the jury did not act irrationally in convicting 

Martinez.

Next, Martinez contends that he could not have aided and abetted the 

mail fraud charged in Counts Four, Five, and Six because those offenses 

occurred after his split with Mendez. He ignores that the fraudulent 

communications with those named timeshare owners began before he left 

Mendez’s operation. And again, aiding and abetting liability doesn’t require 

presence.18 The jury could have reasonably concluded that the affirmative 

steps that Martinez took to get the fraud up and running were done in 

furtherance of the offenses that occurred at the end of and after his 

relationship with Mendez.

Finally, Martinez contends that he could not have aided and abetted 

the mail fraud charged in Counts Two, Four, Five, and Six because the 

evidence did not establish that those offenses occurred. Specifically, he 

argues that those counts concerned letters requesting refunds sent by the 

timeshare owners, which are not mailings “in furtherance” of the fraud, as 

required for a conviction.19 But the fact that a mailing was sent by the victim 

rather than the perpetrator is immaterial; the inquiry is whether the 

communication was in furtherance of the fraud.20 Further, 

18 Sanders, 952 F.3d at 277 (citing United States v. James, 528 F.2d 999, 1015 (5th 

Cir. 1976)).

19 See Hoffman, 901 F.3d at 546 (discussing the “in furtherance” element).

20 See United States v. Phipps, 595 F.3d 243, 247 (5th Cir. 2010) (finding that a 

participant’s fax updating her contact information in anticipation of future payments 

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 10 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

11

“[c]ommunications that occur after initial purchase into the fraudulent 

scheme, designed to lull the victim into a false sense of security, postpone 

inquiries or complaints, or make the transaction less suspect, are mailings in 

furtherance of the scheme.”21 Here, testimony established both that the 

telemarketers employed various lulling tactics and that avoiding chargebacks 

was key to the fraud. The timeshare owners named in Counts Two, Four, 

Five, and Six specifically testified about the false assurances they were given. 

One even testified that he was told to send a letter requesting a refund. 

Construing this evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict, a 

reasonable jury could have found that letters requesting refunds were part of 

the lulling process and thus were in furtherance of the fraud.

B

Next, we address Martinez and Warren’s argument that the district 

court improperly permitted the timeshare owners to testify about their 

conversations with telemarketers under the co-conspirator exception to the 

hearsay rule. Where a party timely objects at trial, evidentiary rulings are 

reviewed for abuse of discretion.22 Otherwise, review is only for plain error.23

Here, Martinez objected only to the testimony of timeshare owner William 

DeVoe, and Warren failed to object at all. We thus review for plain error, 

except as to the ruling on DeVoe’s testimony.

supported a conviction); United States v. Toney, 598 F.2d 1349, 1353 (5th Cir. 1979) 

(discussing “the well-established rule that mailings from the victims can be mailed in 

execution of the fraud”).

21 Phipps, 595 F.3d at 246–47 (internal quotation marks and alteration omitted); see 

also United States v. Allen, 76 F.3d 1348, 1363 (5th Cir. 1996).

22 United States v. Polasek, 162 F.3d 878, 883 (5th Cir. 1998).

23 Id.; Fed. R. Crim. P. 51(b); Fed. R. Evid. 103(e).

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 11 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

12

As an initial matter, Martinez and Warren fail to identify any specific 

statements that were improperly admitted. For that reason, they cannot show 

error or an abuse of discretion.

24 In any event, the testimony to which they 

broadly object is not hearsay because it was not offered to prove the truth of 

the matter asserted.25 Indeed, the significance of the telemarketers’ 

statements was that they were false—the supposed buyers for the timeshares 

never existed, the so-called marketing and closing fees were illegitimate, and 

the assurances were merely to lull the timeshare owners. The case United 

States v. McDonnel is instructive.26 There, the victims of mail fraud were 

allowed to testify about representations made to them by the defendant’s 

salesmen and brokers under the co-conspirator exception to the hearsay 

rule.27 On appeal, we explained that “the point was to prove that the 

statements were made so as to establish a foundation for later showing, 

through other admissible evidence, that they were false. The hearsay rule 

does not apply.”28 The co-conspirator exception was thus “superfluous.”29

So too here. Because the telemarketers’ statements were not hearsay, their 

admission was not error.

24 United States v. Acosta, 763 F.2d 671, 680 (5th Cir. 1985) (“Because none of the 

other appellants have identified on appeal the particular hearsay statements they allege to 

have been erroneously admitted, we decline to sua sponte search the record for the possible 

statements to which they might have objected. In essence, by failing to make their 

arguments with specificity, they have waived their right to any further consideration of 

them by this Court on appeal.”).

25 See Fed. R. Evid. 801(c) (defining “hearsay”).

26 550 F.2d 1010 (5th Cir. 1977).

27 Id. at 1011.

28 Id. at 1012.

29 Id.

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 12 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

13

C

We now turn to Warren and Martinez’s argument that the district 

court erred by imposing consecutive six-month sentences under 18 U.S.C. 

§ 2326(1). The district court’s interpretation of a sentencing statute is reviewed de novo.30 But because Warren failed to object, his sentence will only 

be vacated if the district court’s interpretation amounted to plain error.31

A statute’s plain meaning controls unless the result would be absurd.32

Under § 2326(1), 

[a] person who is convicted of an offense under section 1028, 

1029, 1341, 1342, 1343, 1344, or 1347 or section 1128B of the 

Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b), or a conspiracy to 

commit such an offense, in connection with the conduct of telemarketing or email marketing . . . shall be imprisoned for a 

term of up to 5 years in addition to any term of imprisonment 

imposed under any of those sections, respectively.

Warren and Martinez contend that this provision merely raises the statutory 

maximum sentence for the underlying fraud conviction. But that position is 

at odds with the plain meaning of “in addition to any term of imprisonment 

imposed under any of those sections.” That language contemplates separate 

sentences for the underlying offense and the telemarketing enhancement. By 

its own terms, the statute does not alter the available sentence for the 

underlying offense. Instead, it requires a consecutive sentence, as the district 

court imposed here.

As a matter of common usage, we have regularly described 

consecutive sentences as being “in addition to” the sentence for the 

30 United States v. Salazar, 542 F.3d 139, 144 (5th Cir. 2008).

31 United States v. Alfaro-Hernandez, 453 F.3d 280, 281 (5th Cir. 2006).

32 United States v. Lagrone, 773 F.3d 673, 675 (5th Cir. 2014).

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 13 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

14

underlying or other offense.33 And applying that same plain meaning here is 

consistent with the limited authority on § 2326(1). In the unpublished case 

United States v. Guerrero, we held that a consecutive sentence imposed under 

§ 2326 was not plain error.34

In arguing to the contrary, Warren and Martinez cite United States v. 

Dison, which held that a defendant who fails to appear in violation of 18 

U.S.C. § 3146 is subject to a consecutive sentence under § 3147.35 We 

explained that “regardless of the fact that § 3147 calls for punishment ‘in 

addition to the sentence prescribed’ for the underlying offense, the § 3147 

enhancement can never result in a sentence in excess of the statutory 

33 United States v. Still, 102 F.3d 118, 121 n.1 (5th Cir. 1996) (“The record is unclear 

regarding whether Still’s attorney and the prosecutor represented to Still that he faced a 

range of 70–87 months on counts one, two, four, five and six, in addition to the consecutive 

sixty month sentence on count three, or whether they failed to mention the sixty month 

sentence to Still.”); United States v. Riggio, 70 F.3d 336, 339 (5th Cir. 1995) (“The district 

court acted properly in imposing the consecutive sentence of 60 months for the use of fire 

in addition to the sentence imposed for conspiracy.”); United States v. Valdez, 830 F.App’x 

137, 139 (5th Cir. 2020) (“Valdez was required, in addition to his drug-trafficking-offense 

sentence, to ‘be sentenced to a [consecutive] term of imprisonment of not less than 5 

years.’” (alteration in original)); United States v. Barrett, 403 F. App’x 963, 964 (5th Cir. 

2010) (“Under § 3147, a defendant convicted of an offense committed while on release 

shall be sentenced, in addition to the sentence for the underlying offense, to a separate 

consecutive term of imprisonment.”); United States v. Williams, 373 F. App’x 451, 456 (5th 

Cir. 2010) (“The USSG recognizes that the sanction for violation of trust should be 

consecutive (in addition) to the sentence imposed on the basis of the defendant’s new 

criminal conduct.”); United States v. Foots, 340 F. App’x 969, 975 (5th Cir. 2009) (“As to 

the procedural prong of our analysis, section 924(c)(1)(A) requires that a consecutive 

sentence be imposed in addition to the punishment for the crime of violence at issue.”).

34 31 F. App’x 836 (5th Cir. 2002); see also United States v. Griffin, 815 F. App’x 

745, 746 (4th Cir. 2020) (mem. op.) (affirming consecutive sentence under § 2326); United 

States v. Francis, No. 8:19-CR-9-T-60SPF, 2020 WL 4925323, at *3 (M.D. Fla. Aug. 21, 

2020) (describing § 2326(2)(B) as authorizing “a mandatory consecutive sentence of up to 

10 years of imprisonment as to each count”).

35 573 F.3d 204, 210 (5th Cir. 2009).

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 14 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

15

maximum prescribed for the offense committed while on release, here failure 

to appear.”36 But it’s not clear how this language furthers Warren and 

Martinez’s argument, given that neither was sentenced in excess of the 

statutory maximums for their underlying fraud offenses.37

To be sure, the Government’s argument that § 3147 and other 

sentencing enhancement statutes have been interpreted to require 

consecutive sentences is unavailing. That’s because at least two of the three 

statutes cited by the Government explicitly state that the sentences imposed 

under them shall be consecutive.38 But Congress’s failure to be so explicit in 

§ 2326 does not alter the plain meaning of “in addition to.” Because the 

statute is clear, the rule of lenity is inapplicable.39 As written, § 2326 

36 Id. at 209.

37 See 18 U.S.C. § 1341 (statutory maximum for mail fraud is 20 years); § 1343 

(statutory maximum for wire fraud is 20 years). 

Warren and Martinez also cite Mangarella v. United States from the Western 

District of North Carolina. No. 3:13-CV-555, 2014 WL 1608483 (W.D.N.C. Apr. 22, 2014). 

There, the court explained that under § 2326, “the United States sought to increase the 

maximum punishment for each wire fraud count of conviction by an additional 107 years—

i.e., from 20 years per count to 30 years per count, based on its contention that Petitioner’s 

telemarketing scheme ‘victimized ten or more persons over the age of 55’ or ‘targeted 

persons over the age of 55.’” Id. at *4 (quoting § 2326(2)). But that was a habeas case 

considering whether counsel was ineffective for failing to object to certain sentencing 

enhancements. It did not purport to interpret the statute, and its characterization is an 

outlier.

38 18 U.S.C. § 3147 (“A term of imprisonment imposed under this section shall be 

consecutive to any other sentence of imprisonment.”); 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(D) 

(“Notwithstanding any other provision of law . . . no term of imprisonment imposed on a 

person under this subsection shall run concurrently with any other term of imprisonment 

imposed on the person, including any term of imprisonment imposed for the crime of 

violence or drug trafficking crime during which the firearm was used, carried, or 

possessed.”).

39 United States v. Orellana, 405 F.3d 360, 371 (5th Cir. 2005) (rule of lenity applies 

only when a statute is ambiguous).

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 15 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

16

authorizes a consecutive sentence to be imposed on top of the sentence for 

the underlying fraud offense.

D

We next consider Warren’s argument that the district court erred at 

sentencing by determining that he was a “manager or supervisor” and 

applying a three-level increase to his offense level under § 3B.1.1(b) of the 

Sentencing Guidelines. A defendant’s role in the offense is a factual finding 

reviewed for clear error.40 “A factual finding is not clearly erroneous if it is 

plausible in light of the record read as a whole.”41

Under § 3B1.1, a defendant’s aggravating role in criminal activity 

results in an increased offense level. Specifically, § 3B1.1 states:

Based on the defendant’s role in the offense, increase the 

offense level as follows:

(a) If the defendant was an organizer or leader of a criminal 

activity that involved five or more participants or was 

otherwise extensive, increase by 4 levels.

(b) If the defendant was a manager or supervisor (but not an 

organizer or leader) and the criminal activity involved five 

or more participants or was otherwise extensive, increase 

by 3 levels.

(c) If the defendant was an organizer, leader, manager, or 

supervisor in any criminal activity other than described in 

(a) or (b), increase by 2 levels. 

Warren does not dispute that the criminal activity involved five or more 

participants. The only issue is whether he was a “manager or supervisor.” 

Application Note 4 lists seven factors to consider: (1) “the exercise of 

decision making authority,” (2) “the nature of participation in the 

40 United States v. Akins, 746 F.3d 590, 609 (5th Cir. 2014).

41 Id. (quoting United States v. Rose, 449 F.3d 627, 633 (5th Cir. 2006)).

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 16 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

17

commission of the offense,” (3) “the recruitment of accomplices,” (4) “the 

claimed right to a larger share of the fruits of the crime,” (5) “the degree of 

participation in planning or organizing the offense,” (6) “the nature and 

scope of the illegal activity,” and (7) “the degree of control and authority 

exercised over others.”42

At sentencing, the district court first considered whether the factors 

supported a four-level “organizer or leader” increase. After engaging in 

lengthy discussions with counsel, the court concluded that Warren was not 

an “organizer or leader” because he did not exercise decision-making 

authority, did not recruit accomplices, did not exercise a degree of control 

and authority over others, and did not claim a larger share of the criminal 

proceeds. The court then considered whether Warren was a “manager or 

supervisor.” In doing so, the district court eschewed the enumerated factors, 

reasoning that they only informed how to distinguish leadership and 

organizational roles from managerial or supervisory roles. Instead, the court 

based its conclusion that Warren was a “manager or supervisor” on the 

“totality of the circumstances.” 

Warren argues in passing that the district court should have applied 

the factors to the manager or supervisor inquiry. But he provides no authority 

showing that the factors are dispositive or exhaustive, or that going beyond 

the enumerated factors to consider the totality of the circumstances is error. 

We decline Warren’s request to cabin the district court’s discretion in 

determining which facts are relevant for purposes of sentencing.

Even so, the district court’s conclusions that Warren did not exercise 

decision-making authority, did not recruit accomplices, did not exercise a 

degree of control and authority over others, and did not claim a larger share 

42 § 3B1.1 cmt.4.

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 17 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

18

of the criminal proceeds seem to be inconsistent with the conclusion that he 

was a manager or supervisor. Indeed, at sentencing the Government more or 

less conceded that Warren did not manage or supervise other participants in 

the conspiracy:

THE COURT: All right. How much control did Mr. Warren 

exercise over others, either co-conspirators or unindicted coconspirators?

MS. HEATH: From what we — we heard only a minimal 

amount of testimony during trial about that, and that was more 

on how do you use the system that he put in place and how do 

you use the database that he put in place and instructing others 

on how to use it, because a lot of the individuals that were using 

the system initially did not know how to use the system, so he 

had to provide training for them to use the system.

So there is direction being given and training being given in 

order for them to use the system properly. So it’s not 

necessarily control, but it is some direction on how to operate.

And the trial testimony from Mendez and Chilson established that Warren 

functioned as a consultant to the telemarketing operations, rather than as a 

manager. All this would seem to preclude the manager or supervisor 

adjustment under Application Note 2, which provides that “[t]o qualify for 

an adjustment under this section, the defendant must have been the 

organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor of one or more other participants.”43

Despite Application Note 2’s clear instructions, we have upheld 

offense-level increases under § 3B1.1 based solely on management of 

43 § 3B1.1 cmt.2 (emphasis added).

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 18 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

19

property, assets or activities.44 Though we believe those cases incorrectly 

applied the Guidelines,45 we are bound by them under our court’s rule of 

orderliness.46 And here, the record shows that Warren controlled the 

telemarketing operations’ technology, including their database, phone 

systems, and internet. He created the database that tracked the fraudulent 

companies’ various names and the timeshare owners who were being 

defrauded. He installed the phones and programmed them to divert calls 

from timeshare owners to certain telemarketers. He also made sure that 

outgoing phone calls appeared to come from the companies’ fake addresses. 

Finally, Warren managed the internet service, including the email system and 

domain names for the fraudulent companies. In light of these facts and our 

caselaw applying § 3B1.1. for management of property, it was not clear error 

to find that Warren was a “manager or supervisor.”

E

Finally, Martinez contends that the district court’s restitution order 

violated his Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial, but he concedes that this 

44 United States v. Ochoa-Gomez, 777 F.3d 278, 283 (5th Cir. 2015); United States v. 

St. Junius, 739 F.3d 193, 208–09 (5th Cir. 2013); United States v. Delgado, 672 F.3d 320, 

345 (5th Cir. 2012) (en banc) (“The application notes to section 3B1.1 require that the 

defendant either (1) exercised control over another participant in the offense, or 

(2) ‘exercised management responsibility over the property, assets, or activities of a 

criminal organization.’” (quoting § 3B1.1 cmt.1)).

45 See Ochoa-Gomez, 777 F.3d at 284–86 (Prado, J., concurring) (“Delgado appears 

to have conflated an ‘adjustment’ and an ‘upward departure’ for purposes of Application 

Note 2 to United States Sentencing Guidelines (U.S.S.G.) § 3B1.1. See 672 F.3d at 344–45. 

This issue merits en banc review.”).

46 United States v. Traxler, 764 F.3d 486, 489 (5th Cir. 2014).

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 19 Date Filed: 01/22/2021
No. 19-10805

20

argument is foreclosed by Circuit precedent.47 He seeks only to preserve the 

issue for en banc or Supreme Court review. 

IV

Warren’s and Martinez’s convictions and sentences are

AFFIRMED.

47 See United States v. Read, 710 F.3d 219, 231 (5th Cir. 2012).

Case: 19-10805 Document: 00515716876 Page: 20 Date Filed: 01/22/2021