FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT JAN 17, 2008 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T 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. 06- 12070

________________________ D . C . D o c k e tN o . 8 8 - 0 1 0 2 6 - C R - 1 - MMP 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 C H A R L E S L . D A V I S , 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 orthe rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( Jan u ar y 17, 2008) B efo re B L A C K , H U L L an d F A Y , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:Davis pled guilty to conspiracy

to import controlled substances, in violation of 21 1 U.S.C. § 963; conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to di stribute controlled su bs tanc e s, in viol atio n o f 2 1 U .S. C. § 84 6; importatio n o f m ari jua na and ha shish oil , in vio latio n o f 2 1 U .S. C. § 95 2; p os se ssi on with intent to distributemari jua na and ha shish oil , in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841; and travelingin foreign commerc e with the intent to car ry on an illegal activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 1952(a)( 3). Davis also challeng es his sentenc es that were imposed under the pre -Guidelines 2 sta ndard . H eargue s th ey

areunre a so na

ble , a nd hec ontend s th edis tric t c ourt faile d to sufficiently

articulate its reasons f

or the sentences it imposed. Havingreviewed the briefs and the re cord, w e are satisfied the se sentenc es were imposed without er ror. We do not address Da

vis’s alternative arguments with respect to Count s 2 and 3 as our 3 decision to vac ate a

nd rema nd for resentencingrenders them moot.

2 C harl es L . D avi s vol un t ar i l y s urre nd er ed t o autho ri t i es 16 ye ar s a ft erhe w as i ndi c t e d f

orpa rt i c i pa t i ng i n adrug s m uggl i ng c ons pi r a c y . A f t e rs urr e nde r i ng, he p le d g u iltyto tw o c o n s p ir a c y c h a r g e s a n d f o u rte e n s u b s ta n tiv e c h a r g e s r e la te d to n a r c o tic s s m u g g lin g . H e w a s s e n te n c e d to ato ta l o f 1 2 0 m o n th s ’ im p r is o n m e n t. 1 O n appe a l , D a vi s a r gue s he w a s i nc orr e c t l y s e nt e nc e d unde rthe S e nt e nc i ng R ef orm A ctof 19 84 i n v i ol at i on of the E x P o s t Fa c to C l aus e of

the C ons t i tut i on, a rt. I , § 9 , c l. 3 w ith r e s p e c t to C o u n ts 2 a n d 3 o f th e I n d ic tm e n t. W e a g r e e D a v is 2 shou l d n othave been sent ence d as t o C ou nt s 2 and 3 un der the S ent enci ng R ef orm A c ta nd a c c or di ngl y va c a t e hi s s e nt e nc e w i th r e s pe c tt o thos e c ount s , a nd r e m a nd fo r resen t en ci n g u n d er th e p re-G u i d el i n es st an d ard . W e affi rm th e reaso n ab l en ess 3 and the m anner i n w hi ch the re m ai ni ng se nt ence s w er e i m po se d u nd erthe preG u id e lin e s s ta n d a r d .Som eof thesmug g lingve sse ls u se d in thec on sp irac y

weresailb oats, outf

itte d with 4 hidden compar

tments, that departe d from and returne d to ocea n-ac cess waterfront homes along the Southeastern a

nd Western coa sts of Florida. See Knowles , 66 F.3d at 1151-52. 3 I . B AC KG R OU ND T he es se nt i al fa ct s of thi s c as e are no ti n d i sput e. T he ca se ar i se s outof a l ar ge sc al e drug sm ug gl i ng conspi ra cythatbegan i n the m i d-19 70 s and i nv ol ved the i m po rt at i on of control l ed subst ance s f rom vari ou s c ou ntri es i n and ar ou nd the C ar i bb ean t o b e di stri bu t ed i nsi de the U ni t ed S t at es and C anada. S ee U ni ted Stat es v. Kno w les , 66 F . 3d 11 46 , 11 50 -52 (11 th C i r. 19 95 ), for adesc ri pt i on of the l ar ger c o n s p ir a c y . C h a r le s D a v is w a s r e c ru ite d to jo in th e c o n s p ir a c y w h ile w o rk in g a t a boa ty a r d i n F t . L aude r da l e , F l or i da . T e rr e nc e F i t z w a t e r , one of the l e a de r s of

the conspi ra cy , re crui t ed D avi s t o ass i stw i th the sa i l i ng of sm ug gl i ng vess el s betw ee n the C arri bean and F l ori da. D avi s’ s r ol e i nv ol ved i nt erm i tt ent l y w orki ng as a boat 4 m e c h a n ic to e n s u r e th e s e rv ic e ab ilitya n d s e a w o rth in e s s o f v e s s e ls u s e d to s m u g g le m ar i j uana. In N ov em ber 198 6, D avi s a gree d t o capt ai n the Su nt i m es . T he bo atw as l oa de d w i th m a r i

j ua nai n J a m a i c ai n pr e pa r a t i on f ori t s j ourne y t o the c oa s tof F l ori da. D avi s s etsa i l i n the Su n t i m es fr om Jam ai ca , bu tsoon l earned l aw enforce m enthad sei ze d a coconspi ra t or’ s boat , the M adD ogII. P a n ic k e d , D a v is re di re ct ed the Su n t i m es t o C oz um e l , M e xi c o, c ont a c t e d F i t z w a t e r , a nd t ol d hi m heAround this time a third of the group’s sailboats, the Freeflight , was also targ eted a nd 5 seized by law enf orcement. See Knowles , 66 F.3d at 1152. 4 r e f u s e d to ta k e th e b o a t a n d its illic it c a r g o a n y f a rth e r . F itz w a te rw a s f

o r c e d to hi re a new cr ew t o com pl et e the shi p’ s voyage t o F l ori da. T he Su n t i m es a n d its r e pl a c e m e ntc r e w w e r e i nt e r c e pt e d by l a w e nf or c e m e ntupon a rr i vi ng i n D e s t i n, F l ori da i n F ebruary19 87 ; the shi pm entof m ar i j uana w as se i ze d and the cr ew a rr e s t e d. 5 A tthe t i m e of

the s e i z ur e , D a vi s w a s a l s o i n D e s t i n, F l or i da , a tthe r e que s tof F i t z w a t e r , t o m a ke s ur e the a rr i vi ng Su n t i m es w a s s e a w o rth y f o rits r e tu rn to F t. L auderdal e. In re spon se t o the i nt ervent i on by l aw enforce m ent , F i t zw at er in s tru c te d e v e ry o n e to “la y lo w .” S e v e r a l w e e k s la te r , F itz w a te rin s tru c te d D a v is to m e e t h im in M ia m i. D u r in g th e irm e e tin g , F itz w a te rto ld D a v is th e y n e e d e d to di sapp ear and sa i d h e w ou l d p rovi de hi m w i th fal se i dent i fi ca t i on . F i t zw at eras ked D a vi s t o us e the f

a ke i de nt i ty t o m e e thi m i n S t . M a a rt e n a nd s ugge s t e d the y m i ght sa i l t o S ou th A m er i ca . D a vi s f e a r e d F i t z w a t e rpl a nne d t o ha ve hi m ki l l e d. H e a gr e e d t o the m e e t i ng in S t. M a a rte n w ith n o in te n tio n o f a tte n d in g . I n s te a d o f

m e e tin g F itz w a te rin S t. M a a rt e n, D a vi s f

l e d a nd c utof

f a l l c om m uni c a t i ons w i th a ny one i nvol ve d i n the c o n s p ir a c y . H e a s s u m e dth e f a k e id e n tityo f

“J o h n F u lle rto n ,” m o v e d to S t.5

T h o m a s , w h e r e h e o b ta in e d la w f u l e m p lo y m e n t, a n d la te rr e e s tab lis h e d h im s e lf in M a ry la n d . D a v is n e v e ra g a in s p o k e to a n y o f h is f o rm e rc o c o n s p ir a to r s . O n N ove m be r1, 1987, r oughl y e i ghtm onths a f t e rD a vi s ’ s f

i na l m e e t i ng w ith F itz w a te r , th e S e n te n c in g G u id e lin e s w e n t in to e f f e c t. See U

ni ted Stat es v. P ip p in , 90 3 F . 2d 14 78 , 14 80 (11th C i r. 19 90 ). W hi l e D avi s r em ai ned atl ar ge, l aw enforce m entprosec ut ed m any c ocon spi ra t ors w ho had p l ay ed si m i l arand m ore p ro m i n en tro l es th an D av i s i n th e d ru g sm u g g l i n g o p erat i o n . T h ree o f th ese coconspi ra t ors, M i chae l K no w l es , Jam es S qu i re s, and D ani el W ri gh t , w er e u ltim a te ly s e n te n c e d u n d e rp r e - G u id e lin e s la w . See K no w les , 6 6 F .3 d a t 1 1 6 4 . K n o w l e s w a s a n a tt o rn e y w h o r e p r e s e n t e d c o n s p i r a c y me mb e r s a n d b e c a me i nv ol ved i n the conspi ra cyhi m se l f. S qu i re s and W ri gh tw er e f orm erpo l i ce of f i c e r s w ho ope r a t e d one of the s m uggl i ng ve s s e l s a nd pa rt i c i pa t e d i n s m uggl i ng a c tiv itie s . I

d. a t1152- 54. O the rc oc ons pi r a t or s w e r e s e nt e nc e d unde rthe G u i d el i n es aft er th e d ev el o p m en to f n ew fact s. O n S e p te m b e r2 0 , 2 0 0 4 , 1 6 y e a r s a f te rth e f ilin g o f th e o r ig in a l in d ic tm e n t, D a v is c o n ta c te d th e U .S . A tto rn e y ’s O f f ic e , th r o u g h c o u n s e l, a n d a rr a n g e d to vo l un t ar i l y s urre nd er . D avi s negot i at ed a pl eaagre em enti n w hi ch the part i es st i pu l at ed, “ there i s no evi dence t o d em on stra t e the defendant ’ s c on t i nu ed6

pa rt i c i pa t i on i n the c r i m i na l c onduc tunde r l y i ng the c ha r ge d c ons pi r a c i e s f ol l ow i ng th e la s t o v e rt a c t c h a r g e d . . . o n o rab o u t F e b ru a ry 3 , 1 9 8 7 .” P r i ort o s e nt e nc i ng, the pa rt i e s di s a gr e e d ove rw he the rD a vi s w a s t o be s e nt e nc e d unde rthe S e nt e nc i ng R e f orm A c torthe pr e - G ui de l i ne s r e gi m e . T he di s tr i c tc ourtor de r e d br i e f i ng a nd he l d a n e vi de nt i ary he a r i ng. A tthe he a r i ng, A g e n t M o o n , aD E A in v e s tig a to r , te s tif ie d th a t a lth o u g h D a v is ’s in v o lv e m e n t in th e c o n s p ir a c y e n d e d in F e b ru a ry 1 9 8 7 , th e c o n s p ir a c y its e lf e x te n d e d in to 1 9 8 8 . T he di stri ctcourt , ci t i ng t es t i m on y f rom the tri al of a c ocon spi ra t or w ho w as p ro secu t ed aft er K n o w l es, S q u i res, an d W ri g h t , co n cl u d ed th e l aw o f th e case d ic ta te d th e c o n s p ir a c y c o n tin u e d b e y o n d N o v e m b e r1 , 1 9 8 7 . T h e c o u rt w e n t o n to co n cl u d e D av i s rem ai n ed p arto f th e co n sp i racy after th atd at e an d , acco rd i n g l y, w a s s u b je c t to th e S e n te n c in g G u id e lin e s a n d n o t e lig ib le f o rp a r o le w ith r e s p e c t to th e c o n s p ir a c y c h a r g e s ( C o u n ts 2 a n d 3 o f th e I n d ic tm e n t) . D a v is w a s s e n te n c e d to ato ta l o f 1 2 0 m o n th s ’ im p r is o n m e n t. I I . DI S C US S I ON T he S e nt e nc i ng R e f

orm A c tof

1984, P ub. L . 98- 473, 98 S t a t . 1837, a nd the abol i t i on of

pa r ol e appl y onl y t o c r i m e s c om m i tt e d a f t e rN ove m be r1, 1987, the d a te th e S e n te n c in g G u id e lin e s b e c a m e e f f e c tiv e . Se e W

a lde n v . U

.S. P a r o le C om m ’n , 11 4 F . 3d 11 36 , 11 38 (11th C i r. 19 97 ); U n ite d S ta te s v . P ip

p in , 903 F . 2d7

14 78 , 14 80 (11th C i r. 19 90 ). C on t i nu i ng cr i m es , such as conspi ra cy , thatbegan before and cont i nu ed af t erthe ef fe ct i ve dat e, ar e s ubj ec tt o the ac tand are s e n te n c e d u n d e rth e S e n te n c in g G u id e lin e s . U ni te d State s v . D i az , 190 F . 3d 1247, 1 2 5 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 9 ) . T h u s , D a v is m a y o n lyb e s e n te n c e d u n d e rth e G u id e lin e s if he t ook parti n ac r i m e tha tc ont i nue d be y ond N ove m be r1, 1987. D a v is c o n te n d s h e s h o u ld n o t h a v e b e e n s e n te n c e d u n d e rth e G u id e lin e s . G i ven the sc op e of hi s i nv ol vem enti n the conspi ra cy— an i nt erm i tt entbo at m e c ha ni c a nd c apt a i n— he c l a i m s he c oul d notha ve r e a s onabl y f or e s e e n the c ons pi r a c y w oul d c ont i nue a f t e rthe boa t s he w orke d on ha d be e n s e i z e d, the c o n s p ir a to r s d is p e r s e d , h is p a rtic ip a tio n c e a s e d , a n d h e p e rm a n e n tlyc u t o f f a ll c om m uni c a t i ons w i th m e m be r s of the c ons pi r a c y . I n s upportof thi s c ont e nt i on D a vi s r e l i e s on U

ni ted Stat es v. P ee

pl es , 2 3 F . 3 d 3 7 0 (1 1 th C i r. 1 9 9 4 ). D av i s al so not e s tha tbe c aus e he f

e a r e d f orhi s l i f e , he f a c e d l i m i t e d opt i ons f

orw i thdr a w i ng f r o m th e c o n s p ir a c y . T he G ove rnm e ntdoe s notdi s t i ngui s h P e e p le s , b u t in s te a d a r g u e s D a v is s houl d be he l d a c c ount abl e f orthe c ont i nui ng a c t s of the c ons pi r a c y be c aus e he f a i l e d t o t a ke s uf

f i c i e nta f f i rm a t i ve s t e ps t o w i thdr a w . W hi l e the G ove rnm e nt c onc e de s D a vi s di d nota c t i ve l y pa rt i c i pa t e i n the c ons pi r a c y a f t e rthe e f f e c t i ve dat e of the S ent enci ng R ef orm A ct , and further c on ce ded atoral ar gu m entthat8

D a v is ’s liab ilityf

o rc o n s p ir a to r ia l a c ts c e a s e d a t s o m e p o in t w h ile h e w a s in h id in g , i t co n ten d s c es sa ti o n d idn o t o cc u r d u rin g th e f irst eig h t m o n th s o f D av is’s di sapp earance, bu tra ther a tsom e l at erdat e. U n d e rth e f

a c ts o f th is c a s e , P eep les i s an al o g o u s an d p ersu asi v e. A s a g e n e r a l p r o p o s itio n , ac o n s p ir a to ris r e s p o n s ib le f o ra ll th e r e a s o n ab lyf

o r e s e e ab le a c ts o f h is c o c o n s p ir a to r s th a t a r e d o n e in f u rth e r a n c e o f

th e c o n s p ir a c y . P ee

pl es , 23 F . 3d a t373. T he s c ope of a n a gr e e m e ntt o pa rt i c i pa t e i n ac ons pi r a c y m us tbe de t e rm i ne d on a n i ndi vi dua l ba s i s f ore a c h de f

e nda nt , w hi l e t a ki ng i nt o a c c ountthe c o n te x t o f

th e p a rtic u la rc o n s p ir a c y . I d. P ee pl es i nvol ve d adrug s m uggl i ng c ons pi r a c y t o i m portna r c ot i c s by a irp la n e to a n a ir s tr ip lo c a te d o n th e P e e p le s R a n c h . I d. at37 1. T he conspi ra cy s p a n n e d f

r o m 1 9 7 9 to 1 9 9 0 . I

d. I n P ee pl es , th is C ir c u it w a s c a lle d o n to det erm i ne w hether the G ui del i nes s ho ul d app l y t o the se nt ence s of s ever al i ndi vi dua l s c onvi c t e d f

orpa rt i c i pa t i ng i n the s m uggl i ng c ons pi r a c y a tva r i ous l e ve l s a nd a tva r i ous da t e s . U nde rthe c i r c um s t a nc e s of tha tc a s e , w e e va l ua t e d the s c o p e o f e a c h in d iv id u a l’s a g r e e m e n t to p a rtic ip a te in th e c o n s p ir a c y w ith r e f e r e n c e to a c tu a l e v id e n c e o f c o n tin u e d in v o lv e m e n t. Se e i d. a t373- 74 (“ [A ] ctu al ev i d en ce o f co n t i n u ed i n v o l v em en ti n a sp eci fi c act i v i ty i s th e m o st re l i abl e i nd i ca t or of the t i m e f ra m e thatea ch part i ci pantre m ai ned act i vel y e ng aged9

i n the c ons pi r a c y . ” ) . “ A m e a s ur e of the dur a t i on of

c r i m i na l i nvol ve m e nt , i f not b a s e d o n a c tu a l in d iv id u a l a g r e e m e n t a n d a c tiv ity , w o u ld im p o s e a n in d e f in ite st andard beyond the evi dence of gui l ty c on du ct . ” I d. a t374. W i th r e s pe c tt o tw o of

the i ndi vi dua l s i n P eep les w h o o n lyp a rtic ip a te d in sm u g g l i n g act i v i t i es pr i ort o the e f f e c t i ve da t e of

the G ui de l i ne s , w e f

ound

“ [ c ] e s s a t i on of

a c t i vi ty a nd no e vi de nc e of f urthe ra gr e e m e ntorc onduc t. . . l e nds no s upportt o f

i ndi ng r e a s onabl e f

or e s e e abi l i ty r e ga r di ng a n i nde f i ni t e c ont i nua t i on of thei r i nv ol vem enti n the conspi ra cy . ” I d. W e a l so no t ed the conspi ra cyhad “s p o r a d ic a n d u n p r e d ic tab le e p is o d e s , w ith little f o r e s e e ab ilityo ro p p o rtu n itie s to expres s i nt entt o w i thd raw . ” I d. T h u s, w e fo u n d i tw as erro r t o sen t en ce th ese i ndi vi dua l s unde rthe G ui de l i ne s be c aus e the i ra gr e e m e nt s t o pa rt i c i pa t e i n the c o n s p ir a c y h a d n o t b e e n p r o v e n to e x te n d b e y o n d N o v e m b e r1 , 1 9 8 7 . I d. O ne of the i ndi vi dua l s i n P ee

pl es , F re d B orgardt , pl ay ed a s tri ki ng l y s i m i l ar r ol e t o tha tof

D a vi s : B or ga r dtc onduc t e d m a i nt e na nc e on one of the s m uggl i ng p la n e s , w o rk e d o n th e g r o u n d c r e w , a n d d e liv e r e d m a r iju a n ab y tru c k . I d. a t 3 7 3 . B o r g a r d t p a rtic ip a te d in th e c o n s p ir a c y tw ic e , th e la s t tim e b e in g tw o y e a r s p r io rto th e e f f e c tiv e d a te o f

th e G u id e lin e s . I

d. T h e s e a c tio n s a lo n e w e r e in s u f f ic ie n t to de m ons tr a t e ac ont i nua t i on of B or ga r dt ’ s pa tt e rn of

i l l e ga l c onduc tthr ough the e f f e c tiv e d a te . T h u s , w e c o n c lu d e d h e w a s s e n te n c e d in e rr o r . I d. a t374.10

H e r e , D a vi s , a n i nt e rm i tt e ntboa tm e c ha ni c a nd c apt a i n, c e a s e d pa rt i c i pa t i ng i n the sm ug gl i ng conspi ra cyaf t erthe bo at s he w orked o n w er e s ei ze d i n F ebruary 1 9 8 7 . T h e G o v ern m en t sti p u lated th er e w as n o fu rth erev id en ce o f D av is’s cont i nu ed part i ci pat i on . In fa ct , D avi s pl ay ed a s i m i l arrol e i n the conspi ra cyas K no w l es , S qu i re s, and W ri gh t , al l of w ho m w er e s ent ence d u nd erthe preG ui de l i ne s s t a nda r d. M or e ove r , D a vi s c a n ha r dl y be s a i d t o ha ve e vi de nc e d a ny f urthe ra gr e e m e ntt o pa rt i c i pa t e i n the c ons pi r a c y w he n, f e a r i ng f orhi s l i f e , he d e s e rte d F itz w a te r , f

le d , a n d p e rm a n e n tlyc u t o f f a ll c o m m u n ic a tio n s w ith m e m b e r s o f

th e c o n s p ir a c y . D a v is ’s p a rtic ip a tio n in th e c o n s p ir a c y c e a s e d p r io rto th e e f f e c tiv e d a te . T he r e i s al a c k of

e vi de nc e s uf

f i c i e ntt o s upportaf

i ndi ng tha tD a vi s c oul d ha ve r e a s o n ab lyf

o r e s e e n a n in d e f

in ite c o m m itm e n t to th e c o n s p ir a c y . C f . P ee pl es , 23 F . 3d a t374. U nde rthe f a c t s of thi s c a s e , hol di ng D a vi s r e s pons i bl e f ora c t s of the c o n s p ir a c y th a t h ap p e n e d o v e re ig h t m o n th s a f te rh e c e a s e d a ll p a rtic ip a tio n , is ta n ta m o u n t to h o ld in g h im to a n “in d e f in ite s ta n d a r d b e y o n d th e e v id e n c e o f g u ilty cond uct . ” I

d. W e c onc l ude D a vi s s houl d notha ve be e n s e nt e nc e d unde rthe S e n te n c in g R e f

o rm A c t.11 I I I . C ON C L US I ON W e va c a t e D a vi s ’ s s e nt e nc e a s t o C ount s 2 a nd 3 a nd r e m a nd f or r e s e nt e nc i ng i n a c c or da nc e w i th the pr e - G ui de l i ne s l a w . W e a f f i rm the r e a s o n ab le n e s s a n d th e m a n n e rin w h ic h th e r e m a in in g s e n te n c e s w e r e im p o s e d . AF F I RME D I N P AR T , V AC AT E D I N P AR T , AN D R E MAND E D.