2009 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit 3-6-2009 

# U SA v . Ro dney Hut chinson P r e c e de nt i al or N on-P r e c e de nt i al : N on-P r e c e de nt i al D ocke t N o . 08-3719

F o l low thi s a nd a dd it ion al work s at : http://d i git alc ommon s .l a w . vi ll a nova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2009

Thi s de c i sion i s br ou ght t o you for f r e e and ope n a c c e s s b y the O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit at V i l l a nova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Reposit ory

. It h as be e n a c c ept e d for inclusion in 2009 D e c i sion s b y a n author i z e d a dmini s tr at or of V i l l a nova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Reposit ory

. F or mor e inform at ion, p le as e c ont a ct Be n j amin . C arl s on@l a

w . vi l l a nova . e du . Re c omme nde d C it at ion " U SA v . Rodney Hut chin s on" (2009). 2009 D e cisio n s . P ape r 1763. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2009/1763H on. L oui s H . Pol l ak, Seni or J udge, U ni t ed St at es D i s t r i ct * C our tfort he East ern D i s t ri ctof Penns y l vani a, s i t t i ng by des i gnat i on. NO T PRECEDEN TI AL U N IT 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 T H IR D C IR C U IT N o. 08- 3719

________ UNI TE D ST ATE S OF AM ERI CA

v. RO DNE Y HUT CH I NS ON, A ppel l ant

O n A p p ea l from the U n it ed S tat es D istri ct C o u rt fort he M i ddl e D i s t r i ctof Penns y l vani a ( D . C . N o. 1- 06- cr - 00173- 001 ) D i s t r i ctJ udge: H onor abl e Y vet t e K ane Subm i t t ed U nderT hi r d C i r cui tL A R 34. 1( a)

M ar ch 5, 2009 B efor e: SL O V I T E R and H A R D I M A N , C i r cui tJ udges , and

PO L L A K , D i s t r i ctJ udge

* ( Fi l ed: M ar ch 6, 2009)

____ OP I NI ONTh e Di s t r i c t Co u r t h a d j u r i s d i c t i o n p u r s u a n t t o 1 8 U. S . C. 1 § 3231. W e have j ur i s di ct i on t o r evi ew t hi s m at t erpur s uantt o 28 U . S. C . § 1291 and 18 U . S. C . § 3742. 2 SL O V I T E R , C i r cui tJ udge. R o d n e yH u tch in so n , w h o p led g u iltyto o n e c o u n t o f c o n sp ira c yto d istrib u te m ar i j uana i n vi ol at i on of 21 U . S. C . § 846 and one c ountof cons pi r acyt o comm i tm oney l aunder i ng i n vi ol at i on of 18 U . S. C . § 1956( h) , w as s ent ence d t o 210 m ont hs im p riso n m e n t. H is c o u n se l f iled a tim e lyn o tice o f

a p p e a l b u t als o f

iled a m o tio n to 1 w i t hdr aw as couns el and a br i ef i n s uppor tof thatm ot i on pur s uantt o A nder s v. C al i forni a, 386 U . S. 738, 744 ( 1967) . U nderA nder s , appel l ant ’ s couns el m us t“s at i s fy t he co urtt hat he or she has t ho rough l yscoured the r ecord i n search of a pp eal able i ssues” and then “e xpl ai n w hyt he i s s ues ar e fr i vol ous . ” U ni t ed St at es v. M arvi n, 211 F. 3d 778, 780 ( 3d C i r . 2000) ( ci t at i on om i t t ed) . “The C ourt ’ s i nqui ryw hen couns el s ubm i t s an A n d e rs b rie f

is th u s tw o f

o ld : (1 ) w h e th e r c o u n se l ad e q u a telyf u lf ill e d [ T h ird C irc u it L ocal A ppel l at e R ul e 109. 2’ s ] r equi r ement s ; and ( 2) w hetheran i ndepende ntr evi ew of t he r ecor d pr es ent s anynonfr i vol ous i s s ues . ” U ni t ed St at es v. Y oul a, 241 F. 3d 296, 300 (3 d C ir . 2 0 0 1 ). I. H u tchin so n w as th e lea d er o f w h at th e D istri ct C o u rtch ara cterized as “ a v ery s er i ous , far - r eac hi ng drug cons pi r acyw i t h a r ecor d amount of drugs and ca s h. ” A pp. at 2 2 4 . H e re c ru ited a n d e m p lo y e d se v e ra l co u rie rs to tra n sp o rt th e se d ru g s f ro m h is3

s uppl i er , co- defe ndantA br aham Per ez, i n A r i zona t o H arr i s bur g and otherl ocat i ons on t he ea s tcoas t . Som e of the cour i er s t r ans por t ed moneyback t o A r i zona. I n M ay2006, H ut chi ns on w as arr es t ed i n R i ver s i de, C al i forni a, fol l ow i ng a w arr ant l es s s ear ch of hi s vehi cl e dur i ng a tr aff i c s t op. C al i forni a H i ghw ayPat r ol O ffi cer G ilb e rt C a rre ra , w h o h a d b e e n a d v ise d th a t H u tch in so n w o u ld b e d riv in g th ro u g h h is patr ol ar ea a nd w as s us pect ed t o be tr ans por t i ng drugs , obs erved H ut chi ns on fai l t o s i gnal d u rin g a n a b ru p t tu rn , a v io latio n o f th e sta te v e h icle c o d e . H e sig n a led H u tch in so n to s t op and exi tt he ca rw hi ch H ut chi ns on i ni t i al l yfai l ed t o do. A ft erhe di d s t op, i ns t ead of s how i ng hi s l i cens e and r egi s t r at i on as di r ect ed, H ut chi ns on s i m pl ys tuck hi s hands outof the c ar w ind o w , w ith sh ak ing h an d s thro u g h o u t th e e n co u n ter. I n l i ghtof H ut chi ns on’ s conductfol l ow i ng t he tr aff i c s t op, t he t i p t hatH ut chi ns on w as t r ans por t i ng drugs , and hi s bel i ef thathe had obs erved mar i j uana de br i s i n t he ca r ( notcr edi t ed byt he D i s t r i ctC our t ) , C arr er a r etr i eved hi s drug- det ect i ng cani ne t o conduct an ext er i ors ni ff of

H ut chi ns on’ s car . T he dog, of i t s ow n acc or d, j um ped thr ough an o p e n w in d o w in th e c a r a n d a ler ted o n a d u f f le b a g in th e b a c k se a t. C a rre ra p ro c e e d e d to o p e n th e d u f

f le b a g a n d d is c o v e re d th a t it c o n ta in e d a la rg e q u a n tity o f m a ri ju a n a . A s ubs equents ear ch of the ca ry i el ded tw o m or e duff l e bags of m ar i

j uana; i n t ot al , t he s ear ch uncove r ed appr oxi m at el yni nety - ni ne ki l ogr ams of mar i j uana. H ut chi ns on w as eventual l ychar ged i n a s econd s uper s edi ng i ndi ctm entw i t h, i nt er a lia, o n e c o u n t o f

c o n sp ira c yto d istrib u te m a riju a n a a n d o n e c o u n t o f c o n sp ira c yto4

com m i tm on eyl aun deri ng . T he D i stri ctC ou rtden i ed H utchi nson ’s m oti on t o sup press t he evi dence fr om t he tr aff i c s t op. U ni t ed St at es v. H ut chi ns on, 471 F. Supp. 2d 497, 511 (M .D . P a . 2 0 0 7 ). H ut chi ns on s ubs equent l yent er ed a c ondi t i onal gui l t ypl ea t o bot h count s , r es ervi ng t he r i ghtt o appea l t he D i s t r i ctC our t ’ s s uppr es s i on rul i ng. A tt he s ame t i m e, i n l i ghtof H u tchin so n ’s w il li n g n ess to ad m ito n lythat the d rug co n sp ir ac yinv o lved fiftyo r m o re ki l ogr ams, t he D i s t r i ctC our tappr oved the part i es ’ agr eementt o del et e fr om t he s econd s uper s edi ng i ndi ctm entt he al l egat i on t hatthe drug cons pi r acyi n countone i nvol ved 1, 000 orm or e ki l ogr ams of mar i j uana. Pr i ort o s ent enci ng, H ut chi ns on and the governm entr eac hed an a gr eementon se v e ra l stip u latio n s, a ll o f w h ich th e D istric t C o u rt a c c e p ted , inc lu d in g m o st im p o rta n tly t hatt he drug cons pi r acyi nvol ved more t han 1, 000 butl es s t han 3, 000 ki l ogr ams of m ar i j uana. I n l i ghtof thes e s t i pul at i ons , t he D i s t r i ctC our tcorr ect l ycal cul at ed thatt he G u idelines ran g e w as 2 1 0 -26 2 m o n ths im p ri so n m en t. A fter itrejected H u tchin so n ’s ar gum entfora dow nw ar d var i ance , t he D i s t r i ctC our ts ent ence d H ut chi ns on t o 210 m o n ths im p ri so n m en t ( i. e., at th e b o tt o m o f th e G u idelines ran g e). H ut chi ns on fi l ed a t i m el ynot i ce of appea l . A ft erhi s couns el fi l ed an A nder s br i ef, H ut chi ns on fi l ed a pr o s e br i ef i n t hi s cour t . W e have r evi ew ed the r ecor d t o det erm i ne w hethert he appe al i s “w hol l yfr i vol ous , ” Pens on v. O hi o, 488 U . S. 75, 80 ( 1988) , and a g re e w ith c o u n s e l th a t it is .5 II. A lth o u g h H u tchin so n ’s pro se b ri ef co n ti n u es to ch all en g e the D istri ct C o u rt ’s deni al of hi s m ot i on t o s uppr es s t he drug evi dence ( ni nety - ni ne ki l ogr ams of mar i j uana) from t he R i versi de tr affic s t op and w arr antl ess s earch, t hat i ssue i s m oo tbecau se H ut chi ns on ul t i m at el ys t i pul at ed thatt he amountof m ar i j uana i nvol ved i n t he cons pi r acy w a s 1 ,0 0 0 to 3 ,0 0 0 k ilo g ra m s . W e thus tur n t o t he pl ea c ol l oquyt o ens ur e thatH ut chi ns on ent er ed hi s gui l t ypl ea vol unt ar i l yand know i ngl y . W e conc l ude thathe di d. T he C our tpl ace d H ut chi ns on under oath and i nfor m ed hi m of the r i ght s t hathe w oul d w ai ve byent er i ng a gui l t ypl ea a nd t he fac tt hathe w oul d w ai ve them, t he natur e of the cha r ges , t he maxi m um and mi ni m um s t atut or ypenal t i es , i ncl udi ng i m pr i s onm ent , fi nes , for fei tur e and s peci al as s es s m ent s , and the C o u rt ’s ob li g ati o n to se n tenc e h im u n d er the G u idelines an d the s en tenc ing fa ctors cont ai ned i n 18 U . S. C . § 3553( a) . T he C our tal s o ques t i oned H ut chi ns on t o ens ur e that t he pl ea w as vol unt aryand det erm i ned thatt her e w as a fa ctual bas i s fort he pl ea. W e al s o concl ude thatt her e ar e no nonfr i vol ous i s s ues as t o an appe al of H ut chi ns on’ s s ent ence . Fol l ow i ng compl et i on of the pr es ent ence r epor t , t he part i es e n t e r e d s t i p u l a t i o n s a s t o t h e w e i g h to f m a r i j u a n a i n v o l v e d i n t h e d ru g c o n s p i r a c y, H u tchin so n ’s l ea d ersh ip ro le i n the c o n sp ir ac y , en h an ce m en ts fo r po sses sion o f a firearm a n d m o n e ylau n d e rin g , an d a re d u c tio n f o r a c c e p tan c e o f

re sp o n sib ili ty . U p o n th e b a sis of thos e s t i pul at i ons , w hi ch the D i s t r i ctC our tacc ept ed, and the pr es ent ence r epor t , t he6

C o u rtd eterm ined that H u tchin so n h ad an o ff en se lev el of

3 7 an d crim inal h ist o ry cat egoryof I , fora s ent enci ng r ange of 210- 262 m ont hs i m pr i s onm ent . T he C our tt hen hear d ar gum entfr om t he part i es on H ut chi ns on’ s r eques tfora dow nw ar d var i ance , i ncl udi ng ext ens i ve ar gum enton H ut chi ns on’ s pr i m arycont ent i on t hata w i t hi nG u idelines sen tenc e w o u ld cre ate a sen tenc ing d ispa ri tyw ith h is co d ef en d an ts. It ul t i m at el ydet erm i ned thata s ent ence att he bot t om of the G ui del i nes r ange w as appr opr i at e i n l i ghtof H ut chi ns on’ s cul pabi l i t yi n t he off ens e, t he s er i ous nes s of the o f f e n se , the f

a c t th a t H u tch in so n (u n lik e m a n yo f h is c o d e f

e n d a n ts) d id n o t co o p e ra te w i t h t he governm ent , and the nee d fordet err ence . Fi nal l y , i n hi s pr o s e br i ef, H ut chi ns on cont ends t hatt he D i s t r i ctC our terr ed w hen i t( 1) acc ept ed the part i es ’ agr eementt o del et e fr om t he s econd s uper s edi ng i ndi ctm ent t he al l egat i on t hatt he drug cons pi r acyi n countone i nvol ved 1, 000 orm or e ki l ogr ams of m ar i j uana, i n l i ghtof H ut chi ns on’ s admi s s i on athi s pl ea c ol l oquyt hatt he drug cons pi r acyi nvol ved onl yfi ftyorm or e ki l ogr ams, and ( 2) s ubs equent l ys ent ence d H ut chi ns on, as s t i pul at ed byt he part i es , undert he G ui del i nes r ange a ppl i cabl e for offe ns es i nvol vi ng atl eas t1, 000 butl es s t han 3, 000 ki l ogr ams of mar i j uana. W e r ej ect H u tch in so n ’s a rg u m e n t th a t th is a m e n d m e n t to th e in d ictm e n t v io late d h is F if th A m endmentr i ght s beca us e the amountof m ar i j uana i nvol ved i n t he cons pi r acyw as not an esse n ti al elem en t of

the o ff en se c h arg ed in co u n t on e, an d there fo re the g o v ern m en t’ s a lle g a tio n o f

a s p e c if ic a m o u n t in th e in d ic tm e n t w a s p ro p e rl yd is re g a rd e d a s s u rp lu s a g e .See U ni t ed St at es v. I gl es i as , 535 F. 3d 150, 161 n. 4 ( 3d C i r . 2008) . W e al s o r ej ect

H u tch in so n ’s a rg u m e n t th a t th e D istric t C o u rt c o u ld n o t m a k e f in d in g s a n d se n ten c e h im bas ed on a qua nt i t yof drugs gr eat ert han thatt o w hi ch he a dm i t t ed dur i ng hi s pl ea. See U n it ed S tat es v . G ri er, 47 5 F . 3 d 5 5 6 , 5 6 2 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 7 ) (en b an c). T h u s, thes e issu es a re f ri v o lo u s a s w e ll. III . Fort he r eas ons s etfor t h, w e w i l l aff i r m t he j udgm entof convi ct i on and s ent ence , a n d we wi l l g r a n tc o u n s e l ’ s mo t i o n t o wi t h d r a w.