FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P E A LS E LE V EN T HC IRC U IT MARCH 31, 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. 07- 13733 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D o c k e tN o . 0 7 - 2 0 1 2 5 - C R - D MM 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 E RN S O A L M O N O R , 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 S outhe rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( M ar c h 31, 2008) B efo re B A R K E T T , M A R C U S an d W IL S O N , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: E rns o A l m onorappe a l s hi s s e nt e nc e of 188 m onths ’ i m pr i s onm e ntf orAlmonor fra mes the issue as oneof proc edural and substantive re asonableness; however, 1 theiss ueha s b e e n re state d h e rebe c a us ehisargumentspert ain to th eproc e dure s u se d toimp os e the sentenc e, and not the reasona bleness of thetotal sentence .

2 c o n s p i r a c y t o i mp o r tc o c a i n e i n a n a mo u n to f 5 k i l o g r a ms o rmo r e , 2 1 U . S. C. § 9 63 (C ou ntO ne), i m po rt at i on of cocai ne i n an am ou ntof 5 k i l og ra m s or m ore, 2 1 U .S .C . § 9 5 2 ( a ) ( C o u n t T w o ) , c o n s p ir a c y to p o s s e s s w ith in te n t to d is tr ib u te c oc a i ne i n a n a m ountof 5 ki l ogr a m s orm or e , 21 U . S . C . § 846 ( C ountT hr e e ) , a nd po ss es si on w i th i nt entt o d i stri bu t e c ocai ne i n an am ou ntof 5 k i l og ra m s or m ore, 2 1 U .S .C . § 8 4 1 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( C o u n t F o u r ) . O n ap p e a l, A lm o n o ra r g u e s th a t h is s e n te n c e w a s p r o c e d u r a lly u n r e a s o n a b le 1 b ecau se th e d i stri ctco u rt(1 ) v i ew ed th e G u i d el i n es as m an d at o ry, o r, atl east pr e s um pt i ve l y r e a s ona bl e ; a nd ( 2) di d notpr ope r l y c ons i de rthe § 3553 f a c t or s or a de qua t e l y e xpl a i n i t s r e a s ons f orc hoos i ng the s e nt e nc e . A l m onora r gue s tha tthe d is tr ic t c o u r t’s f

a ilu r e to a d e q u a te ly c o n s id e r§ 3 5 5 3 ( a ) ( 6 ) , th e n e e d to a v o id unw a rr a nt e d s e nt e nc i ng di s pa r i t i e s be tw e e n de f e nda nt s w i th s i m i l a rr e c or ds w ho ha ve be e n c onvi c t e d of

s i m i l a rc onduc t , i s m a ni f e s t e d by the f

a c ttha the r e c e i ve d a hars her s ent ence than h i s c o-conspi ra t or, E rl a O cc eus, w ho pl ay ed a m ore s ig n if ic a n t r o le in th e o f

f e n s e . A lm o n o r f

u rth erar g u es , fo r th e f

irst ti m e o n ap p ea l, th at th e d istrict co u rt’s vi ew of A l m on or and O cc eus’ s r ol es as com parabl e i s notent i t l ed t o d ef er ence3

be c a us e the di s tr i c tc our tdr e w a n “ a dve r s e i nf e r e nc e ” f r om A l m onor ’ s e xe r c i s e of hi s F i f th A m e ndm e ntpr i vi l e ge a ttr i a l a nd a ts e nt e nc i ng. A l m onora l s o a r gue s , f or the f i r s tt i m e on appe a l , tha t , t o the e xt e ntthe di s tr i c tc our t ’ s f i ndi ngs r e ga r di ng r e la tiv e c u lp a b ility w e r e b a s e d o n in f o r m a tio n it le a rn e d a t th e s e n te n c in g o f h is co-c on spi ra t or, tho se fi nd i ng s vi ol at e the S i xth A m endm entC on fr on t at i on C l ause , a s A l m onorw a s notpr e s e nta tO c c e us ’ s s e nt e nc i ng. H e a r gue s tha t , t o the e xt e nt th e d i stri ctco u rtfo u n d th ath i s act s o f arran g i n g fo r tran sp o rt at i o n p aym en t s, pi c ki ng up the s hi pm e nt , a nd pa r t i c i pa t i ng i n the de l i ve ry w e r e done w i thoutbe i ng di re ct ed t o d o so b y O cc eus, the di stri ctcourtcl ea rl y e rr ed because the evi dence a d d u c e d a t tr ia l s h o w e d th a t O c c e u s d ir e c te d th e s e a c ts . H a vi ng r e vi e w e d the r e c or d a nd c ons i de r e d the br i e f s of the pa r t i e s , w e f

i nd no r e ve r s i bl e e rr or . F i r s t , A l m onor ’ s a r gum e nttha tthe di s tr i c tc our ttr e a t e d the G ui del i nes a s pre sum pt i vel y r ea sonabl e i s notsupp ort ed by the re cord. T he di stri ct c our t , a f t e rc ons i de r i ng the P S I , obj e c t i ons t o i t , A l m onor ’ s s e nt e nc i ng m e m o, a nd the pa r t i e s ’ a r gum e nt s a ts e nt e nc i ng, e xpl i c i t l y s t a t e d tha t , i n c ons i de r i ng the § 3 55 3(a) fa ct ors, i tdi d n otse e a nythi ng w arra nt i ng a s ent ence bel ow the advi sory G u i d el i n es ran g e. T h u s, th e reco rd refl ect s th atth e d i stri ctco u rtd i d n o tap p l y a p re su m p ti o n o f r ea so n ab len es s to th e G u id elin es . M o re o v er , th e d istrict co u rt’s i m pos i t i on of

a s e nt e nc e w i thi n the G ui de l i ne s r a nge doe s notm e a n the c our tga ve4

u n d u e w e ig h t to th e G u id e lin e s , a s it is w ith in th e d is c r e tio n o f th e d is tr ic t c o u r t to det erm i ne the w ei gh ti tw i shes t o g i ve t o the G ui del i nes, so l on g as the court c ons i de r s the r e m a i ni ng § 3553( a ) f a c t or s . U ni t e d S t a t e s v. H unt , 459 F . 3d 1180, 1 1 8 5 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 ) . T h e r e c o r d lik e w is e r e f

u te s A lm o n o r ’s a r g u m e n t th a t h is s e n te n c e is procedural l y unrea sonabl e bec ause the di stri ctcourtdi d n otadequat el y c on si der the § 3553( a ) f

a c t or s . T he di s tr i c tc our tc ons i de r e d the na tur e a nd c i r c um s t a nc e s of th e o ffen se w h en i tn o t ed th atA l m o n o r h ad arran g ed fo r tran sp o rt at i o n p aym en t s, pi cked up the cocai ne, part i ci pat ed i n the del i very , un l oaded t he cocai ne, and cal l ed the ow ner of the cocai ne, 18 U . S . C . § 3 55 3(a) (1). T he di stri ctcourtconsi dere d A lm o n o r ’s h is to ry a n d c h a r a c te r is tic s w h e n it n o te d th a t h e m a d e “d e m o n s tr a tiv e ly fa l se st at em ent s” t o aut ho ri t i es , 18 U . S . C . § 3 55 3(a) (1). A dd i t i on al l y, the di stri ct c our ts t a t e d tha ti tde c i de d tha ta s e nt e nc e be l ow the G ui de l i ne s r a nge w a s not w arran t ed b ased o n th e § 3 5 5 3 (a) factors, and th ata sen t en ce o f 1 8 8 m o n th s’ i m pr i s onm e ntw a s r e a s ona bl e i n l i ghtof the s e r i ous ne s s of

the c r i m e a nd A lm o n o r ’s p a r tic ip a tio n in it. M oreover, i tw as no tun re as on abl e f or the courtt o i m po se the se nt ence w hi c h di f

f e r e d f r om tha ti m pos e d on hi s c o- de f e nda nt , O c c e us . F i r s t , A l m onora nd O cceu s w ere n o tco n v i ct ed o f th e sam e co n d u ct . O cceu s w as ad j u d i cat ed g u i l ty,5

p u r s u a n t to a p le a a g r e e m e n t, o f o n ly o n e c o u n t o f

p o s s e s s io n w ith in te n t to d is tr ib u te f

iv e k ilo g r a m s f

o rm o r e o f

c o c a in e , in v io la tio n o f 2 1 U .S .C . § 8 4 1 ( a ) . A l m on or w as conv i ct ed attri al of conspi ra cyt o i m po rtcoca i ne i n an am ou ntof 5 ki l og ra m s or m ore, 21 U . S . C . § 9 63 (C ou ntO ne), i m po rt at i on of cocai ne i n an a m o u n t o f

5 k ilo g r a m s o rm o r e , 2 1 U .S .C . § 9 5 2 ( a ) ( C o u n t T w o ) , c o n s p ir a c y to pos s e s s w i th i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e c oc a i ne i n a n a m ountof 5 ki l ogr a m s orm or e , 21 U . S . C . § 8 46 (C ou ntT hree ), and p osse ss i on w i th i nt entt o d i stri bu t e c ocai ne i n an am o u n to f 5 k i l o g ram s o r m o re, 2 1 U . S . C . § 8 4 1 (a)(1 ) (C o u n tF o u r). T h u s, al tho ug h thei r c on du ctw as si m i l ar , A l m on or w as foun d g ui l ty of f arm ore c on du ct than O cc eus. S ee 18 U . S . C . § 3 55 3(a) (6) ( prov i di ng thatthe courtshal l consi der

“ the need t o avo i d u nw arra nt ed se nt ence di spar i t i es am on g d ef endant s w i th si m i l ar r e c o r d s w h o h a v e b e e n f o u n d g u ilty o f

s im ila rc o n d u c t.” ) ( e m p h a s is a d d e d ) . A ddi t i ona l l y , the di s tr i c tc our tnot e d tha tthe onl y s t a t e m e nt s A l m onor pr ovi de d t o l a w e nf

or c e m e ntw e r e “ de m ons tr a t i ve l y f a l s e , ” a nd i tw a s pr ope rf or the di s tr i c tc our tt o c ons i de rthi s unde r§ 3553( a ) ( 1) , a s i tgoe s t o “ the hi s t or y a nd char ac t er i st i cs of the defendant . ” 18 U . S . C . § 3 55 3(a) (1). T he di stri ctcourtno t ed tha tthe di f

f e r e nc e be tw e e n A l m onor ’ s a nd O c c e us ’ s s e nt e nc e s w a s due t o the d if f e r e n t d e c is io n s O c c e u s h a d m a d e th r o u g h o u t th e c a s e a n d h e rc o o p e r a tio n w ith th e g o v e rn m e n t, f

o rw h ic h s h e r e c e iv e d s a f e ty - v a lv e r e lie f

.6

A lm o n o r ’s a r g u m e n t o n ap p e a l th a t h is s e n te n c e is u n r e a s o n a b le b e c a u s e it w a s b a s e d o n f

a c ts f o u n d in v io la tio n o f

h is F if th a n d S ix th A m e n d m e n t r ig h ts is m i s pl a c e d. A s a n i ni t i a l m a tt e r , A l m onordi d notr a i s e the s e obj e c t i ons be l ow a nd, there fore , thi s C ou rt ’ s r evi ew of these i ss ues i s f or pl ai n err or on l y. U ni t ed S t at es v. A gu i l l ar d, 21 7 F . 3d 13 19 , 13 20 (11t h C i r. 20 00 ). W e do n otfi nd pl ai n err or. A l m on or’ s a rgum entbase d o n the S i xth A m endm ent ’ s C on fr on t at i on C l ause , that the di stri ctcourtdet erm i ned h i s r el at i ve cul pabi l i ty bas ed on w hatw as l ea rned at O c c e u s ’s s e n te n c in g , is w ith o u t m e r it, a s “[ t]h e r ig h t to c o n f r o n ta tio n is n o t a se nt enci ng ri gh t . ” U ni t ed S t at es v. C ant el l ano, 43 0 F . 3d 11 42 , 11 46 (11t h C i r. 2 0 0 5 ) . A c c o r d in g ly , A lm o n o rh a s n o t d e m o n s tr a te d a n y e rr o rb a s e d o n h is S ix th A m e n d m e n t r ig h t to c o n f r o n t w itn e s s e s . A l m on or’ s a rgum entbase d o n the F i fth A m endm ent , thatthe di stri ctcourt dr e w a f a c tua l i nf

e r e nc e a ga i ns thi m ba s e d on hi s s i l e nc e , i s a l s o m i s pl a c e d. T he F i f th A m e ndm e ntpr ovi de s , i nt e ra l i a , tha tno pe r s on “ s ha l l be c om pe l l e d i n a ny c r im in a l c a s e to b e a w itn e s s a g a in s t h im s e lf .” T h e S u p r e m e C o u r t h a s h e ld th a t, the F i fth A m endm entri gh tagai nstcom pel l ed se l f- i ncri m i nat i on appl i es at s e n t e n c i n g s o th a tn o n e g a t i v e f a c tu a l i n f

e r e n c e ma y b e d r a w n a ts e n t e n c i n g f r o m a de f e nda nt ’ s c hoi c e t o r e m a i n s i l e ntw i th r e s pe c tt o the c i r c um s t a nc e s a nd de t a i l s of the c r i m e . M i t c he l l v. U ni t e d S t a t e s , 526 U . S . 314, 328, 119 S . C t . 1307, 1315, 1437

L .E d .2 d 4 2 4 ( 1 9 9 9 ) ( r e g a r d in g th e a m o u n t o f d ru g s a ttr ib u tab le to th e d e f e n d a n t) . T he C our te xpl a i ne d tha tthe hol di ng w a s ba s e d on the gove rnm e ntha vi ng the bur de n a ts e nt e nc i ng w i th r e s pe c tt o the f a c t s i ts oughtt o e s t a bl i s h w i th the d ef en d an t’ s s il en ce , b u t i t ex p li citl y e x p re ss ed n o v iew as to w h eth era d ef en d an t’ s si l ence coul d b ea r upo n d et erm i nat i on s s uch as a cc ept ance of re spon si bi l i ty f or a d o w n w a r d a d

ju s tm e n t u n d e rU .S .S .G . § 3 E 1 .1 . I d . a t 3 3 0 , 1 1 9 S .C t. a t 1 3 1 6 . F urther, thi s C ou rt , i n U ni t ed S t at es v. H enry , 88 3 F . 2d 10 10 , 10 11 n. 6 (11 th C i r. 1989) , s t a t e d tha t“ [ n] othi ng i n s e c t i on 3E 1. 1 author i z e s e nha nc e m e ntof pu ni shm ent ; i tprov i des onl y f or se nt ence re du ct i on . ” B ec ause i ti s notcl ea r w hether the F i fth A m endm ent ’ s r i gh tagai nstcom pel l ed se l f- i ncri m i nat i on appl i es atal l w here , as here , the di stri ctcourti s det erm i ni ng w hether t o g ra nta s ent ence re du ct i on , as op po se d t o an enh ance m ent , A l m on or ca nn otshow pl ai n err or. S ee S tr a ub, 508 F . 3d a t1008 ( s t a t i ng tha ta n e rr orm us tbe c l e a rorobvi ous f ori tt o be p l ai n ). T h e reco rd , m o reo v er, d o es n o tsh o w th atth e d i stri ctco u rtm ad e ad v erse fa ctual fi nd i ng s bas ed on A l m on or’ s s i l ence . T he fi rs tst at em entw i th w hi ch A lm o n o r tak es issu e o n ap p ea l w as a q u es ti o n th e c o u rt p o se d to A lm o n o r’s att orney a tse nt enci ng du ri ng a di sc ussi on of sa fe ty- val ve re l i ef . T he courtas ked w hy A l m onorha d notgi ve n a s t a t e m e ntt o the gove rnm e nta f t e rgoi ng t o tr i a l a nd a s k e d w h e th e rth e r e w a s a t le a s t th e im p lic a tio n th a t h e d id n o t g iv e a s ta te m e n t in8

or de rt o pr ot e c tthe pe opl e f orw hom he ha d be e n w or ki ng. A l m onorr e s ponde d, thr ough c ouns e l , tha the di d notha ve i nf or m a t i on t o gi ve the gove rnm e nt , e xc e pt w hathad com e outdu ri ng hi s tri al . (I d. at7). T hu s, i tappears thatthe di stri ct c our tw a s m e r e l y i nqui r i ng a s t o w hy A l m onorha d nota va i l e d hi m s e l f of the o p p o r tu n ity to r e c e iv e s a f e ty - v a lv e r e lie f

. T he s e c ond s t a t e m e nttha tA l m onorpr of f e r s a s s uppor tf

orhi s c ont e nt i on tha tthe c our tvi ol a t e d hi s F i f th A m e ndm e ntr i ght s , i s tha t , i n f i ndi ng tha tA l m onor had n otm ethi s burden o f s ho w i ng thathe w as ent i t l ed t o a m i no r r ol e, the court not e d tha tA l m onorha d notgi ve n a ny i ndi c a t i on a s t o hi s r ol e i n the of f e ns e . T he di stri ctcourtw as no tre sol vi ng fa ct s a gai nstA l m on or, bu tw as re sol vi ng a l egal is s u e a g a in s t h im , w h e th e rh e w a s e n title d to a m in o rr o le , b a s e d o n h is f a ilu r e to ca rry hi s burden o f s ho w i ng thathe w as dese rvi ng of a m i no r r ol e. T he di stri ct c our tf ound tha tthe r e w a s no e vi de nc e , i nc l udi ng a s t a t e m e ntf r om A l m onor r e ga r di ng hi s r ol e , f

r om w hi c h i tc oul d c onc l ude tha tA l m onorw a s e nt i t l e d t o a m i nor - r ol e . A c c or di ngl y , A l m onorha s f a i l e d t o e s t a bl i s h pl a i n e rr orba s e d on the F if th A m e n d m e n t. In short , the re cord i n thi s c as e s up po rt s the se nt ence i m po se d b y the di stri ct c o u r t. A FFI R M ED