# 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 8- 12 30

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Am el a Dol ic

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Peti ti on er

v.

W il li am P. Barr, Att or ne y

Gene ral of t he Uni te d S ta te s 1

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Resp on de nt

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Pet it io n fo r Rev ie w of a n Ord er o f th e Bo ard of I m

m ig rat io n Ap pe al s

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Su bm it te d: Jan ua ry

15 , 20 19 Fi le d: Feb ru ary 20 , 20 19

__ __ __ __ __ __ Befo re GRUENDER, W OLLMAN, and SHEPHERD, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

__ __ __ __ __ __ GRUENDER, Circ ui t J ud ge

.

Am el a Dol ic pe ti ti on s fo r rev ie w of th e Bo ard of Im m ig rat io n App eal s (“ BIA”) de ci si on af

fir m in g th e im m ig rat io n jud ge ’s ( “ IJ ”) de ni al of he r m ot io n to te rm in at e

rem ov al pro ceed in gs . W e d en y th e p et it io n.

Pu rs ua nt to Fed eral Ru le of App el la te Pro ced ur e 43 (c)( 2)
, W il li am P. Barr ha s 1 be en au to m at ic al ly sub st it ut ed as a pa rty.Dol ic
, a na ti ve an d ci ti zen of Bo sn ia -Herz eg ov in a, was ad m it te d to th e Uni te d

St at e s in 20 06 as a co nd it io na l res id en t, an d in 20 09 he r st at us ch an ge d to la wfu l

pe rm an en t res id en t. In Mar ch of 20 17
, a Mi ss ou ri st at e co ur t co nv ic te d Dol ic of th ree

co un ts of r ecei vi ng st ol en pro pe rty and fou r co un ts of p as si ng a ba d c he ck

.

An al i e n co nv ic te d of “ two or m or e cri m es in vo lv in g m or al tu rp it ud e, no t ari si ng ou t of a si ng le sc h e me of cri m in al m is co nd uc t” is rem ov ab le un de r th e Im m ig rat io n an d Nati on al it y Act (“ INA”). Se e 8 U.S.C. § 12 27 (a)( 2) (A)(i i); se e al so Gomez -Gu ti er re

z v. Lync h , 81 1 F .3d 10 53 , 10 57 (8t h C ir. 2 01 6) . Bas ed on Dol ic ’s

co nv ic ti on s fo r rece iv in g st ol en pr op ert y an d pa ss in g ba d ch eck s, th e Dep art m en t of
Hom el an d Secu rit y (“ DHS”) ch arg ed he r wit h rem ov ab il it y

. Dol ic fil ed a m ot io n to
te rm in at e rem ov al pr oc eed in gs an d all eg ed th at DHS ha d no t dem on st rat ed th at he r

co nv ic ti on s qu al ifi ed as cri m es in vo lv in g m or al tu rp it ud e. The IJ de ni ed th e pe ti ti on , fin di ng th at Dol ic ’s c on vi ct io ns were fo r cri m es in vo lv in g m or al tu rp it ud e, an d t he
BIA affi rm ed

. On ap pe al
, Dol ic do es no t co nt es t th e fact of th es e co nv ic ti on s or th at th ey aro se ou t of m

ul ti pl e sc he m es of c r i mi n a l mi sc on du ct , bu t on ly whe th er th ey were fo r cri m es in vo lv in g m or al tu rp it ud e.

W he th er a co nv ic ti on qu al ifi es as a cri m e in vo lv in g m or al tu rp it ud e (“ CIM T”) is a le ga l qu es ti on , su bjec t to de no vo rev ie w. Se e G o m e z , 8 11 F.3 d at 10 58

. “ In

an al y zi ng th at qu es ti on , we affo rd su bs ta nt ia l de fere nc e to th e [BIA’s] in te rp ret at io n of am bi gu ou s s ta tu to ry

lan gu ag e in th e INA an d wil l up ho ld it s co ns tru ct io n if it is

reas on ab le .” Id

. “ In th e ab se nc e o f a s t at ut or y de fin it io n,” th e BIA ha s de fin ed a CIM T as on e “ whi ch is in he ren tl y ba se , vi le
, or de pr av ed
, an d co nt rary to th e

acce pt ed ru le s of m or al it y an d th e du ti es owe d b e t w een pe rs on s or to so ci et y in

ge ne ral .” Alo nz o v . Lyn ch , 82 1 F .3d 95 1, 9 58 (8 th Ci r. 20 16 ). The Su pr em e Co ur t ha s al so es ta bl is he d th at a cri m e in whi ch frau d is an el em en t m eet s th e de fin it io n of

a C I M T. S e e Bob ad il la v. Hol de r , 67 9 F.3 d 10 52
, 10 57 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ) (ci ti ng Jo rd an v. De Geo rg e , 34 1 U.S. 2 23 , 22 9 (1 95 1) ).

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-W e do no t lo ok to Dol ic ’s pa rti cu la r co nd uc t to de te rm in e if it in vo lv ed m or al

tu rp it ud e be cau se th e INA as ks whe th er th e cr ime of co nv ic ti on fit s a cert ai n cat eg or y (“ cri m es in vo lv in g m or al tu rp it ud e”), no t whe th er an al i e n ’s a c t s fit th at cat eg or y

. Se e Bob ad il la , 6 79 F.3 d at 10 54 -5 5. Und er t hi s ca te go ric al ap pr oa ch , “ [a]n al ie n’s

act ua l co nd uc t is irr el ev an t

. . . [an d] th e ad jud ic at or m

us t pr es um e th at th e co nv ic ti on

res te d u p o n n ot hi ng m or e th an th e le as t of th e act s cri m in al iz ed un de r th e st at e
st at ut e.” Alo nz o , 82 1 F .3d at 9 60 (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s o m it te d)

.

W he n “ a st at ut e de fin es on ly a si ng le cri m e wit h a si ng le se t of el em en ts ,”
Mat hi s v

. U

n it ed St at es , 13 6 S. Ct

. 22 43
, 22 45 (2 01 6)
, we as k whe th er th e cri m e

“ ne ces sa ril y in vo lv ed

. . . fact s eq ua ti ng to ” th e de fin it io n of a CIM T, se e Mon cr ie ff e

v. Hol de r , 56 9 U.S. 18 4, 19 0 (in te rn al qu ot at i o n m ark s om it te d)

. If so , th at st at ut e
qu al ifi es as a CIM T. Id

. Bu t, if th ere is a “ real is ti c pr ob ab il it y

. . . t h a t th e St at e

wou ld ap pl y it s st at ut e to co nd uc t th at fal ls ou t s id e” th e de fin it io n of a CIM T, th at
st at ut e is ov erb ro ad an d fa il s t o q ua li fy

. Id

. at 20 6.

Mo

. Rev

. St at § 57 0.1 20 go ve rn s th e cri m e of pa ss in g ba d ch eck s. It st at es , in

pe rti ne nt pa rt:

1. A p ers on co m

m it s t he off

en se of p as si ng a ba d c he ck when he or s he :
(1 ) W it h th e pu rp os e to de frau d, .

. . pa ss es a ch eck

. . . kn owi ng th at it wil l n ot be pa id by the dra wee, o r th at th ere i s n o s uc h d rawee ; o r
(2 )

. . . pa ss es a ch eck

. . . kn owi ng th at th ere are in su ffi ci en t fu nd s in or
on de p o s i t w i t h th at acco un t fo r th e pa y m en t of su ch ch eck

. . . in fu ll

. . . up on su ch fu nd s th en ou ts ta nd in g, or th at th ere is no su ch acco u n t

or no dr awee an d fai ls t o p a y t h e c h e ck

. . . wit hi n te n da y s aft er
re c e i v i n g act ua l no ti ce in writ in g th at it ha s no t be en pa id be cau se of in su ffi ci en t fu nd s or cred it wit h th e dr awee or be cau se th ere is no su ch dr awee.

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-No p art y di sp ut es th at § 57 0.1 20 .1 is ov erb ro ad , b ecau se § 5 70 .12 0.1 (2 ) al lo ws fo r

a co nv ic ti on wit ho ut “ a cu lp ab le m en ta l st at e an d rep reh en si bl e co nd uc t.” Alo nz o , 82 1 F.3 d at 95 8 (8 th Ci r. 20 16 ). The refo re, we can no t ap pl y th e cat eg or ic al ap pr oa ch

.

Bu t th is an al y si s is no t di sp os it iv e. So m e ov erb ro ad st at ut es de fin e “ m ul ti pl e cri m e s ” a n d s o are “ di vi si bl e.” Mat hi s , 13 6 S. Ct

. at 22 49

. W he re a st at ut e is di vi si bl e, we ap pl y th e m od ifi ed cat eg or ic al ap pr oa ch to d e te rm in e whe th er a de fen da nt was co nv ic te d pu rs ua nt to a “ di sc ret e su bs ect io n” of th e ov erb ro ad st at ut e de fin i n g a se pa rat e cri m e th at “ ne ces sa ril y in vo lv ed

. . . fact s eq ua ti ng to ” th e de fin it io n of a CIM T. Se e Alo nz o , 82 1 F.3 d at 96 0
, 9 6 3 ( q uo ti ng Mon cr ie ff e , 56 9 U.S. at 19 0)

. If so , th e cri m e of co nv ic ti on st il l qu al ifi es as a CIM T. Se e Id

. at 96 2

.

Th u s , w h e t he r we can ap pl y th e m od ifi ed cat eg or ic al ap pr oa ch hi ng es on whe th er § 57 0.1 20 .1 is di vi si bl e. Se e Uni te d St at es v. La mb
, 84 7 F.3 d 92 8, 93 1 (8 th Ci r. 20 17 ), cer t. de ni ed
, 13 8 S. Ct

. 14 38 (2 01 8)

. Sect io n 57 0.1 20 .1 is di vi si bl e on ly if it “ effe ct iv el y crea te s se ve ral di ffer en t

. . . cri m es ,” Des ca mps v. Uni te d St at es , 57 0 U.S. 25 4, 26 4 (2 0 13 ) (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s om it te d)
, by li st in g al te rn at iv e el em e n t s , n o t m ean s, Mat hi s , 13 6 S. Ct

. at 22 54 -5 5. Elem en ts are “ th e th in gs th e
pr os ecu ti on m

us t pr ov e to su st ai n a co nv ic ti on .” Id

. at 22 48 (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s

om it te d)

. Mea ns or “ br ut e fac ts ” are “ [h ]ow a gi ve n d efen da nt act ua ll y pe rp et rat ed th e cri m e.” Id

. a t 22 51

. To di st in gu is h be twee n el em en ts an d m ean s, we m ay

co ns id er “ au th or it at iv e so ur c e s o f st at e la w” an d th e st at ut e’s te xt

. Id

. at 22 56

. If

ne ces sa ry , we m ay al so “ pe ek ” at th e reco rd of th e pr io r co nv ic ti on , bu t on ly to de te rm in e if

th e st at ut or y

alt ern at iv es are el em en ts or m ean s. Id

. at 22 57

.

Here, we co nc lu de th at § 57 0.1 20 .1 li st s al te rn a ti ve el em en ts an d so is di vi si bl e. The te xt co nt ai ns two su bs ect io ns th at “ se t fo rth al te rn at iv e way s in whi ch

o n e may vi ol at e th e st at ut e.” Se e Alo nz o , 82 1 F.3 d at 96 2 (“ The ha ll m ark o f di vi si bi li ty is th e en um erat io n of al te rn at iv e ba s e s f o r co nv ic ti on se pa rat ed by th e di sju nc ti ve ‘or.’”). Mi ss ou ri st at e co ur t de ci si on s t r e at § 57 0.1 20 .1’s al te rn at iv e

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-pa rag rap hs (1 ) an d (2 ) as crea ti ng in de pe nd en t of fen se s th at are cha rg ed se pa rat el y

. Se e St at e v. Ca rr ol l
, 41 S.W .3d 87 8, 88 2 (Mo

. 20 01 ) (en ba nc ) (fi nd in g th at “ [u ]nde r

se ct io n 57 0.1 20 .1(1 )” th e “ cri m e of p a s s i ng a ba d ch eck is pr ov en by ev id en ce

es ta bl is hi ng th at an accu se d pa ss ed a ch eck wit h th e pu rp os e to de frau d, kn owi ng it

wou ld no t be pa id by th e d r a w e e ” a n d t ha t “ th e ev id en ce is su ffi ci en t to es ta bl is h th os e el emen ts ” (em

ph as is ad de d) ); St at e v. W il li ams , 46 9 S.W .3d 6, 9 (Mo

. Ct

. App

. 20 15 ) (“ By el ect in g to ch arg e Defen da nt wit h a vi ol at io n of § 57 0.1 20 .1(2 ), on e of th e el emen ts th at th e St at e ha d th e bu rd en to pr ov e was th at Defen da nt fai le d to pa y
t h e ch eck ‘w it hi n te n da y s

. . . .’ ” (em ph as is ad de d) ). The se st at e co ur t d e c i s i o n s

m at ch th e ap pr ov ed jury in st ru ct io ns en act ed by th e Mi ss ou ri Su pr em e Co ur t, whi ch

es ta bl is h th at § 57 0.1 20 .1 co nt ai ns m ul ti pl e po ss ib le of

fen se s wit h di st in ct el em en ts th at th e “ pr os ecu ti on m

us t pr ov e to su st ai n a co nv ic ti on .” Mat hi s , 13 6 S. Ct

. at 22 56

. Thre e in st ru ct io ns ap pl y to § 57 0.1 20 .1(1 ) (al l co nt ai ni ng “ pu rp os e to de frau d” as an el em en t) an d on e in st ru ct io n ap pl ie s to § 57 0.1 20. 1(2) (en ti tl ed “ Ten Day Not ic e” an d

co nt ai ni ng no “ pu rp os e to de frau d” ele m en t). Se e MAI-C R 3 d 3 24 .30 .1-4

.

In su m , th e te xt of th e st at ut e an d Mi ss ou ri st at e co ur t au th or it y es ta bl is h th at § 57 0.1 20 .1(2 ) is a di st in ct cri m e f r om § 57 0.1 20 .1(1 ), whi ch ne ces sa ril y in cl ud es

“ pu rp os e to de frau d” as an el em en t, se e Ca rr ol l
, 41 S.W

. 3 d a t 88 2, an d so is

cat eg or ic al ly a CIMT, see Bob ad il la , 67 9 F .3d at 1 05 7.

App lying th e m od ifi ed cat eg or ic al ap pr oa ch , we m ay lo ok “ to a li m it ed cla ss of do cu m en ts (fo r ex am

pl e, th e in di ct m en t, jury in st ru ct io ns , or pl ea agre em en t and

co ll oq uy) t o de te rm in e wha t cri m e, wit h wha t el em en ts , a de fen da nt was co nv ic te d of .” Mat hi s , 13 6 S. Ct

. at 22 49

. Here, th e reco rd sh ows th at Dol ic pl ead ed gu il ty to fo ur ch arg es of pa ss in g a ba d ch eck pu rs ua nt to § 57 0.1 2 0
, w i th ou t sp eci fy in g a

su bp arag rap h. Bu t each of he r ch arg in g do cu m en ts co nt ai ns la ng ua ge th at tra ck s th e la ng ua ge of § 57 0.1 20 .1(1 ) an d in cl ud es th e el em en t “ wit h th e pu rp os e to de frau d.”

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-The refo re, we co nc lu de th at § 5 70 .12 0.1 (1 ) was in fact Dol ic ’s cri m e o f co nv ic ti on

in each in st an ce.

Bec au se Dol ic ’s fo ur Mi ss ou ri co nv ic ti on s fo r pa ss in g a ba d ch eck qu al ify as cri m es in vo lv in g m or al tu rp it ud e, we ne ed no t c o n s i d er whe th er he r co nv ic ti on s
pu rs ua nt to Mo . Rev . Sta t § 57 0.0 80 als o q ua li fy

.

W e d en y Dol ic ’s pet it io n.

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