2007 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 1-11-2007 

# U SA v . S m yth 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 . 05-1046

F o llow thi s and a dd it ion al work s at : http://d i git alc ommon s .l a w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2007

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 ll anova 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 2007 D e c i sion s b y an author i z e d a dmini s tr at or of V i ll anova 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 ll anova . e du . Re c omme nde d C it at ion
" U SA v . S m yth" (2007). 2007 D e cisio n s . P ape r 1782. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2007/1782NOT P RE CE DE NT I AL UN I TED STATES CO UR T OF A PP EALS F O R T H E T H IR D C IR C U IT
N o. 05- 1046
UNI TE D ST ATE S OF AM ERI CA

v. J AM ES S M YTH

A ppel l ant
A p p ea l from the U n it ed S tat es D istri ct C o u rt f o r th e M id d le D istric t o f P e n n sy lv a n ia C r i m i nal N o. 04- cr - 00316 T he H onor abl e W i l l i am J. N eal on, Seni orD i s t r i ctJ udge
Subm i t t ed underT hi r d C i r cui tL A R 34. 1( a)

M ar ch 10, 2006 B efore: A L D ISE R T and R O T H *, S eniorC i rcui tJudg es,

R O D R I G U E Z **, D i s t r i ctJ udge ( Fi l ed: J anuary11, 2007)

*The Honorable Jane R. Roth assumed senior status on May 31, 2006. **T he H onorab le J os eph H
. R odr i guez, Seni orU ni t ed St at es J udge forthe D i s tr i ct of N ew J er s ey , s i t t i ng bydes i gnat i on.2 OP I NI ON OF THE COURT
RO DRI GU EZ , Seni orD i s t r i ctJ udge. Ja m e s S m yth a p p e a ls th e n o n -sta n d a rd c o n d iti o n s th a t w e re im p o se d a s p a rt o f h is
s ent ence aft erpl eadi ng gui l t yt o vi ol at i ng 18 U
. S. C
. § 1519. O n appea l , Sm yt h ar gues that the D istri ct C o u rt , in se n tenc ing h im , ab u sed it s d iscreti o n b ec au se th e n o n -st an d ard condi t i ons i m pos ed do notr eas onabl yr el at e t o t he off ens e of c onvi ct i on. H e al s o ar gues thatone of the condi t i ons i s overbr oad and va gue, ther ebys ubj ect i ng hi m t o a gr eat er depr i vat i on of l i bert yt han i s r eas onabl ynece s s ary . W e have j ur i s di ct i on t o r evi ew the
sen tenc e im p o sed p u rsua n t t o 2 8 U . S
. C
. § 1 2 9 1 an d 1 8 U . S
. C
. § 3 7 4 2 (a). W e w il l aff irm i n par tand vac at e i n part , and r emand t o t he D i s t r i ctC our tforfur t herpr ocee di ngs
cons i s t entw i t h t hi s O pi ni on. I. B ec au se w e w ri te so lel yfo r th e p arti es, w e w il l add ress o n lytho se f ac ts th at are
r el evantt o ouranal y s i s . D ur i ng t he s um m erof 2002, Sm yt h w as i dent i fi ed i n connec t i on
w i th an i nves t i gat i on i nt o a chi l d por nogr aphydi s t r i but i on r i ng bei ng conduct ed bythe F e d e ra l B u re a u o f

In v e stig a tio n (“ F B I” ). A f ter b e in g c o n tac ted b ya n F B I a g e n t in N o v em b er o f 2 0 0 3 , S m yth ag ree d to p rov ide h is co m p u ter ha rd d ri v e to th e F B I; how ever , he pr ovi ded a w or t hl es s partof the comput erand dumped t he ac tual har d dr i ve in a b o d yo f

w a ter to p re v e n t th e F B I f ro m re triev in g a n d a n a ly z in g it.3

O n Sept ember24, 2004, t he governm entfi l ed, and Sm yt h pl eade d gui l t yt o, a oneco u n t sup erse d ing inf

o rm ati o n , w h ich c h arg ed S m yth w ith d estroy ing a c o m p u ter ha rd d riv e w ith th e in ten t to o b stru c t a f e d e ra l in v e stig a tio n o f

p o ss e ss io n o f

c h ild p o rno g rap h y , in v iolati o n o f 1 8 U . S
. C
. § 1 5 1 9
. O n D ec em b er 1 7 , 2 0 0 4 , the D istri ct C o u rt
s ent ence d Sm yt h t o t w el ve mont hs i ncar cer at i on fol l ow ed bythr ee y ear s of s upervi s ed release
. In a d d it ion to the stan d ard co n d it ion s o f su p erv ised release , the D istri ct C o u rt im p o se d f

o u r n o n -sta n d a rd c o n d iti o n s n o t in c lu d e d in th e se ttl e m e n t ag re e m e n t. S m yth obj ect ed to tw o o f t he fo ur. T heyare as foll ow s: ( 1) T he def

endants hal l part i ci pat e i n a sex offende r t r eatm entpr ogr am, w hi ch m ayinclu d e r i s k as s es s m entt es t i ng, couns el i ng, and ther apeut i c pol y gr aph exami nat i ons , and s hal l compl yw i t h al l r equ ir ement s of the tr eatm ent pr ovi der
. T he def

endants hal l contr i but e t o t he cos tof tr eatm enti n an amount t o be det erm i ned by t he pr obat i on offi cer , and t he t r eatm ent i s t o be conduc t ed b ya the rap istap p rov ed b ythe p rob ati o n o ff icer. ( 2 ) T h e d e f

e n d a n ts h a l l n o ta s s o c i a t e wi t h th e c h i l d r e n , o t h e rth a n h i s o wn chi l dr en, undert he age of 18 exc epti n the pr es ence of an adul tw ho has been ap p rov ed b ythe p rob ati o n o ff icer. ( J udgm enti n a C r i m i nal C as e, app. at6. ) T hi s appea l fol l ow ed. II. B ec au se, at sen tenc ing , S m yth ch all en g ed the im p o sit ion o f th e n o n -st an d ard condi t i ons , w e w i l l r evi ew forabus e of di s cr et i on. U ni t ed St at es v. L oy , 237 F. 3d 251, 2 5 6 (3d C ir
. 2 0 0 1 ). III . Sm yt h ar gues t hatbeca us e the tw o non- s t andar d condi t i ons out l i ned above do not4

r eas onabl yr el at e t o t he off ens e of c onvi ct i on, i tw as an abus e of di s cr et i on forthe D i s tr i ct C o u rtto im p o se th em . W e d isag ree . In li g h t of S m yth’s crim inal h ist o ryan d the n ature
a n d c irc u m sta n c e s o f

th e o f f e n se , the c o n d iti o n s im p o se d a re a re a so n a b le p u n ish m e n t. S entenci ng cou rt s have “ broad d i scr et i on t o tai l or cond i t i on s of sup ervi sed rel ease t o the goal s and purpos es ” s etfor t h i n 18 U
. S. C
. § 3553( a)
. U ni t ed St at es v. B al s on, 384 F. 3d 38, 42 ( 2d C i r . 2004)
. T i t l e 18 U
. S. C
. § 3553( a) s t at es , i n per t i nentpart , thatthe di s tr i ctcourts houl d cons i dert he fol l ow i ng: ( 1) t he natur e and c i r cumst ance s of the off ens e and the hi s t oryand c h a ra c ter istics o f

th e d e f e n d a n t; ( 2) t he nee d fort he s ent ence i m pos ed– * * * (B ) to a f

f o rd a d e q u a te d e ter re n c e to c rim in a l co n d u c t; ( C ) t o pr ot ectt he publ i c fr om fur t hercr i m es of the def endant ; and ( D ) t o pr ovi de the def

endantw i t h neede d educa t i onal orvocat i onal t r ai ni ng, m ed ical care o r oth er c o rrecti o n al trea tm en t i n the m o st eff ec ti v e m an n er. 18 U . S
. C
. § 3 55 3(a) (1) , (2) (B )- (D ) ( 20 03 ). W e hav e st at ed thatspeci al con dit i on s m ust b e u p h e ld a s lo n g a s th e yre a s o n a b ly re la te to a n yo f th e f a c to rs s e t f

o rt h in 1 8 U .S .C . § 3 5 5 3 (a). U n it ed S tat es v . P rud en , 3 9 8 F . 3 d 2 4 1 , 2 4 8 (3d C ir
. 2 0 0 5 ). H er e, t he s peci al condi t i ons of s upervi s ed r el eas e do r eas onabl yr el at e t o t he f a c to rs s e t f

o rth in 1 8 U .S .C . § 3 5 5 3 (a )(1 ). S p e c if ica lly , the sp e c ial c o n d iti o n s re a so n a b ly
re late to th e “ n a tu re a n d c irc u m sta n c e s o f th e o f f e n se .” A lth o u g h S m yth g e n e ric a lly d e sc rib e s h is c o n v ictio n a s o n e o f “ o b stru c tin g a n in v e stig a tio n b yd e stro y in g a tan g ib le
o b jec t,” (A p p e llan t’s B r., p. 1 2 ), h e c a n n o t es c a p e th e f a c tu a l b a sis th a t su p p o rte d h is gui l typl ea. D ur i ng t he col l oquy , Sm yt h agr eed w i t h t he fol l ow i ng r epr es ent at i on:5 M R. S EM P A: Yo u rH on or , we wo u l d p r e s e n te v i d e n c e th a tth e F BI w as i nvol ved i n an i nves t i gat i on i nt o chi l d pornogr aphy i n s ever al s t at es i n t he U n ited S tate s a n d th a t in f o rm a tio n f

ro m o n e o f

th e F B I o f

f ice s in a n o th e r sta te w a s s e n t to th e S c ra n to n o f f ice , ind ic a ti n g th a t a sc re e n n a m e u se d b yth is D efen dan t , M r. S m yt h, m ay , i n fac t , be in p o ss e ss io n of o r used t o p ossess c h i l d p o r n o g r a p h y. B as ed on that , i n N ovemberof 2003 an FB I agent cont act ed M r . Sm yt h. A nd aft ert el l ing h im , y o u know , w hatw as goi ng on, the natur e of the in v e stig a tio n a n d so f

o rth , as k e d M r. S m yth if M r. S m yth w o u ld v o lu n tar ily tur n overhi s comput erhar d dr i ve. M r . Sm yt h, i ns t ead of turni ng over t he comput erhar d dr i ve turned over a partof the comput ert hatw as notthe har d dr i ve butw oul d notal l ow agent t o chec k t hatand i ns t ead t ook hi s comput er h ard d ri ve, conce al ed i tand ul t i m at el ydr opped i ti n a bodyof w at erand des t r oy ed i t , w hi ch i m peded the i nves t i gat i on. ( A ppx. p. 42. ) B eca us e the condi t i ons r equi r e Sm yt h t o att end a s ex off endertr eatm ent pr ogr am and r es t r i cthi s as s oci at i on w i t h chi l dr en, theyar e r eas onabl yr el at ed t o t he natur e and c i r cumst ance s of the pr es entoffe ns e–obs t ruct i ng a chi l d- por nogr aphy in v e stig a tio n b yd e stro y in g a tan g ib le o b jec t to p re v e n t th e F B I f ro m a n a ly z in g its
con t ents . I n addi t i on, t he s peci al condi t i ons r eas onabl yr el at e t o t he “hi s t oryand ch ara cterist ics o f th e d ef en d an t. ” 1 8 U . S
. C
. § 3 5 5 3 (a)(1). Sm yth’s crim inal h ist o ry i ncl udes t w o convi ct i ons of part i cul ari m por ther e. Fi r s t , Sm yt h w as convi ct ed i n 1990 forcorrupt i on of m i nor s beca us e he pr ovi ded thr ee unde r age boy s w i t h al cohol
. Second, and more i m por t ant l y , Sm yt h w as convi ct ed of ope n l ew dnes s i n 1995 beca us e he w as nak ed o n a co uch , cov ered on l ybya blanket, besi de a n aked fou r- y ear ol d b oy . B ecause Sm yth has a hi s t or yof comm i t t i ng cr i m i nal offe ns es agai ns tm i nor s , tw o of w hi ch ar e of a6

s exual natur e, s peci al condi t i ons l i m i t i ng hi s as s oci at i on w i t h m i nor s and r equi r i ng s ex offe ndertr eatm entand couns el i ng ar e r eas onabl yr el at ed t o t he hi s t oryand cha r act er i s t i cs
o f th e d e f e n d a n t. F in a lly , the sp e c ial c o n d iti o n s re a so n a b lyre late to “ a f f o rd [ in g ] a d e q u a te det err ence t o cr i m i nal conduct , ” “pr ot ect [i ng] the publ i c fr om fur t hercr i m es of the defe ndant ” and pr ovi di ng t he def endantw i t h “corr ect i onal tr eatm enti n t he mosteff ect i ve
m a n n e r.” 1 8 U .S .C . § 3 5 5 3 (a )(2 ). G iv e n S m yth ’s c rim in a l h isto ry , itis re a so n a b le to
re q u ire th a t h e re c e iv e se x o f f e n d e r tre a tm e n t an d to lim it h is a ss o c iatio n w ith m in o rs in
o rde r t o d eter h is cri m inal co n d u ct an d p rotec t th e p u b li c. M o reo v er, th ese co n d it ion s are eff ect i ve w ay s t o i m pl ementcorr ect i onal tr eatm ent . A ccor di ngl y , w e fi nd thatthe nons ta n d a rd c o n d itio n s im p o s e d b yth e D is tr ic t C o u rt s a tis f yth e re q u ir e m e n ts o f

1 8 U .S .C . § 3553. I V. S m yth a lso a rg u e s th a t th e c o n d iti o n lim iti n g c o n tac t w ith c h ild re n is u n n e c e ss a rily b ro a d b e c a u se it co u ld b e re a d to , fo r e x a m p le, p ro h ib it h im f ro m b e in g in c o n tac t w ith
m i norfami l ym ember s –even thos e ac compani ed byadul t s . W e agr ee. S p e c ial c o n d iti o n s o f

su p e rv ise d re lea se m u st b e “ ‘re a so n a b lyre late d ’ to th e g o a ls of det err ence , pr ot ect i on of the publ i c, and r ehabi l i t at i on of the def endant
. ” Loy , 237 F. 3d at267 ( quot i ng 18 U
. S. C
. § 3583( d) ( 1) )
. I n addi t i on, theym us t“‘ i nvol ve[] no gr eat erdepr i vat i on of l i bert yt han i s r eas onabl ynece s s ary ’ t o m eetthes e goal s . ” I d.7

( quot i ng 18 U
. S. C
. § 3583( d) ( 2) )
. Fi nal l y , “s upervi s ed r el eas e condi t i ons thataff ect
c o n stitu tio n a l rig h ts w ill [ o n ly ] b e v a lid if ‘n a rro w lytailo re d a n d
. . . d ire c tlyre late d to det err i ng [the off

ender ] and pr ot ect i ng the publ i c. ’ ” I d. ( quot i ng U ni t ed St at es v. C ran d o n , 1 7 3 F . 3 d 1 2 2 , 1 2 8 (3d C ir
. 1 9 9 9 )). A l though t he governm entar gues thatthe l anguage of the condi t i on i s nei t her
overbr oad norvague, t he tr ans cr i ptof the s ent enci ng hear i ng s ugges t s ot herw i s e:

M S. G H I L A R D I : So t hi s w oul d m ean thathe ca n’ tas s oci at e w i t h– T H E C O U R T : W i t h chi l dr en otherthan hi s ow n chi l dr en. M S. GH I LAR DI : W hataboutfami l ym ember s , Y ourH onor , l i ke ni ece s and ne p h ew s, thats or tof thi ng? I mean, t hat ’ s a r atherveryr es t r i ct i ve co n d it ion , Y o u r H o n o r. T H E C O U R T : I t i s . B ut underthe ci r cumst ance s i tw oul d s eem t o be appr opr i at e. B ut w ho ar e they ? A r e ther e a l otof ni ece s and nephe w s under 18? M S . G H IL A R D I: I d o n ’t k n o w , Y o u r H o n o r. A ll I’m sa y in g is t h a t I ca n en v isi o n h im b eing in a circu m stan ce w h ere h e g o es so m ew h ere an d there ar e chi l dr en undert he age of 18 ther e. I s he j us ts uppos ed t o l eave ? T H E C O U R T : W el l , i f y ou m ak e a su gges t i on then, i ns t ead of asso ciate, w h at w o u ld y o u p ref er? M S. G H I L A R D I : I ’ m s orr y , Y ourH onor , I don’ thave a sugges t i on b e c a u se I ju st– I se e th is b e in g v e ryd if f icu lt. * * * T H E C O U R T : I ’ l l as k the Pr obat i on O ffi cer , w hatw oul d be expe ct ed i n y ours upervi s i on underC ondi t i on s i x? P R O B A T IO N O F F IC E R C O Y E R : W el l , Y ou r H on or, I w o u ld8

a n ticip a te th a t th e D e f

e n d a n t’s w if

e w o u ld b e a n a p p ro v e d p e rso n . S o th a t if theyar e i n a sch o o l o r i f theyar e w i th hi s ow n chi l dr en thats houl d notbe a pr obl em. W hatw e’ r e try ing t o avoi d i s a s i tuat i on w her e he’ s i n an uns upervi s ed pos i t i on w i t h y oung chi l dr en. Som ethi ng t hathe’ s goi ng t o have to an ti cipa te an d then b ri n g to the att en ti o n o f th e p rob ati o n o ff icer. * * * M S. G H I L A R D I : A nd agai n, Y ourH onor , I ’ m s orr ybut i ts eems l i ke I’m b e lab o rin g th is p o in t– T H E C O U R T : W el l , no. T hi s w i l l s t and. T her e w i l l be som ethi ng w o rk e d a b o u t ( sic ) b e tw e e n th e p ro b a tio n o f f ice r a n d th is D e f

e n d a n t. A n d if ther e’ s a vi ol at i on, w e’ l l addr es s the i m por tof the l anguage atthatt i m e. M S. G H I L A R D I : O kay
. B eca us e I s uppos e the r eas on w hyI am goi ng thr ough t his d isc us s i on, Y ourH onor , i s beca us e I don’ tw antt o have a v io la ti o n a n d I k n o w m yc lien t d o e sn ’t e ith e r. S o I su p p o se I’m try in g to cl ar i fyw hatt he gr ound rul es ar e bec aus e I have notever b ee n in a s i tuat i on b e f o re w h e re th is s o rt o f

c o n d iti o n h a s b e e n im p o se d b yth e C o u rt. ( Sent enci ng T r ans cr i pt , app. at54- 57) ( emphasi s added)
. I ti s cl earthateven the D i s tr i ct C our tcoul d notfor es ee how t he l anguage w oul d be i nt erpr et ed s houl d Sm yt h be cha r ged
w ith a v io latio n o f

th e c o n d iti o n w h ile o n su p e rv ise d re lea se . W h ile w e a g re e th a t a l i m i t at i on on Sm yt h’ s cont actw i t h m i nor s i s appr opr i at e, s ee Loy , 237 F. 3d at267- 68 (h o ld in g th a t itis a p p ro p ria te to p ro h ib it a d e f e n d a n t f ro m a ll u n su p e rv ise d c o n tac t w ith
m in o rs e v e n th o u g h th e d e f e n d a n t w a s o n lyc o n v icte d o f p o ss e ss io n o f

c h ild p o rn o g ra p h y ), th e lim itatio n h e re lea v e s to o m u c h g u e ss a s to its m e a n in g a n d its appl i cat i on. Sm yt h s houl d nothave t o w ai tunt i l ther e i s a vi ol at i on t o have the i m por tof th e lan g u a g e a d d re ss e d . A c c o rd in g ly , w e w ill v a c a te a n d re m a n d f o r th e D istric t C o u rt to devel op an as s oci at i on condi t i on t hati s notoverbr oad and va gue.9 V. F o r th e f o re g o in g re a so n s, w e w ill a f f irm in p a rt a n d v a c a te in p a rt, an d re m a n d to the D i s tr i ctC our tforfur t herpr ocee di ngs cons i s t entw i t h thi s O pi ni on.10

RO TH , S e n io r C irc u it Ju d g e , co n c u rrin g in p a rt a n d d iss e n tin g in p a rt: I a g re e w ith th e m a

jo ri ty in s o f

a r a s it a f

f ir m s th e ju d g m e n t o f

s e n te n c e . I
r es pect ful l ydi s s ent , how ever , beca us e I w oul d aff i r m the s ent ence i n i t s ent i r ety . T he defe ndant , J ames Sm yt h, obj ect s t o C ondi t i on 2 of hi s s upervi s ed r el eas e: T h e d e f e n d a n ts h a l l n o ta s s o c i a t e wi t h th e c h i l d r e n , o t h e rth a n h i s o wn chi l dr en, undert he age of 18 exc epti n t he pr es ence of an a dul tw ho has b ee n ap p rov ed b ythe p rob ati o n o ff icer. T h e m a jo rityc o n c lu d e s th a t, w h ile a lim itatio n o n S m yth ’s c o n tac t w ith m in o rs is
a p p ro p ria te, th e lim itatio n o f C o n d iti o n 2 lea v e s to o m u c h g u e ss a s to its m e a n in g a n d its
a p p lic a tio n . I c o n c lu d e to th e c o n tra ryth a t th e lan g u a g e is p lain a n d sim p le a n d its m e a n in g is
c lea r – S m yth sh a ll n o t as so c iate w ith a n yc h ild re n u n d e r th e a g e o f 1 8 , o th e r th a n h is
o w n , ex ce p t i n the p rese n ce o f a n ap p rov ed ad u lt
. I find this co n d it ion is ap p rop ri ate f o r a
m an w i th co nv i ct i on s for chi l d p ornog raphy , corrup t i on of m i no rs , and op en lew dn ess
w i th a fo ur- y ear ol d b oy . H e m ustst ayaw ayfrom chil dren – n o li m i t s, no vag uen ess. F o r th e a b o v e re a so n , I d o n o t f in d C o n d iti o n 2 re q u ire s a n yg u e ss in g a s to its
m eani ng and appl i cat i on and I w oul d aff i r m i tas a condi t i on of s upervi s ed r el eas e.