# 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 6- 44 99

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Uni te d S ta te s o f Am eri ca

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pla in ti

ff - App el le e

v.

W il li am Mars ha ll

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll an t

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App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Eas te rn Dis tri ct of Ark an sa s - Li tt le Ro ck

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Su bm it te d: Decem

be r 11 , 20 17
Fil ed : J un e 4 , 20 18 [Pu bl is he d]

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Befo re SM ITH, Chi ef J ud ge , ARNOLD and KELLY , Cir cu it Ju dg es

.

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PER CURI AM.

W il li am Mar sh al l pl ead ed gu il ty to m ak in g a fal se st at em en t to a go ve rn m en t

ag en cy (“ Co un t 1” ) an d ag gr av at ed id en ti ty th ef t ( “Co u n t 2” ). The di st ric t co ur t 1

The Hon or ab le Bri an S. Mi ll er, Ch ie f Ju dg e, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Co ur t fo r 1

th e Eas te rn Dis tri ct of Ark an sa s.se nt en ced hi m to 24 m on th s’ im pr is on m en t on Co un t 1 an d, as req ui red by 18 U.S.C.
§ 10 28 A, 24 m on th s’ im

pr is on m en t on Co un t 2, to ru n co ns ecu ti ve ly, fo r a to ta l te rm

of 48 m on th s’ im

pr is on m en t. The co u r t a l s o s en te nc ed Mar sh al l to two y ears of

su pe rv is ed rel eas e. Mar sh al l ap pe al s, arg ui ng bo th pr oc ed ur al erro r an d su bs ta nt iv e

un reas on ab le ne ss . W e aff irm.

I. Back

gr ou nd

Mar sh al l m ov ed fro m Ark an sa s to Cal ifo rn ia in th e la te 19 80 s. He was arre st ed

in San Dieg o, Cal ifo rn ia

, on dr ug ch arg es in 19 91 an d pl aced on a th ree- y ear te rm of

pr ob a t io n. Dur in g hi s pr ob at io n, Mar sh al l ret ur ne d to Ark an sa s wit ho ut le av e of

Cal ifo rn ia au th or i t i e s , a n d a warra nt was is su ed in Ju ly 19 92 fo r vi ol at in g hi s

pr ob at io n. In Mar ch 19 92

, whi le i n Ark an sa s, he req ue st ed an d ob ta in ed a So ci al

Secu rit y card in th e na m e of Terry Cal vi n Jo n e s , a r e a l pe rs on who li ve d in San
Dieg o, Ca li fo rn ia , at t he ti m e.

Fro m at le as t Mar ch 19 92 u n t i l t h e ti m e of hi s arre st in 20 15 , M ars ha ll li ve d

as Terry Jo ne s. He ob ta in ed go ve rn m en t id en ti fic at io n an d em pl oym en t; fil ed ta xe s;

se tt le d in su ran ce cl ai m s; an d was ev en arre st ed

, co nv ic te d, an d se nt en ced on m ul ti pl e

oc cas io ns un de r th at n a me. In 20 15

, Mar sh al l was ch arg ed in an ei gh t-c ou nt

in di ct m en t wit h on e co un t of m ak in g a fal se st at em en t to a go ve rn m en t ag en cy , in

vi ol at io n of 18 U.S.C. § 10 01 ; fo ur co un ts of ag gr av at ed id en ti ty t he ft, in vi ol at io n

of 18 U.S.C. § 10 28 A; a n d t h ree co un ts of m is us e of a so ci al se cu rit y nu m be r, in

vi ol at io n of 42 U.S.C. § 40 8( a)(7 )(B)

. Pu rs ua nt to h i s p l e a ag reem en t, he pl ead ed

gu il ty t o C o un ts 1 an d 2 fo r co m pl et in g a fo rm to ob ta in a rep la cem en t So ci al

Secu rit y card in Terry Jo ne s’s na m e in 20 11

. The rem ai ni ng co un ts were di sm is se d.

The st at ut or y m ax im

um fo r Co un t 1 was fiv e y ears ’ im pr is on m en t. 18 U.S.C.
§ 10 01 (a). Co un t 2 carr ie d a m an da to ry se nt en ce of 24 m on th s’ im pr is on m en t to ru n

co ns ecu ti ve ly to an y ot he r se nt en ce im po se d. 18 U.S.C. § 10 28 A(a)– (b ). Bec au se of

th ei r pr ox im it y to th e co m m e n c e men t of hi s of

fen se co nd uc t in 19 92

, co nv ic ti on s

-2

-fro m as far ba ck as 19 87 co un te d in Mar sh al l’s pr es en te nc e rep or t (PSR ). The se

co nv ic ti on s in cl ud ed fo rg ery, th eft

, frau du le nt us e of a cred it card

, fai lu re to ap pe ar,

an d nu m ero us dr ug of

fen se s. The di st ric t co ur t cal cu la te d a Gui de li ne s ran ge of 6 to

12 m on th s’ im

pr is on m en t o n C ou nt 1.

Mar sh a l l a s k e d th e co ur t to va ry do wnwar d. He te st ifi ed th at he ha d le ft

Cal ifo rn ia be cau se cri m in al s fo rced hi m to do so :

I ha d a flo wer bus in es s and I go t in wit h th e m ob ou t th ere, and th ey

— I tri ed to co m

m it su ic id e twi ce. And th ey to ld m e—t he y to ok m y na m e,

m y ID an d st uf

f, m y bu si ne ss , an d ga ve m e a ne w ID, an d to ok m e do wn
to th e Dep art m en t of Mo to r Veh ic le s in Cal ifo rn ia an d go t m e an ID
card , a n d t o l d me to le av e th e st at e an d ne ve r co m e ba ck . S o I ha d m y

m ot he r an d fa th er co m e g et m e.

Sen te nc in g Tran sc rip t at 24

, Uni te d St at es v. Mar sh al l

, No. 4: 15 -cr- 00 09 8- BSM -1
(E.D. Ark

. Dec. 9, 20 1 6 )

, EC F No. 39

. He al so as ke d th e co ur t to co ns id er th at he

m ad e se ve ral at te m

pt s to recl ai m hi s tru e na m e in Ark an sa s bu t ha d be en reb uf fed by

go ve rn m en t o f

f i c e s whe n he di d so

. Add it io na ll y , he arg ue d th at th e co ur t sh ou ld

co ns id er th at he ha d av oi de d le ga l tro ub le fo r ne arl y 15 y ears

. Fu rth er, he cl ai m ed

th at he ha d so ug ht to cl ear up hi s warra nt

, bu t he la ck ed th e fin an ci al res ou rces to go

to Cal ifo rn ia

. The co ur t al so he ard th e te st im on y of Mar sh al l’s m ot h e r, Edi th

McDo na ld

, who li st ed hi s he al th pr ob le m s an d st at ed th at he he lp s he r pr ov id e f or

se ve ral y ou ng rel at iv es

.

The go ve rn m en t m ov ed fo r an up ward va ria nc e. It a r g u ed th at Mar sh al l ha d

be en en ga ge d in cri m in al act iv it y fo r ov er 2 0 ye ars be cau se he li ve d un de r a fal se

na m e whi le vi ol at in g hi s pr ob at io n. The go ve rn m en t al so po in te d ou t th at Mar sh al l’s

ag e-re la te d he al th is su es sh ou ld no t rece iv e m uc h weig ht du e to hi s lo ng -te rm

fu gi ti ve st at us . The g ov ern m en t al so refer en ced Mar sh al l’s 20 06 DUI arres t fo r th e

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-pr op os it io n th at de sp it e hi s cl ai m ot he rwis e, Mar sh al l ha d no t av oi de d le ga l tro ub le

si nc e 2 00 1.

The di st ric t co ur t gr an te d th e go ve rn m en t’s m ot i o n f o r an up ward va ria nc e,

st at in g:

I am go in g to de ny th e m ot io n to va ry do wnwar d. I am go in g to gr an t th e m ot io n to va ry up ward b e c a u s e of th e hi st or y , th e na tu re of th e of fen se , an d th e fact th at Mr. Jo ne s, or M r

. M ars ha ll

, ha s es se nt ia ll y be en ab sc on di ng fro m th e st at e of Cal ifo rn ia —h as ab sc on de d fro m th e
st at e of Cal ifo rn ia an d ha s be en es se nt ia ll y a fu gi ti ve fro m jus ti ce fo r 20

y ears

.

Now, he re ’s th e qu es ti on th en

. Am I go in g to gi ve hi m th e fiv e

y ears ’ im pr is on m en t, w h i ch wou ld ha ve be en 36 m on th s on Co un t 1,

an d 12 m on th s— I m ean , 24 mo n t h s o n Co un t 2? Tha t was m y in it ia l
th ou gh t: 36 m on th s on Co un t 1, an d th en 24 on Co un t 2, to ru n

co ns ecu ti ve ly. Bu t I’m no t go in g to do th at

. W ha t I’m go in g to do is I’m

go in g to gi ve hi m 24 m on th s on Co un t 1, an d 24 m on th s on Co un t 2, to

ru n co ns ecu ti ve ly. Als o, I’m go in g to or de r hi m to two y ears of

su pe rv is ed rel eas e u po n re le as e fro m th e Bu reau of P ris on s.

Sen te nc in g Tra ns cri pt at 5 6.

II. Dis cu ss io n

Mar sh al l ar gue s that th e di st ric t co ur t erre d pr oc ed ur al ly by ba si ng th e se nt en ce

on erro ne ou s fin di ng s an d un co n s t i tu ti on al fact or s an d th at th e se nt en ce is

su bs ta nt iv el y un reas on ab le be cau se th e co ur t gav e in su ffi ci en t weig ht to m it ig at in g

fact or s. Bec au se th e ag gr av at ed id en ti ty th eft s e nt en ce is m an da te d by st at ut e, he

ap pe al s o nl y

th e se nt en ce i m

po se d fo r Co un t 1

.

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-W e fo ll ow a t wo- st ep pro ces s wh en rev ie win g a sen te nc e o n a pp eal :

“ Th i s c o ur t rev ie ws se nt en ces in two st ep s: fir st

, fo r si gn ifi can t

pr oc ed ur al erro r; an d if th ere is no ne , for su bs ta nt iv e rea so na bl en es s.”

Pro ced ur al erro rs in cl ud e “ fai li ng to cal cu la te (o r im pr o pe rly
cal cu la ti ng ) th e Gui de li ne s ran ge , tre at in g th e Gui de li ne s as m an da to ry , fai li ng to co ns id er th e § 3 55 3( a) fac to rs , sel ect in g a sen te nc e b as ed on cl earl y erro ne ou s fact s, or fai li ng to ad eq ua te ly ex p l ai n th e ch os en

se nt en ce— in cl u d i n g an ex pl an at io n fo r an y de vi at io n fro m th e Gui de li ne s ra ng e.”

Uni te d St at es v. Hun t

, 84 0 F.3d 55 4, 55 7 (8t h Cir. 2 01 6) (pe r cu ria m ) (fi rs t qu ot in g

Uni t e d St at es v. Mar ti n , 75 7 F.3 d 77 6, 77 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 14 ), th en qu ot in g Gal l v.

Uni te d St at es , 55 2 U.S. 38

, 51 (2 00 7) ). “ In rev ie win g a se nt en ce fo r si gn ifi can t

pr oc ed ur al erro r, we rev ie w a di st ric t co ur t's fact ua l fin di ng s fo r cl ear e r r o r a n d it s

in te rp ret at io n an d ap pl ic at io n of th e gu id el in es de no vo .” Uni te d St at es v. Ki rl in

, 85 9

F

. 3 d 5 3 9

, 54 3 (8 th Ci r. 20 17 ) (q uo ti ng Uni te d St at es v. Brya nt

, 60 6 F.3 d 91 2, 91 8
(8 th Cir . 20 10 )).

“ In th e ab se nc e of pr oc ed ur al e r r o r , th is co ur t co ns id ers th e ‘sub st an ti ve

reas on ab le ne ss of th e se nt en ce im po se d un de r an ab us e-o f-d is cret io n st an da rd .’ ”

Hun t

, 84 0 F.3 d at 55 8 (q uo ti ng Uni te d St at es v. Feems te r , 57 2 F.3 d 45 5, 46 1 (8 th Ci r.

20 09 ) (en ba nc )). An a bu se of di sc ret io n oc cu rs whe n a di st ric t co ur t “ (1 ) fai ls to

co n s i d e r a rel ev an t fact or th at sh ou ld ha ve rece iv ed si gn ifi can t weig ht ; (2 ) gi ve s

s i gn ifi can t weig ht to an im pr op er or irr el ev an t fact or ; or (3 ) co ns id ers o n l y t h e

ap pr op ria te fact or s bu t in weig hi ng th os e fact or s co m m it s a cl ear erro r of jud gm en t.”

Id

. (q uo ti ng Feemst er , 57 2 F .3d at 4 61 ).

Mar sh al l co nt en ds on ap pe al th at th e di st ric t co ur t erro ne ou sl y rel ie d on th e

go ve rn m en t’s as se rti on th at Cal ifo rn ia au th or i t i es is su ed a warra nt fo r hi s arre st

be fo re he le ft Cal ifo rn ia

. In su pp or t of th is po si ti on , Mar sh al l rel ie s on hi s cl ai m th at

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-h e c h an ge d hi s na m e to Terry Jo ne s an d le ft Cal ifo rn ia fo r fear of th e m ob

, no t t o

av oi d ex ecu ti on of a warra nt

. Fu rth er, he arg ue s th at he ob ta in ed a So c i a l Secu rit y
card un de r Jo ne s’s na m e aft er co m in g t o A r k an sa s bu t be fo re hi s pr ob at io n was

rev ok ed

. Fi na ll y , he as se rts th at fle ei ng jus ti ce in Cal ifo rn ia co ul d no t ha ve be en hi s

m ot iv e, as au th or it ie s th ere were no t em po wered to ex tra di te hi m ev en if th ey ha d

kn own he was l iv in g i n Ark an sa s.

We c o n c l ud e th at th e di st ric t co ur t di d no t rel y on cl earl y erro ne ou s fact s

. Mar sh al l is co rrec t th at th e reco rd su pp or ts a fin di ng th at he ret ur ne d to Ark an sa s an d

be ga n to go by Terry Jo ne s be fo re th e Cal ifo rn ia warra nt was is su ed

. Bu t th e reco rd

do es no t sh ow th at th e di st ric t co ur t fo un d ot he rwis e. Tho ug h th e go ve rn m en t arg ue d

t ha t Mar sh al l le ft Cal ifo rn ia an d as su m ed a ne w na m e to av oi d jus ti ce t h e r e , t h e
di st ric t co ur t di d no t ex pr es sl y fin d th at th is w a s hi s m ot iv at io n. Rat he r, th e co ur t

fo un d th at Mar sh al l “ ha s ab sc on de d fr o m th e st at e of Cal ifo rn ia an d ha s be en

es se nt ia l l y a fu gi ti ve fro m jus ti ce fo r 20 y ears .” Sen te nc in g Tran sc rip t at 56

. Thi s

co nc lu si on rem ai ns va li d de sp it e hi s ha vi ng sp en t fo ur m on th s li vi ng un de r a st ol en
id en ti ty in Ark an sa s bu t no t su bjec t to an act iv e warra nt

. The un di sp ut ed fact s sh ow

Mar sh a ll le ft Cal ifo rn ia in 19 92 whi le on pr ob at io n th ere, he be ga n to li ve un de r

an ot he r pe rs on ’s na m e sh or tl y aft er ret ur ni ng to Ark an sa s, an d a warra nt was is su ed

f o r h i s arre st sh or tl y aft er hi s de pa rtu re. At hi s se nt en ci ng , ov er 20 y ears aft er it s
is su an ce, t he warran t was st il l ac ti ve

. 2

Rel at ed ly, th e co ur t was no t ob li ga te d to cred it Mar sh al l’s cl ai m th at fear of th e

m ob pr eci pi ta te d hi s de pa rtu re fro m Cal ifo rn ia

. “ [I]n se nt en ci ng m at te rs a di st ric t

co ur t’s as se ss m en t of wit ne ss cred ib il it y is qu in te ss en ti al ly a jud g men t c al l an d

vi rtu al ly un as sa il ab le on ap pe al .” Uni te d St at es v. Rod ri gu ez , 71 1 F.3 d 92 8, 93 8 (8 th

W e al so no te th at ev en if he di d no t ob ta in a So ci al Secu rit y card in th e na m e 2

of Terry Jo ne s un ti l he was ba ck in Ark an sa s, Mar sh al l cl ai m ed in hi s te st im on y th at he ob ta in ed an ID in Jo ne s’s n am e be fo re he lef

t Ca li fo rn ia

. Se e a nt e at 3

.

-6

-Ci r. 20 13 ) (q uo ti ng Uni te d St at es v. Qui nt an a , 34 0 F.3 d 70 0, 70 2 (8 th Ci r. 20 03 ) )

.

Here, th e on ly ev id en ce th at Mar sh al l was fo rced to le av e Cal ifo rn ia a nd be gi n li fe

un de r a ne w na m e was hi s own te st im on y

. On th is reco rd

, th e co ur t di d no t cl earl y err by decl in in g t o c red it it

.

Mar sh a l l a l s o av ers th at hi s se nt en ce vi ol at es th e Due Pro ces s an d Equ al

Pro te ct io n C la us es of t he Co ns ti tu ti on . S pe ci fic al ly, h e cl ai m s i nd ig en cy pre ve nt ed

hi m fro m cl eari ng up th e Cal ifo rn ia warra nt be c a u s e he co ul d no t affo rd th e tra ve l

ex pe ns e. Howev er, “ we reg ul arl y de cl in e to co ns id er cu rs or y or su m m ary arg um en ts

th at are un su pp or te d by ci ta ti on s to le ga l au th or it ie s.” Uni te d St at es v. St uc key

, 25 5

F.3 d 52 8, 53 1 (8 th Ci r. 20 01 ) (ci ta ti on s om it te d)

. Bec au se Mar sh al l do es li tt le m or e

th an ci te th e Co ns ti tu ti on on th is po in t, we reject hi s arg um en t th at th e co ur t pu ni sh ed

hi m d u e t o in di ge nc e. Fu rth er, on th is reco rd

, it wou ld no t ha ve be en cl ear erro r to

co nc lu d e t h a t

, a t so m e po in t, Mar sh al l ha d th e fu nd s ne ces sa ry to m ak e th e tri p to

Cal ifo rn ia an d re so lv e h is warran t. 3

Last ly, Mar sh al l arg ue s th at hi s se nt en ce was gr eat er th an ne ces sa ry to sa ti sf y
th e st at ut or y go al s of se nt en ci ng

. He co nt en ds th at th e di st ric t co ur t fai le d to gi ve du e

co ns id erat io n to hi s p h ys i cal an d m en ta l ai lm en ts , h is fam il y ’s r el ia nc e on hi m , h is

st ro ng wor k hi st or y an d reco rd of fil in g hi s tax es

. And

, he be li ev es hi s clea n reco rd

fro m 20 01 to 20 16 sh ou ld ha ve rece iv ed gre at er wei gh t.

The PSR refl ect s th at Mar sh al l ha d a fu ne ral tra n s p o r t a t io n bu si ne ss fro m 3

20 05 to 20 06 th at gr os se d $2 20 ,00 0 an d em pl oyed fo ur pe op le

. Afte r th at

, he m ov ed

to Fl or id a, whe re he wor ke d fro m th e be gi nn in g of 20 06 un ti l th e m id dl e of 20 08 in

va rio us res ta ur an t ch ai n m an ag em en t po si ti on s an d m ad e ab ou t $4 ,00 0 pe r m on th

. He
al so wor ke d as a m an ag er at a Bu rg er Kin g in Ark an sa s fro m la te 20 11 to earl y 20 12

. Mar sh al l ha s no t sh own th at pe rs on al po ve rty pl ay ed an y ro le in hi s fai lu re to res ol ve a k no wn o ut st an di ng warran t b efo re ar res t.

-7

-“ [A] se nt en ci ng co ur t ha s wid e la ti tu de to weig h th e § 3 5 5 3 ( a ) fact or s an d

as si gn so m e fact or s gr eat er weig ht th a n o t he rs in de te rm in in g an ap pr op ria te

se nt en ce.” Uni te d St at es v. Dav i d

, 6 8 2 F

. 3d 10 74

, 10 77 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ) (ci ta ti on s

om it te d)

.

The co ur t he ard Mar sh al l’s arg um en t s , te st im on y , an d al lo cu ti on , an d it

en ga ge d wit h co un se l fo r bo th pa rti es at so m e le ng th

. The co ur t as se ss ed Mar sh al l’s

cred ib il it y an d ru le d acco rd in gl y

. Mar sh al l ha s no t sh own th at th e co ur t m is weig he d

th e § 35 53 (a) fact or s b y g i v i n g u nd ue weig ht to an im pr op er or irr el ev an t fact or or

no t co ns id eri ng a rel ev an t fa ct or

.

Fi na ll y , co ns id eri ng th is reco rd, the dis tr ic t co ur t’ s upw ard va ria nc e go in g fro m

12 m on th s to 24 m on th s whe n th e st at ut or y m ax im um is 60 m on th s is reas on ab le

. Se e Ferg us on v. U

n i t e d S t a t es , 62 3 F.3 d 62 7, 62 9, 63 1 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ) (u ph ol di ng 60

-

m on th sen te nc e whe re Gu id el in es ran ge was 6 to 12 m on th s’ im pr is on m en t).

The di st ric t co ur t’s weig hi ng of th e § 35 53 (a) fac t o r s w a s no t an ab us e of

di sc ret io n. Mar shall ’ s se nte nc e w as pr oc ed ur al ly so un d an d su bs ta nt iv el y reas on ab le

.

III. Co nc lu si on

Acco rd in gl y , we affi rm

.

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