NOT PRECEDENTIAL

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT

______________

No . 1 9

- 2 5 5 3

______________

U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A

v

.

R O B E R T H

. T H O M A S

,

A p p e l l a n t

_ _____________

On Ap peal from the United States District Court

f or t he M i d d l e D i s t r i c t o f P e n n s y l v a n i a

(D.C. No

. 1

- 9 5

- c r

- 0 0 2 4 7

- 0 0 1 )

Honorable M a l a c h y E

. M a n n i o n , D istrict Judge

______________

S ubmit t ed under Third Circuit L

. A

. R

. 34.1(a)

F e b r u a r y 7

, 2 0 2 0

BEFORE: S H W A R T Z

, S C I R I C A

, an d COWEN

, Circuit Judge s

(Fi led: A p ril 24, 2020 )

______________

OPINION 

______________

COWEN

, Circuit Judge

.

R o b e r t H

. T h o m a s a p p e a l s f r o m t h e c r i m i n a l j u d g m e n t e n t e r e d b y t h e U n i t e d

 This dis p o sition is not an opinion of the full Court and pursuant t o I.O.P . 5. 7

does not con sti tute binding precedent.2

S t a t e s D i s t r i c t C o u r t f

o r t h e M i d d l e D i s t r i c t o f P e n n s y l v a n i a r e v o k i n g h i s s u p e r v i s e d

r e l e a s e

. W e w i l l a f

f i r m

.

I

.

I n 1 9 9 6

, T h o m a s p l e d g u i l t y t o o n e c o u n t o f p o s s e s s i o n o f a m m u n i t i o n a s a n

a r m e d c a r e e r c r i m i n a l i n v i o l a t i o n o f 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 9 2 2 ( g ) ( 1 ) a n d 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 9 2 4 ( e )

. H e

w a s s e n t e n c e d t o 1 8 0 m o n t h s ’ i m p r i s o n m e n t a n d t h r e e y e a r s o f s u p e r v i s e d r e l e a s e

. O n

D e c e m b e r 3 1

, 2 0 0 8

, T h o m a s w a s r e l e a s e d f r o m f e d e r a l p r i s o n a n d b e g a n t o s e r v e h i s

s u p e r v i s e d r e l e a s e

.

O n M a y 1 0

, 2 0 0 9

, t h e P e n n s y l v a n i a S t a t e P o l i c e a r r e s t e d T h o m a s o n c h a r g e s o f

k i d n a p p i n g

, f

a l s e i m p r i s o n m e n t

, b u r g l a r y

, a n d t e r r o r i s t i c t h r e a t s

. T h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

P r o b a t i o n O f

f i c e f i l e d a n o t i c e o f a s u p e r v i s e d r e l e a s e v i o l a t i o n o n M a y 1 4

, 2 0 0 9

, a

w a r r a n t w a s i s s u e d

, a n d a d e t a i n e r w a s f i l e d w i t h t h e s t a t e a u t h o r i t i e s

. I n A u g u s t 2 0 1 0

, a

s t a t e c o u r t j u r y f

o u n d T h o m a s g u i l t y

, a n d h e w a s s e n t e n c e d t o t e n t o t w e n t y y e a r s o f

i m p r i s o n m e n t

. T h o m a s c o n t i n u e s t o c h a l l e n g e h i s s t a t e c o u r t c o n v i c t i o n

.

I t a p p e a r s t h a t T h o m a s l e a r n e d o f t h e f e d e r a l d e t a i n e r i n 2 0 1 9 d u r i n g h i s s t a t e

p a r o l e p r o c e e d i n g s

. “ I n F e b r u a r y a n d a g a i n i n J u n e 2 0 1 9

, w h i l e s t i l l i n c a r c e r a t e d o n t h e

s t a t e c o n v i c t i o n s

, t h e D e f e n d a n t s e n t l e t t e r s t o U

. S

. C l e r k o f C o u r t s f o r t h e M i d d l e

D i s t r i c t o f P e n n s y l v a n i a a n d r e q u e s t e d a h e a r i n g o n t h e v i o l a t i o n p e t i t i o n

. ” ( A p p e l l e e ’ s

B r i e f a t 7 ( c i t i n g A 3 2 )

. ) A r e v o c a t i o n h e a r i n g w a s c o n d u c t e d o n J u n e 2 5

, 2 0 1 9

.

A t t h e r e v o c a t i o n h e a r i n g

, t h e d e f e n s e a r g u e d t h a t t h e r e v o c a t i o n p r o c e e d i n g w a s

n o t h e l d “ w i t h i n a r e a s o n a b l e a m o u n t o f t i m e

. ” ( A 3 5

. ) T h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t

, h o w e v e r

,

c o n c l u d e d t h a t “ I w o u l d s a y t h a t t h e r e i s n o p r e j u d i c e b e c a u s e o f t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f3

t h i s k i n d o f a v i o l a t i o n

, ” e

. g

. , “ i t ’ s really a v i o l a t i o n t h a t i s c o m p l e t e b y t h e f i l i n g o f a

c e r t i f i e d c o p y o f c o n v i c t i o n

, i f n e c e s s a r y

. ” ( I d

. ) W h i l e recognizing t h a t t h e S p e e d y T r i a l

A c t

, 1 8 U

. S

. C

. § 3 1 6 1

, d o e s n o t a p p l y i n t h e s u p e r v i s e d r e l e a s e c o n t e x t

, i t i n d i c a t e d t h a t

t h e t i m e b e t w e e n t h e f

i l i n g o f t h e revocation c h a r g e s a n d t h e h e a r i n g s h o u l d b e e x c l u d e d

b e c a u s e h e w a s i n c a r c e r a t e d i n s t a t e p r i s o n d u r i n g t h a t t i m e p e r i o d

. A c c o r d i n g l y

, t h e

D i s t r i c t C o u r t d e n i e d h i s m o t i o n a n d s e n t e n c e d h i m f o r t h e v i o l a t i o n o f s u p e r v i s e d

r e l e a s e

. T h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t d i d c h o o s e t o v a r y f r o m t h e S e n t e n c i n g G u i d e l i n e s r a n g e o f

2 1 t o 2 7 m o n t h s

. T h o m a s w a s u l t i m a t e l y s e n t e n c e d t o a t e r m o f i m p r i s o n m e n t o f 1 2

m o n t h s ( a n d o n e d a y )

, t o b e s e r v e d c o n s e c u t i v e l y t o h i s s t a t e s e n t e n c e

.

I I

.

I t i s w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t a r e v o c a t i o n h e a r i n g s h o u l d b e h e l d w i t h i n a r e a s o n a b l e

p e r i o d o f t i m e

. 1 S e e

, e

. g

. , F e d

. R

. C r i m

. P

. 3 2

. 1 ( b ) ( 2 ) ; M o r r i s s e y v

. B r e w e r

, 4 0 8 U

. S

.

4 7 1

, 4 8 8 ( 1 9 7 2 ) ; U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. P o e l l n i t z

, 3 7 2 F

. 3 d 5 6 2

, 5 7 0

- 7 2 ( 3 d C i r

. 2 0 0 4 )

. S e v e r a l

f a c t o r s s h o u l d b e c o n s i d e r e d i n d e c i d i n g w h e t h e r a d e l a y w a s u n r e a s o n a b l e

, i

. e

. , t h e

“ l e n g t h o f d e l a y

, r e a s o n f o r t h e d e l a y

, t h e [ d e f

e n d a n t ’ s ] a s s e r t i o n o f h i s r i g h t

, p r e j u d i c e t o

t h e [ d e f e n d a n t ]

, a n d t h e r e a s o n w h y t h e [ d e f e n d a n t ] w a s i n c u s t o d y

. ” P o e l l n i t z

, 3 7 2 F

. 3 d

a t 5 7 0 ( c i t i n g U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. R a s m u s s e n

, 8 8 1 F

. 2 d 3 9 5

, 3 9 8 ( 7 t h C i r

. 1 9 8 9 ) )

. T h e

“ r e a s o n a b l e t i m e ” r e q u i r e m e n t

, h o w e v e r

, i s n o t t r i g g e r e d b y “ t h e l o d g i n g o f a n

u n e x e c u t e d f

e d e r a l p a r o l e v i o l a t o r w a r r a n t a s a d e t a i n e r w i t h s t a t e p r i s o n a u t h o r i t i e s ” ; i t

a p p l i e s o n l y a f

t e r t h e w a r r a n t i s e x e c u t e d a n d t h e d e f e n d a n t i s b r o u g h t i n t o f

e d e r a l

1 The District Court had subject matter juri sdiction pursuant to 18 U.S .C. § 3231

, and we have appell ate jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291.4

c u s t o d y t o a n s w e r f

o r t h e v i o l a t i o n

. U n i t e d S t a t e s e x r e l

. C a r u s o v

. U

. S

. B d

. o f P a r o l e

,

5 7 0 F

. 2 d 1 1 5 0

, 1 1 5 3 ( 3 d C i r

. 1 9 7 8 )

.

W e a g r e e w i t h t h e g o v e r n m e n t t h a t t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t d i d n o t v i o l a t e T h o m a s ’ s

r i g h t t o a t i m e l y r e v o c a t i o n h e a r i n g

. A d m i t t e d l y

, a p p r o x i m a t e l y t e n y e a r s p a s s e d

b e t w e e n t h e f

i l i n g o f t h e r e v o c a t i o n c h a r g e s ( a s w e l l t h e f e d e r a l d e t a i n e r ) a n d t h e

r e v o c a t i o n h e a r i n g i t s e l f

. T h e g o v e r n m e n t a l s o “ re cognizes t h a t t h e r e v o c a t i o n h e a r i n g

c o u l d h a v e t a k e n p l a c e m u c h e a r l i e r t h a n 2 0 1 9

. ” ( A p p e l l e e ’ s B r i e f a t 1 4

. ) H o w e v e r

,

T h o m a s w a s i n s t a t e c u s t o d y d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d o f t i m e ( w i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n o f a f e w d a y s

i n w h i c h h e w a s h e l d i n f e d e r a l c u s t o d y f

o r h i s r e v o c a t i o n h e a r i n g )

. S e e

, e

. g

. , U n i t e d

S t a t e s v

. S c o t t

, 8 5 0 F

. 2 d 3 1 6

, 3 2 0 ( 7 t h C i r

. 1 9 8 8 ) ( h o l d i n g t h a t t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t h a s

“ r e c o g n i z e d t h a t w h e n a p a r o l e e ’ s c u s t o d y d e r i v e s f r o m a n o t h e r c o n v i c t i o n r a t h e r t h a n

f r o m a p a r o l e v i o l a t o r w a r r a n t

, t h e c o n s e q u e n t l i b e r t y l o s s ‘ a t t e n d a n t u p o n p a r o l e

r e v o c a t i o n ’ a n d p r o t e c t e d i n M o r r i s s e y i s n o t y e t t r i g g e r e d

. ” ( d i s c u s s i n g M o o d y v

.

D a g g e t t

, 4 2 9 U

. S

. 7 8 ( 1 9 7 6 ) ) )

. I n f a c t

, T h o m a s s t i l l remains i n t h e c u s t o d y o f t h e

P e n n s y l v a n i a D e p a r t m e n t o f C o r r e c t i o n s

. F u r t h e r m o r e

, t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t p r o p e r l y

d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e d e l a y d i d n o t p r e j u d i c e T h o m a s

. I t r e c o g n i z e d t h a t “ t h e v i o l a t i o n

r e l a t e s t o s o m e t h i n g a s s i m p l e a s p u t t i n g i n a c e r t i f i e d c o p y o f c o n v i c t i o n ” ( A 3 8 )

. S e e

,

e

. g

. , P o e l l n i t z

, 3 7 2 F

. 3 d a t 5 6 6 ( “ I n t h e n o r m a l c o u r s e

, o n e m i g h t e x p e c t t h a t i f t h e c o u r t

f i n d s d e f e n d a n t w a s c o n v i c t e d o f a c r i m e

, t h e c o u r t m a y a u t o m a t i c a l l y r e v o k e r e l e a s e

b a s e d o n t h e d e f

e n d a n t ’ s c o m m i s s i o n o f t h e u n d e r l y i n g o f f e n s e

. ” )

. W i t h r e s p e c t t o

T h o m a s ’ s r a t h e r v a g u e a s s e r t i o n s a b o u t h o w n o w

- d e c e a s e d f a m i l y m e m b e r s c o u l d h a v e

o f f e r e d t e s t i m o n y i n s u p p o r t o f a m i t i g a t e d s e n t e n c e

, w e n o t e t h a t h e w a s f o u n d g u i l t y i n5

s t a t e c o u r t o f c o m m i t t i n g s e r i o u s c r i m i n a l c o n d u c t

— i n c l u d i n g k i d n a p p i n g a n d

b u r g l a r y

— l e s s t h a n s i x m o n t h s a f t e r h e w a s r e l e a s e d f

r o m i n c a r c e r a t i o n o n a f

i f t e e n

- y e a r

f e d e r a l s e n t e n c e

, a n d h e h a s not e x p l a i n e d h o w t h e i r t e s t i m o n y w o u l d u n d e r c u t t h i s

p r o v e n v i o l a t i o n

. 2

I I I

.

F o r t h e f o r e g o i n g r e a s o n s

, w e w i l l a f f i r m t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t

.

2 In his re ply brief, Thomas cont ends that , had the hearing been held within a

reasonable period , he “ might have been able to challenge the re voca tion order on grounds

that, in light of the 201 5 decision of the U. S. S upreme Court in Johnson v. United States

, 135 S. Ct. 2551 (2015), his un der l ying sentence should have been reduced and his term of

supervised release should have ended prior to the alleged violat ion. ” ( Appellant ’ s Reply

Brief at 4

- 5 (citing A20

- A27 ) )

. ) H oweve r, Thomas did not raise this th eory of prejudice

in his opening brief. See, e.g.

, In re Surrick

, 338 F.3d 22 4, 237 (3d Cir. 200 3) (stating

that failure to identify or argue issue in opening brief constitutes waiver of argument on

appeal).