FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEV EN T HC IRC U IT JUNE 1, 2007 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ 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. 06- 15940 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 6 - 0 0 0 4 2 - CR- 4 - SPM - W CS 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 J O S E P H L U C I O U S T H O M A S , J 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 N or the rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( Ju n e 1, 2007) B efo re B IR C H , H U L L an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: J os e ph L uc i ous T hom a s J r . appe a l s hi s s e nt e nc e of 102 m onths of2

i m pr i s onm e ntf

ol l ow i ng hi s pl e a of

gui l ty t o m a i l f

r a ud a nd i de nt i ty the f

t . 18 U . S . C . §§ 1341, 1028A . T hom a s c ont e nds tha ta n a r gum e ntof the gove rnm e nt r e g a r d in g c o n s e c u tiv e s e n te n c e s b r e a c h e d th e p le aa g r e e m e n t. I n th a t a g r e e m e n t, the gove rnm e ntpr om i s e d nott o r e c om m e nd as pe c i f i c s e nt e nc e , butthe gove rnm e ntr e s e rve d the r i ghtt o “ m a ke a r gum e nt s pe r t a i ni ng t o the appl i c a t i on of the se nt enci ng gu i del i nes a nd the consi dera t i on s s etforth i n T i t l e 18, U ni t ed S t at es C ode , S e c t i on 3553( a ) . ” I n i t s s e nt e nc i ng m e m or a ndum , the gove rnm e ntur ge d the di s tr i c tc our tt o gi ve “ s e r i ous c ons i de r a t i on of the i m pos i t i on of

c ons e c ut i ve penal t i es . ” B ec ause the ar gu m entof the go vernm entdi d n otbrea ch the pl ea a g r e e m e n t, w e a f

f irm . I . B AC KG RO UN D O n A ugus t1, 2006, T hom a s w a s c ha r ge d by i nf orm a t i on w i th one c ountof m a i l f r a ud, 18 U . S . C . § 1341, a nd f i ve c ount s of

a ggr a va t e d i de nt i ty the f t , 18. U . S . C . § 1028A . T hom a s w a i ve d i ndi c tm e nta nd e nt e r e d a w r i tt e n pl e aa gr e e m e nt w i th the gove rnm e nt . T he a gr e e m e ntf orba de the gove rnm e ntf r om r e c om m e ndi ng a s pe c i f i c s e nt e nc e , buta l l ow e d the gove rnm e ntt o a dvi s e the c our tabout sen t en ci n g co n si d erat i o n s: T h e U n ite d S ta te s A tto rn e y a g r e e s n o t to r e c o m m e n d as p e c if ic s e nt e nc e . H ow e ve r , t he U ni t e d S t a t e s A tt orne y doe s r e s e rve the r i ght t o a dvi s e the D i s tr i c tC ou rt a nd a ny othe ra uthor i t i e s of i t s ve r s i on of the c i r c um s t a nc es surr oundi ng the c om m i s s i on of the of f e ns e s by3

D EFEN D A N T, i n c l u d i n g c o rr e c t i n g a n ymi s s t a t e me n t s b y d e f e n d a nt orde f e nda nt ’ s a tt orne y , a nd r e s e rve s the r i ghtt o pr e s e nte vi de nc e a nd m a ke a r gum e nt s pe rt a i ni ng t o the appl i c a t i on of the s e nt e nc i ng gu i del i nes a nd the consi dera t i on s s etforth i n T i t l e 1 8, U ni t ed S t at es C o d e , S e c tio n 3 5 5 3 ( a ) . B e f o r e th e s e n te n c in g h e a r in g , th e U n ite d S ta te s P r o b a tio n O f f ic e e n te r e d its p r e s e n te n c e in v e s tig a tio n r e p o r t b a s e d o n th e U n ite d S ta te s S e n te n c in g G u id e lin e s . T he pr e s e nt e nc e r e por tc a l c ul a t e d a G ui de l i ne s r a nge of 24 t o 30 m onths f

orthe m a i l f r a ud c ounta nd 24 m onths f ore a c h of

the f i ve c ount s of

i de nt i ty the f

t . T he G ui de l i ne s pr ovi de d tha tthe f i r s t24- m onth s e nt e nc e f ori de nt i ty the f

trun consec ut i ve t o the se nt ence for m ai l fr aud, bu tprov i ded the op t i on of runn i ng ea ch o f th e a d d itio n a l 2 4 - m o n th s e n te n c e s c o n s e c u tiv e ly . T he gove rnm e ntf

i l e d a s e nt e nc i ng m e m or a ndum tha tde s c r i be d the f a c t s of the of f e ns e s a nd the s e nt e nc i ng opt i ons a va i l abl e t o the di s tr i c tc our t , a nd the gove rnm e nta r gue d aboutthe appl i c a t i on of the s e nt e nc i ng f

a c t or s i n s e c t i on 3553( a ) . T he m e m or a ndum e xpl a i ne d tha tT hom a s ’ s c onvi c t i on w a s a vi ol a t i on of the t e rm s of

hi s pr oba t i on f

ora n e a r l i e ri de nt i ty the f tc onvi c t i on, a nd the G u i d el i n es p ro v i d ed th atth e sen t en ces fo r th e v i o l at i o n o f p ro b at i o n an d th e l at est o ff en se s s h o u ldru n co n se cu ti v ely. T h e g o v er n m en t arg u ed th at T h o m as ’s

“ s e nt e nc e m us tbe a de qua t e l y puni t i ve i n or de rt o s a t i s f y the s e nt e nc i ng f

a c t or s of S ec t i on 35 53 (a ). ” I n sup po rtof thatar gu m ent , the go vernm enturged the di stri ct4

co u rtt o i m p o se atl eastso m e o f th e sen t en ces co n secu t i v el y: G i ven the di sc re t i on of the courtt o i m po se co nsec ut i ve tw o yea r penal t i es on the A gg ra vat ed Ident i ty T heftcoun t s, it is no tnece ss ary f o rth e G o v e rn m e n t to s e e k a n ab o v e g u i d e lin e s e n te n c e . H o w e v e r , in l i ghtof the above - r e f

e r e nc e d s e nt e nc i ng f

a c t or s , the G ove rnm e nt s ubm i t s tha ta r e a s onabl e s e nt e nc e shoul d i nc l ude c ons e c ut i ve sen t en ces o n so m e, i f n o tall o f th e A g g rav at ed Id en t i ty T h eftco u n t s. In an ef

fo rt to im p o se ad eq u ate p u n ish m en t fo r th e d ef en d an t’ s c r i m e s , the de f

e nda nts houl d be s e nt e nc e d w i thi n the pr escr i be d r a nge of 24- 30 m onths i m pr i so n m e nton c ountone a nd pur s ua ntt o the s t atu t o ry m a nda t ory pr ovi s i ons on the r e m a i ni ng c ount s w i th s e r i ous consi dera t i on of the im po si t i on of consecut i ve penal t i es . M oreover, the s e nt e nc e s houl d be c ons e c ut i ve t o th e d ef e nda nt ’ s s e nt e nc e on the v io la tio n o f

s u p e rv is e d r e le a s e in h is e a r lie rc a s e . . . . T hom a s m ove d t o s tr i ke the s e nt e nc i ng m e m or a ndum of the gove rnm e nton the grou nd thati tvi ol at ed the t erm s of the pl eaagre em ent . T he di stri ctcourt deni ed thatm ot i on and sent ence d T ho m as t o 1 02 m on ths of i ncar ce ra t i on . T hat sen t en ce co n si st ed o f 3 0 m o n th s fo r th e m ai l frau d co u n t ; 2 4 m o n th s fo r th e fi rst i d en t i ty th eftco u n t ; 2 4 m o n th s fo r th e n ex tfo u r i d en t i ty th eftco u n t s, w i th th o se t e rm s runni ng c onc urr e nt l y t o e a c h othe rbutc ons e c ut i ve l y t o the s e nt e nc e s f or m ai l fr aud and the fi rs ti dent i ty theftcoun t ; and 2 4 m on ths for the supervi se d r e le a s e v io la tio n . I I . STA N D A R D O F R EVI EW W e r e v ie w d e n o v o w h e th e rth e g o v e rn m e n t b r e a c h e d a p le aa g r e e m e n t. U n ite d S ta te s v . C o p e la n d , 3 8 1 F .3 d 1 1 0 1 , 1 1 0 4 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 4 ) .5 I I I . DI S CUS S I ON T he i s s ue pr e s e nt e d i s w he the rthe gove rnm e ntbr e a c he d the pl e aa gr e e m e nt w he n the gove rnm e nta r gue d f ors om e c ons e c ut i ve s e nt e nc i ng i n i t s s e nt e nc i ng m e m o r a n d u m . T h e g o v e rn m e n t a g r e e d “n o t to r e c o m m e n d a s p e c if ic s e n te n c e ,” butr e s e rve d the r i ght“ t o pr e s e nte vi de nc e a nd m a ke a r gum e nt s pe rt a i ni ng t o the appl i c a t i on of

the s e nt e nc i ng gui de l i ne s a nd the c ons i de r a t i ons s e tf or th i n T i t l e 18, U n ite d S ta te s C o d e , S e c tio n 3 5 5 3 ( a ) .” A m a te r ia l p r o m is e b y th e g o v e rn m e n t, w h ic h in d u c e s a d e f

e n d a n t to p le a d g u ilty , b in d s th e g o v e rn m e n t to th a t p r o m is e . S ant ob el l o v . N ew Y ork, 40 4 U . S . 25 7, 26 2, 92 S . C t . 49 5, 49 9 (19 71 ). W hether th e g o v er n m en t v io lated th e a g re em en t i s ju d g ed ac co rd in g to th e d ef en d an t’ s re as on abl e und er st andi ng of the agree m entw hen h e e nt er ed the pl ea . U ni t ed S t a t e s v. R e w i s , 969 F . 2d 985, 988 ( 11th C i r . 1992) . I f the pa r t i e s di s put e the m e a ni ng of

the a gr e e m e nt , w e i nt e rpr e tthe t e rm s of the pl e aa gr e e m e ntba s e d on o b je c tiv e s ta n d a r d s . I d . T hom a s c ont e nds tha tthe a r gum e ntof the gove rnm e nt f

orc ons e c ut i ve s e n te n c e s n e c e s s a r ily m e a n t th a t th e g o v e rn m e n t w a s r e c o m m e n d in g a s e n te n c e in the r a nge of

6 t o 13 y e a r s of

i m pr i s onm e nt , a nd T hom a s c ont e nds tha ta r gum e nt br e a c he d the pl e a a gr e e m e nt . T he gove rnm e ntr e s ponds tha ti t s a r gum e nt r e ga r di ng the appl i c a t i on of the G ui de l i ne s a nd s e c t i on 3553( a ) di d notbr e a c h the6

a g r e e m e n t. W e a g r e e w ith th e g o v e rn m e n t. T hi s C our tha s notde t e rm i ne d w he the ra r e c om m e nda t i on of c ons e c ut i ve s e n te n c e s o ra s e n te n c in g r a n g e a m o u n ts to a r e c o m m e n d a tio n o f a s p e c if ic se nt ence . A tl ea ston e of our si st erci rc ui t s has hel d thata r ec om m endat i on of a se nt ence w i thi n the G ui del i nes a nd a “ l engthy” s ent ence for the no n-G ui del i nes c o u n ts b r e a c h e d th e p r o m is e o f th e g o v e rn m e n t to “m a k e n o r e c o m m e n d a tio n a s to th e s p e c if

ic s e n te n c e .” U n ite d S ta te s v . H a y e s , 9 4 6 F .2 d 2 3 0 , 2 3 2 ( 3 d C ir . 1 9 9 1 ) . T he T hi r d C i r c ui tc onc l ude d tha ta n a r gum e nti n f a vorof a r a nge of

i nc a r c e r a t i on r e c o m m e n d e d a s p e c if

ic s e n te n c e . I d . H a y e s is d is tin g u is h ab le . I n H a y e s , th e g o v e rn m e n t r e s e rv e d th e r ig h t to pr ovi de a c c ur a t e i nf

orm a t i on t o the di s tr i c tc our t , butthe gove rnm e ntdi d not r e s e rv e a r ig h t to m a k e a r g u m e n ts ab o u t s e n te n c in g c o n s id e r a tio n s . I n its a g r e e m e n t w ith T h o m a s , th e g o v e rn m e n t a g r e e d n o t to r e c o m m e n d a s p e c if ic s e n te n c e b u t r e s e rv e d “th e r ig h t to p r e s e n t e v id e n c e a n d m a k e a r g u m e n ts pert ai ni ng t o the appl i ca t i on of the se nt enci ng gu i del i nes a nd the consi dera t i on s s et f or th i n T i t l e 18, U ni t e d S t a t e s C ode , S e c t i on 3553( a ) . ” I n c ontr a s tw i th H a y e s , the g o v e rn m e n t d id n o t a g r e e to m a k e “n o r e c o m m e n d a tio n ” ab o u t s e n te n c in g . T h e g o v e rn m e n t d id n o t b r e a c h its a g r e e m e n t w ith T h o m a s . T h e a r g u m e n ts of the gove rnm e nti n i t s s e nt e nc i ng m e m or a ndum a nd a tthe s e nt e nc i ng he a r i ng7

w er e w i thi n the ri gh t s of the go vernm entas expres sl y r es erved i n the pl ea a gr e e m e ntw i th T hom a s . T he gove rnm e ntm a de a r gum e nt s r e ga r di ng the ap p lic a tio n o f

th e G u id e lin e s a n d th e 3 5 5 3 ( a ) s e n te n c in g f a c to r s a s ap p lie d to T h o m a s ’s c o n d u c t. I V . CONCL US I ON T h o m a s ’s s e n te n c e is AF F I RME D.