FI L ED U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S EL EVENTHCI RCUI T J ULY 6, 2011 J OHN L EY CL ERK [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE U

NITED STATE S COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELE VENTH CIRCUIT

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ No. 1 0- 13 23 7 Non -Arg um en t Ca le nd ar

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ D.C. Dock etNo. 0 :0 9- cr-6 02 45 -WPD-5 UNITED STAT ES OF AMERIC A, ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pl ai nt iff -Ap pe ll ee, ve rs us RENE FERNANDEZ GARCIA, ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defen da nt -Ap pe ll an t.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

th e Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co urt forth e So ut he rnDis tri ctof F lo rid a

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (J ul y 6, 2 01 1) Befo re TJ OFLAT, CARNES andFAY, Circ ui t J ud ge s. PER CURI AM: Ren e Ferna nd ez Garc iaap pe al s h is co nv ic ti on an d s en te nc e fo r be in g a fel on in po ss es si on of afir earm , 18 U.S.C. § 9 22 (g )(1 ). On ap pe al , Garci a arg ue sth atth e d is tri ctco urt erredin de nyin g h is m ot io n t o s up pr es s ev id en ce s ei zed

du rin g awarran tl es s s earc h o f hi s v eh ic le . He als o c on te nd s t ha t t he di st ric t co urt cl earl y erre d b y de nyin g h is reque stfora m in or -ro le reduc ti on un de r U.S.S.G. § 3 B1 .2(b ). Forth e rea so ns st at edbe lo w, we affi rm . I. A gra ndjury returne d an i nd ic tm en t ch arg in g Gar ci a wit h: (1) co ns pi racy to ob st ru ctin te rs ta te co m

m erce by m ean s o f ro bb ery, in vi ol at io n o f 18 U.S.C. § 1 95 1( a); (2) co ns pi racy to p os se ss wit h i nt en t t o d is tri bu te m or e th anfiv e ki lo gr am s o f co cai ne , in vi ol at io n o f 21 U.S.C. § 8 46 ; (3 ) at te m ptto po ss es s wi th in te ntto di st rib ut e m or e th anfiv e k il og ram s o f co cai ne , in vi ol at io n o f 21 U.S.C. § 8 46 ; (4 ) co ns pi racy to u se an d c arry firea rm s dur in g a ndinrel at io n t o acri m e o f vi ol en ce an d d ru g t raff

ic ki ng cri m e, in vi ol at io n o f 18 U.S.C. § 9 24 (o ); ( 5) us in g an d c arrying fir earm s dur in g a ndinrel at io n t o acri m e o f vi ol en ce an d d ru g tra ffi ck in g c rime, in v io la ti on of 1 8 U.S.C. § § 9 24 (c)( 1) (A) an d 2 ; an d (6 ) be in g a fel on in po ss es si on of afir earm , in vi ol at io n o f 18 U.S.C.§§ 92 2( g) (1 ) an d 2 (Co un t Si x) . Am au ry

Hern an de z, Lazar o R iv eras , Jo se Veit ia , Pab lo Arrec ha va le ta , Jo rg e Herre ra, an d Gar ci a’s br ot he r, Rafa el Fern an de z Garci a, al so were ch arg edin th e supe rs ed in g i nd ic tm en t. Garci a m ov edto supp res s ev id en ce s ei zeddu rin g awarran tl es s s earc h o f hi s 2Humm er H2 ve hi cl e. At the supp res si on he ari ng , Spe ci al Agen t J am es VanVl ie t

of th e Bu reau of Al co ho l, To ba cco , andFir earm s t es ti fie d t ha t Herna nd ez an d Ri ve ras m etwit h a n u nd erco ve r of fic er. The off

ic er was po si ng as adi sg ru nt le d drug co ur ie r who was s eek in g t o h av e h is em pl oyer’s st as h h ou se rob be d. Hern an de z an d R iv eras in di cat edth atth ei r ro bb ery crew wo ul d e nt er the st as h ho us e dres se d a s l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cers an d a rm edwit h g un s. On Se pt em

be r 10 , 20 09 , th e d at e o n wh ic h t he rob be ry was t o o ccu r, Heran de z m etwith t he go ve rn m en t’s co nf id en ti al in fo rm an t (“ CI”) in Mi am i Lak es . He ent eredth e CI’s v eh ic le , andth e two m enst art eddri vi ng westbo un d o n th e Mi ram ar Pa kway . They pu ll edov er o n the sh ou ld er o f th e ro adto waitforth e ot he r co ns pi rat or s. Ev en tu al ly, th ree o th er v eh ic le s arriv edat t he sce ne : a wh it e Ch ev ro le t Im

pa la , a redHumm er H2 , anda whi te Fo rdF3 50 pi ckup tru ck . A de te ct iv e co nduc ti ng su rv ei ll an ce o bs erv edGarci a driv in g t he Humm er. All fou r ve hi cl es pro ceed edno rth bo un d o n I- 75 to th e Sawg ras s Ex pr es sway an d the n ex it edon to Co m

m erci al Bo ul ev ard . The CI’s v eh ic le an d t he Im pa lapu ll edin to a Mo bi l g as st at io n wh ere t he co ns pi rat or s wer e supp os edto m eetwit h t he CI, whi le th e Humm er an d the Fo rd F3 50 pa rk edacro ss fro m th e Mo bi l s ta ti on ina CVS p ark in g l ot . Aeria l su rv ei ll an ce s ho wedtwo m enst an di ng ou ts id e th e Humm er. Eve ntua ll y , th os e 3m engo t i nt o t he Fo rdF3 50 an d trav el eda qu art er o f a m il e d own th e st reetto a

Su no co ga s s ta ti on . The CI ’s veh ic le an d the Im pa lafol lo wedth e u nd erco ve r de te ct iv e to a wareh ou se . Herna nd ez, t he CI, an d t he un de rco ve r de te ct iv e en te red th e wareh ou se , whi le Riv eras , Veit ia , andArrech av al et a rem ai ne d o ut si de in th e Im pa la . Herna nd ez ca ll edGarci a an d t ol d h im , “ So th e Humm er ca n p arkov er th ere wi th th os e th in gs , y ouco py m e? ” The ag en ts in te rp ret edth is to be a refe ren ce t o t he fir earm s an d t he to ol s t ha t wer e to be us edin th e ro bb ery. Hern an de z, Arrec ha va le ta , Riv eras an d Vei ti a were a rres te d a t t he wareh ou se , and Garci a, hi s b ro th er Ra fael Garci a, an d Herrerawere arres te d i ns id e th e Fo rdF3 50 th atwas p ark edat t he Su no co ga s s ta ti on . Agen ts di d n otdi sc ov er an y fir earm s on th e d efen da nt s’ per so ns or i ns id e th e Ch ev ro le t Im pa laor t he Fo rdF3 50 , bu t th ey di d fi ndth e k ey s t o t he Humm er i n t he Fo rdF3 50 . The ag en ts th ensea rch ed th e Humm er an d d is co ve reda Bere tt a p is to l, a s ho tg un , andpo li ce p arap he rn al ia . The d is tri ctco urt d et erm in edth atth e se arch of t he Humm er was lawf ul un de r th e au to m ob il e ex cep ti on to th e Fo urth Am en dm en t’s warr an t re qu ire m en t be cau se th e ag en ts ha d p ro babl e cau se to be li ev e th atth e weap on s fo r th e ro bb ery wou ldbe fou ndin th atve hi cl e. Acco rd in gl y , th e d is tri ctco urt d en ie d Gar ci a’s m ot io n t o s up pr es s. At t ria l, Hern an de z te st ifi edreg ard in g Gar ci a’s ro le in th e co ns pi racy. He 4ex pl ai ne d t ha t Ra fael Garci a, Arrec ha va le ta , andHerrer a were t o e nt er t he st as h

ho us e fi rs t d res se d a s l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cers . Riv eras wou ldth enen te r th e ho us e arm edwit h t he sh ot gu n, ac co m pa ni edby V ei ti a, who wou ldbe carry in g t he Bere tt a p is to l. Garc ia ’s job was t o s up pl y th e Ber et tapi st ol an d t o t ran sp ort t he fir earm s an d v ari ou s p ol ic e it em s t o t he st ag in g a rea f orth e ro bb ery. The o th er co ns pi rat or s wan te d Gar ci a to tak e th e weap on s t o a vo idan y co nn ect io n t o t he m in th e ev en t t ha t p ol ic e st op pe d the m . Duri ng th e ro bb ery Garci a was to wait ou ts id e th e st as h h ou se in th e Humm er i n c as e h e was ne ed ed . Garci a wou ldno t rece iv e an equa l s ha re o f th e co cai ne be cau se he was n otgo in g t o a ct iv el y pa rti ci pa te in th e ro bb ery. Ins te ad , he wo ul d re cei ve so m e m on ey or c oc ai ne fro m each of t he ot he r co ns pi rat or s. Th e jury con vi ct edGarci a wit h re sp ectto Co un t Si x, t he fel on in po ss es si on ch arg e, bu t ac qu it te d h im of t he ot he r ch arg es ag ai ns t hi m . At s en te nc in g, Gar ci a req ue st eda m in or -ro le reduc ti onun de r U.S.S.G. § 3 B1 .2(b ). He ob se rv edth athi s ro le in th e ro bb ery was li m it edto tra ns po rti ng so m e o f th e fi rearm s an d e qu ip m en t t ha t wo ul d b e u se d t o c omm itth e cri m e. He al so no te d t ha t h e was go in g t o b e p ai d l es s tha n a ny of h is co -co ns pi rat or s. The di stric t co urt d en ie d Gar ci a’s reque stfora m in or -ro le reduc ti on . The co urt o bs erv edth atGarci a tr an sp orte d t he gu ns to be us edin th e ro bb ery, us eda 5walk ie -ta lk ie , andals o p la nn edto co nduc t s urve il la nc e dur in g t he rob be ry . The

di st ric t co urt co nc lu de d tha t t he se were “ in st ru m en ta l as pe ct s” of t he pl an ne d d ru g ro bb ery. The co urt d et erm in edth atGarci a h adanoff en se lev el of 2 6 a nda gu id el in e ran ge of 7 0 t o 8 7 m on th s’ im pr is on m en t. Th e d is tri ctco urt s en te nc ed Garci a to th e upp er en d o f th atran ge , 87 m on th s’ im pr is on m en t. II. A di st ric t co urt’s d en ia l o f a m ot io n t o s up pr es s p res en ts a m ix edqu es ti on of law an d fa ct . Uni te d Sta te s v. Li nd se y , 48 2 F .3d12 85 , 12 90 (11 th Cir . 20 07 ). W e rev ie w th e d is tri ctco urt’s l eg al rul in gs de no vo an d i ts fin di ng s o f fac t fo r cl ear e rro r. Id. Und er t he au to m ob il e ex cep ti on , po li ce m ay co nduc t a warra nt le ss sea rch of ave hi cl e if : “ (1 ) th e v eh ic le is read il y m ob il e; an d (2 ) th e po li ce h av e p ro babl e cau se forth e se arch .” Id. at 1 29 3. Th e m ob il it y requi rem en t is sat is fie d wh en ev er t he ve hi cl e to be sea rch edis op erat io na l. Uni te d Sta te s v. W at ts , 32 9 F .3d12 82 , 12 86 (11 th Cir . 20 03 ). A fun ct io ni ng ve hi cl e is co ns id ered to be “ m ob il e” ev enif i t al read y ha s b een sec ur edby the po li ce. Se e Mic hi ga n v . Th oma s , 45 8 U.S. 2 59 , 26 1, 1 02 S.Ct . 30 79 , 30 80 -8 1, 7 3 L.Ed .2d75 0 (1 98 2) (ex pl ai ni ng th atoff

ic ers m ay co nduc t a warran tl es s s earc h o f an au to m ob il e ev en aft er t he ve hi cl e is im

po un de d a ndin po li ce cu st od y ); Uni te d Sta te s v. Bi rd so ng , 98 2 F .2d48 1, 4 83 (11 th Cir . 19 93 ) (h ol di ng th atau to m ob il e ex cep ti on ap pl ie d 6ev enth ou gh th e d efen da ntalr ead y ha d b eentak enin to cu st od y an d t he po li ce were i n p os se ss io n o f hi s ca r ke y s) . Po li ce h av e p ro babl e cau se to sea rch a ve hi cl e

“ ‘whe n u nd er t he to ta li ty of th e ci rcu m st an ces , th ere i s a f ai r pr ob ab il it y

th at co nt rab an d o r ev id en ce o f a cri m e wil l b e fo un d i n the ve hi cl e.’” Li nd se y , 48 2 F.3 d a t 1 29 3 (q uo ti ng Uni te d Sta te s v. Ta mar i , 45 4 F .3d12 59 , 12 64 (11 th Cir . 20 06 )). Inth is cas e, th e d is tri ctco urt co rrec tl y co nc lu de d t ha t t he Humm er was read il y m ob il e. The Humm er p la in ly w as op erat io na l b ecau se law en fo rcem en t of fic ers ob se rv edGarci a driv in g i t s ho rtl y be fo re h is arre st . Garci a o bs erv es th at th e o ffi cers ha d a lre ady

arre st edhi m

an d h adtak enpo ss es si on of the ke y s t o t he Humm er, b utth os e fac ts do no t s ho w th atth e v eh ic le was n otop erat io na l. The m ob il it y requi rem en t fo cu se s o n wh ethe r th e v eh ic le is cap ab le of f un ct io ni ng , no t whe th er i t i s l ik el y

to m ov e in th e n ear fu tu re. Se e Th oma s , 45 8 U.S. at26 1, 1 02 S.Ct . at 3 08 0- 81 ; Birds on g , 98 2 F .2dat 4 83 . The ag en ts als o h adpro babl e cau se to sea rch th e Humm er. Hern an de z to ld th e u nd erco ve r of

fic er t ha t t he rob be ry

crew wo ul d e nt er t he st as h h ou se dre ss ed as po li ce an d a rm edwit h g un s. Onth e d ay pl an ne d fo r th e ro bb ery, law en fo rcem en t o ffi cers ob se rv edGarci a fo ll owi ng Hern an de z’s ve hi cl e inth e Humm er. Late r, Hern an de z cal le d Gar ci a an d m ad e a ref eren ce t o “ th os e th in gs ” 7in th e Humm er. Whe n t he co ns pi rat or s wer e p la cedun de r arre st , th e ag en ts di d

no t fi ndan y

weap on s o n t he ir p ers on s o r in th e o th er v eh ic le s as so ci at edwit h t he co ns pi racy. Thu s, t he off ic ers ha d p ro babl e cau se to be li ev e th atth e weap on s fo r th e ro bb ery wou ldbe fou ndin th e Humm er. Se e Li nd se y , 48 2 F .3dat 1 29 3. We co nc lu de th atth e d is tri ctco urt p ro pe rly den ie d Gar ci a’s m ot io n t o s up pr es s. III. A di st ric t co urt’s d et erm in at io n o f a d efen da nt ’s rol e in th e o ffen se is rev ie wedforcle ar erro r. Uni te d Sta te s v. De Va ro n , 17 5 F .3d93 0, 9 37 (11 th Cir . 19 99 ) ( en ba nc ). The p art y see ki ng th e ad

jus tm en t b ears th e b ur de n o f es tabl is hi ng it s ap pl ic ab il it y by a prep on de ran ce o f th e ev id en ce. Id. at 9 39 . Und er t he Sen te nc in g Gu id el in es , a de fen da nt ’s off en se lev el is to be reduc edby two lev el s i f th e d efen dantwas o nl y a “ m in orpa rti ci pa nt ” in th e cri m in al act iv it y . U.S.S.G. § 3 B1 .2(b ). A m in orpa rti ci pa ntis on e “ who is les s cu lp ab le th anm os t ot he r pa rti ci pa nt s, b utwho se rol e co ul d n otbe de sc rib edas m in im al .” U.S.S.G. § 3 B1 .2, co m

m en t. (n .5). In de te rm in in g wh ethe r to awarda m in or -ro le ad jus tm en t, t he di st ric t co urt s ho ul d c on si de r two pri nc ip le s: “ fir st , th e d efen da nt ’s ro le in th e rel ev an t co nduc t fo r whi ch [he ] ha s b een he ldacco un tabl e at se nt en ci ng , and , sec on d, [h is ] ro le as c om pa redto th atof o th er p art ic ip an ts in [hi s] rel ev an t co nduc t.” De Var on , 17 5 F .3dat 9 40 . 8Here, Garc iadi d n otpl ay a m in orrol e in th e ro bb ery co ns pi racy. Alt ho ug h Garci a was no t t o e nt er t he st as h h ou se hi m se lf, h e supp li edth e Ber ettapi st ol th at was to be us edto co m

m itth e ro bb ery. He als o t ran sp orte d t he Bere tt a an d t he sh ot gu n t o ast ag in g a rea f orth e ro bb ery, alo ng wit h p ol ic e p arap he rn al iath athi s co -co ns pi rat or s wer e to wear dur in g t he rob be ry . Giv enth es e fac ts , th e d is tri ct co urt ap pr op ria te ly con cl ud edth atGarci a was in vo lv edin “ in st ru m en ta l as pe ct s” of th e co ns pi racy. Und er the sec on d p ro ng of De Var on , itap pe ars th atGarci a’s ro le in th e of fen se was s om ewh atles s s eri ou s t ha n tha t o f hi s co -co ns pi rat or s, as he was n ot to en te r th e st as h h ou se hi m se lf a ndwas t o b e p ai d l es s t ha n t he othe r co ns pi rat or s. Nev erthe le ss , Garci a st il l p la y edanin te gr al rol e inth e co ns pi racy becaus e h e supp li edon e fi rearm

an d t ran sp orte d t he sh ot gu n a ndothe r to ol s tha t wer e to be us edinth e ro bb ery. In l ig htof the ev id en ce p res en te d a t t ria l, t he di stric t co urt di d n otcle arl y

err b y de nyin g Gar ci a’s reque stfora m in or -ro le reduc ti on . Acco rd in gl y , we affi rm . AFFIRMED.

9