# 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 3- 18 34

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ 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.

Mau ric e Su to n An to n S ay le s

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

an t - Ap pe ll an t

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No. 1 3- 18 74

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ 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.

Mar ti nu s An tu an Say le s

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

an t - Ap pe ll an t

__ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Weste rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i - Sp rin gf ie ld

__ __ __ __ __ __Su bm it te d: Feb ru ary 14 , 20 14 Fil ed : J un e 6 , 20 14

__ __ __ __ __ __ Befo re RI LEY, Chi ef J ud ge , LOKE N and BYE, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

__ __ __ __ __ __ BYE, Cir cu it Ju dg e.

Mar ti n us Ant ua n Sayles ("M art in us ") an d Mau ric e Su to n Ant on Sayles ("M au ric e") each pl ead ed gu il ty to co ns pi racy to co m m it wire frau d and th e di st ric t

co ur t se nt en ced each to ei gh ty-fiv e m on th s of im pr is on m en t. Mar ti nu s an d Mau ric e 1

no w app eal th e se nt en ces . W e aff irm each sen te nc e.

I

Twin br ot he rs Mar ti nu s an d Mau ric e en ga ge d in a sc he m e whe reb y th ey wou ld

st eal ch eck s, fo rg e ch eck s, pu rch as e m erch an d is e, th en ret ur n th e m erch an di se fo r

cas h

. The lo ss at tri bu ta bl e to th e sc he m e was $5 ,99 0. On Apr il 4, 20 12
, an in di ct m en t w a s fil ed in th e W es te rn Dis tri ct of Mi ss ou ri, ch arg in g Mar ti nu s an d
Mau ric e wit h co ns pi racy to co m m it wire frau d. Mau ric e was al so ch arg ed wit h th ree

co un ts of wi re fra ud

.

Mar ti nu s pl ead ed gu il ty to co ns pi racy to co m m it wire frau d wit ho ut a writ te n pl ea ag reem en t. At se nt en ci ng , pu rs ua nt to th e Uni te d St at es Sen te nc in g Gui de li ne s Man ua l ("U.S.S.G."), th e di st ric t co ur t de te rm in ed Mar ti nu s had an of fen se le ve l of 7, a cri m in al hi st or y cat eg or y of VI, an d a gu id el in es ran g e o f 1 5

- 2 1 mon th s. The
go ve rn m en t so ug ht a se nt en ce at th e hi gh en d of th e gu id el in es ran ge an d th e di st ric t

The Hon or ab le Greg Kay s, Uni te d St at es D i s tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e W es te rn 1 Dis tri ct of M is so ur i.

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-co ur t v ari ed up ward be cau se of th e se rio us na tu re o f th e cri m e, Mar ti nu s's cri m in al

hi st or y , th e ne ed to de t e r M a r t i n u s fro m fu tu re cri m es , an d a ne ed to pr ot ect th e
pu bl ic

. The di st ric t co ur t se nt en ced Mar ti nu s to ei gh ty-fiv e m on th s of im pr is on m en t.

Mau ric e p le ad ed gu il ty pu rs ua nt to a writ te n pl ea agre em en t to co ns pi racy to

co m m it wire frau d. The pl ea ag reem en t pr ev en te d th e go ve rn men t fro m se ek in g a

se nt en ce hi gh er th an th e gu id el in es ran ge as cal cu la te d by th e di st ric t co ur t. Mau ric e

was se nt en ced by th e di st ric t co ur t aft er Mar ti nu s, bu t on th e sa m e da y

. The di st ric t

co ur t ap pl ie d a th ree- le ve l en ha nc em en t pu rs ua nt to U

. S

. S

. G

. § 3B 1.1 (b ) fo r Mau ric e's ro le as a m an ag er or su pe rv is or an d su bs eq ue nt ly cal cu la te d Mau ric e ha d

an of fen se le ve l of 13
, a cri m in al hi st or y cat eg or y of VI, an d a gu id el in es ran ge of 33

- 41 m on th s. Th e g ov ern m en t b reac he d th e pl ea ag reem en t an d as ke d fo r a s en te nc e of at le as t ei gh ty-fiv e m on th s, arg ui ng Mau ric e was th e pr im ary m ot iv at or of th e

co ns pi racy an d ha d a cri m in al hi st or y cat eg or y si mi la r to Mar ti nu s, th us m ak in g a

se nt en ce of le ss th an ei gh ty-fiv e m on th s of im pr is on m en t di sp ro po rti on at e to th e

se nt en ce im

posed on Mar ti nu s. The di st ric t co ur t va rie d up ward be cau se of Mau ric e's cri m in al hi st or y

an d hi s ro le as th e le ad er of th e co ns pi racy an d se nt en ced Mau ric e
to eig ht y -fi ve m on th s o f im pr is on m en t.

II

W e rev ie w t h e s u b st an ti ve un reas on ab le ne ss of se nt en ces "u nd er a st an da rd ak in to a n a b us e-o f-d is cret io n st an da rd
, co gn iz an t th at it wil l be th e un us ua l cas e whe n we r e v e r s e a di st ric t co ur t se nt en ce– whe th er wit hi n, ab ov e, or be lo w th e
ap pl ic ab le Gui de li ne s ran ge –a s su bs ta nt iv el y un reas on ab le ." Uni te d St at es v. Van de Brak e, 67 9 F.3 d 10 30
, 10 37 (8 th Ci r. 20 12 ) (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s an d ci ta ti on om it te d)

. W he n arg um en ts were no t rai se d be lo w, th ey are rev ie wed fo r pl ai n

erro r. Uni te d Stat es v. Sm it h, 57 3 F.3 d 63 9, 65 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ). Und er pla in erro r

rev ie w, it is th e de fen da nt 's bu rd en to pr ov e (1 ) th ere was erro r, (2 ) th at wa s p l a i n ,
an d (3 ) affe ct ed su bs ta nt ia l rig ht s. Uni te d St at es v. Bu rn et te , 51 8 F.3 d 94 2, 94 7 (8 th

-3

-Ci r. 20 08 ) (ci t i n g J o hn so n v. Uni te d St at es , 52 0 U.S. 46 1, 46 6- 67 (1 99 7) ; Fed

. R.

Cri m . Pro . 52 (b )).

A

Mar ti nu s co nt en ds hi s se nt e n ce of ei gh ty-fiv e m on th s is su bs ta nt iv el y

un reas on ab le

. A se nt en ce m ay be un reas on ab le if th e di st ric t co ur t fai ls to co ns id er

a rel ev an t fact or whi ch sh ou ld ha ve rece iv ed si g n i f ic an t weig ht ; gi ve s si gn ifi can t weig ht to an im

pr op er or irr el ev an t fact or ; or co ns id ers th e ap pr op ria te f a ct or s bu t

co m m it s a cl ear erro r of jud gm en t. Uni te d St at es v. Haack
, 40 3 F.3 d 99 7, 10 04 (8 th Ci r. 20 05 ). A di st ric t co ur t is req ui red to im po se a se nt en ce whi ch is "s uf fic ie nt , bu t

n o t g r e a t 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

. 18 U.S.C

. § 35 53 (a). A di st ric t co ur t m us t co ns id er th e gu id el in es ran ge , bu t m ay va ry fro m th e

ran ge to "t ai lo r th e se nt en ce in li gh t of th e ot h e r st at ut or y co nc ern s" of § 35 53 (a). Uni te d St at es v. Bo ok er, 54 3 U.S. 22 0, 24 5- 46 (2 00 5)

. If a di st ric t co ur t va rie s fro m th e ad vi so ry gu id el in es ran ge , th e se nt en ce can be reas on ab le so lo ng as th e d is tri ct

co ur t of fers ap pr op ria te jus ti fic at io n un de r th e fact or s of § 35 53 (a). Uni te d St at es v. Pl aza, 47 1 F.3 d 87 6, 87 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 06 ). "Th e gr eat er th e va ria nc e fro m th e ad vi so ry
gu id el in es ran ge , th e g reat er t he jus ti fic at io n m us t b e fo r th at va ria nc e." Id

.

The d is tri ct co ur t ga ve fo ur reas on s fo r va ry in g up ward fro m th e gu id el in es

ran ge : (1 ) th e se rio us na tu re of th e cri m e, (2 ) Mar ti nu s's cri m in al hi st or y , (3 ) th e ne ed

to de te r Mar ti nu s from fu tu re crim es , an d (4) a ne ed to pro te ct th e p ub li c. All were
pe rm is si bl e reas on s for varyin g from th e gu id el in es

. See 18 U.S.C. § 35 53 (a). The
pr im ary jus ti fic at io n be hi nd th e up ward va ria nc e was Mar ti nu s's si gn ifi can t cri m in al hi st or y of frau d. The di st ric t co ur t no te d Mar ti nu s ha d twen ty-eig ht cri m in al hi st or y
po in ts , bu t th e gu id el in es st op s co un ti ng cri m in al hi st or y po i n t s a t t hi rte en , th us a si gn ifi can t po rti on of Mar ti nu s's cri m in al hi st o r y w a s no t ta ke n in to acco un t in th e
gu id el in es cal cu la ti on

. W e fin d no ba si s fo r co nc lu di ng th e se nt en ce is un reas on ab le

. The di st ric t cou rt con si de red ap pr op ria te fact or s in va ry in g from th e gu id el in es an d

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-ad eq ua te ly ex pl ai ne d it s se nt en ce. See, e.g ., Uni te d St at es v. Hil l, 55 2 F.3 d 68 6, 69 0-

92 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ) (aff

irming an ab ov e-g ui de li ne s se nt en ce whe re th e d i s t r i ct co ur t ad eq ua te ly ex pl ai ne d it s se nt en ce, no ti ng th e se nt en c i ng jud ge is in a "s up eri or
po si ti on " to ev al ua te th e fact s of an y gi ve n cas e an d jud ge th ei r si gn ifi can ce ag ai ns t th e § 35 53 (a) fa ct or s)

. 2

B

Mau ric e arg ue s th e pl ea ag reem en t sh ou ld be un en fo rcea bl e b e c a u se th e
go ve rn m en t br each ed th e ag reem en t, th e di st ric t co ur t co m m it te d pr oc ed ur al erro r by im pr op erl y cal cu la ti ng Mau ric e's gu id el in es ran ge , a nd th e di st ric t co ur t i m po se d a

su bs ta nt iv el y

un reas on ab le sen te nc e.

Mau ric e arg ue s th e pl ea agre em en t sh ou ld be de em ed un en fo rcea bl e be cau se th e go ve rn m en t br each ed th e pl ea ag reem en t. Mau ric e waiv ed hi s rig ht to ap pe al as
pa rt of hi s pl ea ag reem en t ; h o w e ve r, be cau se th e go ve rn m en t br each ed th e pl ea
ag reem en t, th e ap pe al s waiv er is un en fo rcea bl e. Uni te d St at es v. Lov el ace, 56 5 F.3 d
10 80
, 10 84 (8 th Ci r. 20 09 ). W he n a de fen da nt se ek s to av oi d a n a p p e a l waiv er

co nt ai ne d in a pl ea ag reem en t by arg ui ng , fo r th e fir st ti m e on ap pe al
, th e go ve rn m en t br each ed th e pl ea ag reem en t, we rev ie w th e fo rfei te d an d rel at ed cl ai m s un de r pl ai n

erro r an al y si s. Id

. at 10 86

. To sh ow th e br each affe ct ed hi s du e pr oc es s rig ht s, Mau ric e "m

us t sh ow th at hi s se nt en ce was affe ct ed by th e br each ." Id

. at 10 88

. In

ot he r wor ds
, Mau ric e m

us t sh ow a " r e a s o n a bl e pr ob ab il it y , ba se d on th e ap pe ll at e

reco rd as a who le
, th at bu t fo r th e erro r he wou ld ha ve rec e i v e d a mo r e fav or ab le

se nt en ce." Uni te d St at es v. Pi ran i, 40 6 F.3 d 54 3, 55 2 ( 8 th Ci r. 20 05 ) (en ba nc ) (q uo ta ti on s o m it te d)

.

W e ha ve ex am in ed th e ot he r is su es rai se d by Mar ti nu s in hi s pr o se fil in gs bu t 2 fin d no ot he r cl ai m s m eri t di sc us si on

. The refo re, we affi rm th os e is su es wit ho ut

co m m en t. See 8t h C ir. R . 47 B.

-5

-The pl ea agre em en t di d no t bi nd th e di st ric t cou rt, and
, rev ie win g th e rec or d,

th ere i s no in di cat io n th at , bu t fo r th e go ve rn m en t's co m m en ts , th e di st ric t co ur t

wou ld no t ha ve va rie d up ward

. The di st ric t co ur t ack no wled ge d Mau ric e ha d a le ss er cri m in al hi st or y th an hi s br ot he r, bu t al s o f o cu se d on Mau ric e be in g a le ad er an d
Mau ric e, un li ke Mar ti nu s, ha vi ng vi ol en t fel on ie s in hi s cri m in al hi st or y

. The di st ric t

co ur t di d no t va ry as su bs ta nt ia ll y up ward wit h Mau ric e as w i t h Mar ti nu s, bu t th e di st ric t co ur t m ad e cl ear it vi ewed th e br ot he rs as eq ua ll y cu lp ab le in th e co ns pi racy. The di st ric t co ur t st at ed to Mau ric e, "I be li ev e th at y ou de se rv e th e sa m e pu ni sh m en t

as y ou r br ot he r ba se d up on [th e fact th at ] hi s cri m in al hi st or y is wor se t h a n y ou rs , [an d] th e fact th at y ou were a m an ag er/ su pe rv is or ." Bec au se th e di st ric t co ur t wou ld ha ve se nt en ced Mau ric e to th e sa m e se nt en ce ev en wit ho ut th e go ve rn m en t's br each

o f th e pl ea ag reem en t, we can no t sa y th e br each of th e pl ea ag reem en t r e q u i r e s

rev ers al un de r th e p la in erro r st an da rd

.

On ap pe al
, Mau ric e arg ue s fo r th e fir st ti m e th e di st r i c t co ur t co m m it te d
pr oc ed ur al se nt en ci ng erro r. Mau ric e do es no t co nt es t he de se rv es a th ree- le ve l

en ha nc em en t un de r U.S.S.G. § 3B 1.1 (b ) fo r be in g a m an ag er or su pe rv is or

. Mau ric e in st ead arg ue s Mar ti nu s ha d an eq ua l ro le in su pe rv is in g an d pl an ni ng th e co ns pi racy

an d th e di st ric t co ur t erre d by fo cu si ng on Mau ric e as a le ad er bu t no t Mar ti nu s as a le ad er. And
, ul ti m at el y , be cau se Mar ti nu s ha d a m or e su bs ta nt ia l cri m in al hi st or y , th e co ur t erre d in se nt en ci ng Mau ric e to th e sa m e te rm of im pr is on m en t as Mar ti nu s. Eve n th ou gh Mau ri c e h a d a le ss er cri m in al hi st or y th an Mar ti nu s, Mau ric e's
gu id el in es ran ge was hi gh er an d th e di st ric t co ur t va rie d up ward le ss w i t h Mau ric e th an wit h M art in us . See Pl aza, 4 71 F.3d at 87 9 (n ot in g a gr eat er va ria nc e fro m th e ad vi so ry gu id el in es ran ge req ui res a gr eat er jus ti fic at io n)

. The di st ric t co ur t suf fi ci en tly expl ai ne d th e de fen da nt -s pe ci fic fact s rel ev an t to se nt en ci ng Mau rice an d

t h e d i s tri ct co ur t di d no t pl ai nl y err in se nt en ci ng Mau ric e to th e sa m e te r m o f im pr is on m en t as Mart in us

.

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-Fi na ll y , Mau ric e co nt en ds hi s se nt en ce of ei gh ty-fiv e m on th s is su bs ta nt iv el y

un reas on ab le

. Dur in g th e se nt en ci ng he ari ng , th e di st ric t co ur t no te d Mau ric e ha d a

su bs ta nt ia l cri m in al hi st or y , in cl ud in g a hi st or y of frau d cri m es an d vi ol en t fel on ie s;

no te d Mau ric e ha d no t be en de te rred by a nu m be r of s h o r t s e n t e nc es ; an d no te d
Mau ric e was a su pe rv is or of th e co ns pi racy. Th e s e a r e pe rm is si bl e reas on s fo r

va ry in g fro m th e gu id el in es

. See 18 U

. S

. C

. § 3 55 3( a). W e fin d no ba si s fo r

co nc lu di ng th e se nt en ce i s u nr eas on ab le . See, e.g ., Hill , 55 2 F .3d at 6 90 -9 2.

III

Acco rd in gl y , we affi rm

bo th sen te nc es

.

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