FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT O c t obe r 20, 2006 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ DO NO T 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- 10993 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 1 0 0 1 9 - C R - K MM 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 G I O V A N N Y E S T U A R D O C O T E R A V A L D E Z , 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 S outhe r n D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( O c t ob e r 20, 2006) B efo re B IR C H , M A R C U S an d W IL S O N , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

G i ov anny Es tua r do Cot e r a V a l de z app e a l s hi s 13 5- month s e nt e nc e , w hi ch w a s i m pos e d a f

t e rhe p l ed gui l ty t o one c ountof c ons pi r a c y t o pos s e s s w i th i nt e nt t o di st ri b u t e fi v e ki l ogr a m s orm or e of c oc a i ne w hi l e on a ve s s e l s ubj e c tt o the j u r i s d i c t i o n o f

th e Un i t e d S t a t e s , i n v i o l a t i o n o f 4 6 U. S . C . Ap p . § 1 9 0 3 ( j ) . On appe al, h e argu es thatthe di stri ctcourterre d b y denyi ng hi s m ot i on for am i no rr ol e r e duc t i on, pur s ua ntt o U . S . S . G . § 3B 1. 2( b) . T he di s tr i c tc our tde ni e d the m o tio n f o rtw o r e a s o n s : ( 1 ) it w a s u n tim e ly , a n d ( 2 ) V a ld e z d id n o t d e m o n s t r a te thathe w as subst ant i al l y l es s cu lp ab le than si m i l ar l y s i tuat ed i nd i vi du al s. A ft er c a r e f u l r e v i e w , w e a f

f i r m. W e r e v ie w f

o ra n a b u s e o f

d is c r e tio n w h e th e rth e d i s tr ic t c o u r t e r r e d in d e te r m in in g th a t a m o tio n w a s u n tim e ly . S e e C la r k v . H o u s in g A u th o r ity o f C ity of A l m a , 971 F . 2d 723, 72 4 ( 11th C i r . 1992) ( r e vi e w i ng the t i m e l i ne s s of the f i l i ng of a req u est f

ora tt or ne y ’ s f

e e s f ora n a bus e of

di s c r e t i on) ; s e e a l s o U ni t e d S t a t e s v. Jones, 70 F . 3d 10 09 , 10 10 (8th C i r. 1 9 9 5 ) (f i nd i ng no abuse of di sc re t i on i n d i stri ct c our t ’ s de c i s i on nott o co n si d er a n unt i m e l y obj e c t i on t o the P S I ) ; U ni t e d S t a t e s v. M o rs le y, 64 F . 3d 90 7, 91 4 (4t h C i r. 19 95 ) ( ho l di ng thatdi stri ctcourthad d is c r e tio n to r e f

u s e to ru le o n u n tim e ly o b je c tio n s to P S I ) . W e r e v ie w a d i s t r i c t c o u r t’s f a c tu a l f in d in g s r e g a r d in g a d e f e n d a n t’s r o le in the offens e f

o r clea r err or. U ni t ed S t at es v. D e V ar on , 17 5 F . 3d 93 0, 93 7 (11 th C i r. 1999) ( e n ba nc ) . “ S o l ong as t h e b a s i s of the tr i a l c our t ’ s de c i s i on i s s uppor t e d by3

th e r e c o r d a n d d o e s n o t in v o lv e a m i s a p p lic a tio n o f a ru le o f la w , w e b e lie v e th a t it w ill b e r a re fo r a n ap p ellate co u rt to co n clu d e th at th e s en ten cin g co u rt’s d e te r m in a tio n is c le a r ly e r r o n e o u s .” D e V a r o n , 1 7 5 F .3 d a t 9 4 5 . T he re l evantfa ct s a re these . O n Jul y 26, 2 0 0 5 , V al dez a nd se vera l others w e r e i ndi c t e d w i th: ( 1) c o n s pi r a c y t o pos s e s s w i th i nt e ntt o di s tr i but e f i ve ki l og ra m s o f co ca i ne w hi l e on a vess el subj ec tt o the j uri sdi ct i on of the U ni t ed St a t e s , i n v i o l a t i o n o f

4 6 U . S. C. A p p . § 1 9 0 3 ( a ) a n d 2 1 U . S. C. § 9 6 0 ( b) ( 1 ) ( B) ( C o u n t O n e ) ; a n d ( 2 ) p o s s e s s io n w ith in te n t to d is tr ib u te a c o n tr o lle d s u b s ta n c e , in v io la tio n o f

4 6 U .S .C . A p p . § 1 9 0 3 ( a ) , 2 1 U .S .C . § 9 6 0 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( B ) , a n d 1 8 U .S .C . § 2 ( Co u n tTw o ) . Pu r s u a n tt o a w r i tt e n p l e a a g r e e me n t , V a l d e z p l e d g u i l ty t o C ount O ne a nd the go v ern m e nta gr e e d t o di s m i s s C ountT w o. T he pl e a a gr e e m e nt prov i ded thatthe co urtcoul d i m po se a s ent ence up t o the st atut ory m axi m um t erm a uthor i z e d by l a w , w hi c h w as l i f e i m pr i s onm e nt . I ta l s o e xpl a i ne d tha tthe s t a tut or y m a nda t or y m i ni m um s e nt e nc e w a s 120 m onths ’ i m pr i s onm e nt . T he gove r nm e nta gr e e d t o reco m m e nd a ts e nt e nc i ng a tw o- l e ve l a dj us tm e ntf or accep t an ce o f resp o n si b i l i ty, p u rsu an t to U . S . S . G . § 3 E 1 . 1 , an d , i f V al d ez’ s o ffen se l e v e l wa s g r e a t e rth a n 1 6 , a n a d d i t i o n a l o n e - l e v e l d e c r e a s e u n d e rU. S . S . G. § 3E 1. 1( B ) , ba s e d upon hi s t i m e l y not i f i c a t i o n o f h i s i n t e ntt o pl e a d gui l ty . T he g o v e r n m e n ta l s o p r o v i d e d th a ti two u l d f i l e a “ s a f e ty v a l v e ” m o t i o n u n d e rU. S . S . G.4

§ 5 C 1 . 2, a nd a m ot i on f ora dow nw a r d de pa r tur e unde rU . S . S . G . § 5K 1. 1 orF e d. R . C r im . P . 3 5 , if

c e r ta in c o n d itio n s w e r e m e t a s to e a c h . A tthe pl eacol l oq uy, V al dez veri fi ed thathe u n d er sto o d thatthe courtw as a uthor i zed t o sent e nc e hi m t o the m a xi m um t e r m a uthor i z e d by l a w , ora m a xi m um o f lif e im p r is o n m e n t. T h e g o v e r n m e n t t h e n p r o f f e r e d th a t if

th e c a s e w e n t to tr ia l, i tw ou l d sho w thatV al dez w as fo u n d i n i nt ernat i on al w at er s on a ca rgo v es se l nam ed the D ’ M ary. A ft eri nt er ce pt i ng and d et ai ni ng the vess el , U . S . C oastG uard pe r s o n n e l s e a r c h e d th e D ’ M a r y a n d f o u n d 2 , 0 5 4 k i l o g r a ms o f c o c a i n e o n boa r d. V a l de z a gr e e d tha tthe pr of f e rw a s c or r e c ta nd pr oc e e de d t o s e nt e nc i ng. A c c or di ng t o the pr e s e nt e nc e i nve s t i ga t i on r e po r t( “ P S I ” ) , the r e w e r e e i ght c r e w m e m be r s , i n a ddi t i on t o V a l de z , onboa r d the D ’ M a r y w he n i tw as d et a i ne d. V a l d e z w a s th e “ s e c o n d e n g i n e e r , ” a n d th e o th e r i n d i v i d u a l s w e r e i d e n t i f i e d a s t he capt ai n, the fi rs tm at e, the chi ef engi neer , th e fi rs tengi neer , three “ abl e- bo di ed se am en ,” an d t he cook . A cc ordi ng t o the P S I, 1, 89 6 k i l og ra m s of c ocai ne w as fo u n d o n b o ard . A l l b u to n e o f th e crew m em b ers m ad e p o s t- a r r e s tst at em en t s. O n e cr ew m em ber, D avi d A nt on i o G od oy R ea l pe, st at ed thatal l of the cr ew m em bers had b ee n p ai d $ 1, 00 0 t o w ork o n the shi p , a n d th atal l of the cr ew m e m be r s - - e xc e p t t h e cap t ai n a nd a m e c ha ni c - - l oa de d the c oc a i ne ont o the D ’ M a r y a n d th e n b r o k e it in to s m a lle rp a c k a g e s a n d h id it o n th e s h ip . I n h is p o s tarre stst at em ent , V al dez s t at ed thathe w as a m ec hani c on t he shi p w hi l e i tw as5

do cked, and w as then hi re d a s a se cond engi neer for $5 00 per m o n th . H e s ta t ed tha t h e d id no tkn ow thatthere w as coca i ne on bo ar d. A no ther c re w m em ber, C a r lo s E n r iq u e O r te g a B o n e , w h o w a s id e n tif ie d a s th e c h ie f

e n g in e e r , s ta te d in h is pos t - a r r e s ts t a t e m e nttha the w a s i n t oxi c a t e d w he n the c oc a i ne w a s be i ng l oa de d, and, there fore , di d n otpart i ci pa t e i n t he l oadi ng tho ug h h e w as aw ar e the vess el w as bei ng u se d to tr ansportcoca i ne. T hree ot her c re w m em bers , al l of w ho m w er e id e n tif ie d a s “a b le - b o d ie d s e a m e n ,” d e n ie d k n o w le d g e o f th e c o c a in e ’s p r e s e n c e . T he P S I r e c om m e nde d tha tnone of the c r e w m e m be r s w e r e e nt i t l e d t o a m i t i gat i ng rol e adj ustm ent because they “ w er e equal l y cul pabl e as cr ew m em bers aboard the vess el and t hey w er e d irec ted b y C ac ho C as anov a. T hey a l l part i ci pat ed i n th e l o a d i n g o f

th e c o c a i n e , e x c e p tf

or O r t e ga B one , w h o w a s d ru n k . ” Th e PSI a ls o n o te d th a t C a s a n o v a r e c e iv e d a n u p w a r d a d ju s tm e n t f

o rh is r o le a s c ap ta in . T he P S I s e tV a l de z ’ s ba s e of f e ns e l e ve l a t38, ba s e d upon possess i on of 1, 89 6 k i l og ra m s of c ocai ne, pu rs uantt o U . S . S . G . § 2 D 1 .1 (a )( 3), and recom m ended th e f o l l o wi n g a d

j u s tm e n t s : ( 1 ) a two - l e v e l “ s a f e ty v a l v e ” r e d u c t i o n u n d e rU. S . S . G. §§ 2D 1 . 1 (b ), 5C 1. 2( a ) ; a nd ( 2) a thr e e - l e ve l de c r e a s e f ora c c e pt a nc e of r e s pons i bi l i ty unde rU . S . S . G . § 3E 1. 1 (a). W i th a n a dj us t e d of f e ns e l e ve l of

33 a nd a c r i m i na l hi st o ry c a t e gor y I , V a l de z f a c e d a G ui de l i ne s r a nge of 188 t o 235 m o n th s’ i m p ri so n m en t . V al d ez fi l ed n o w ri tt en o b j ect i o n s, rel ev an t t o th i s a p p e a l, t o the P S I . H ow e ve r , a tth e sent e nc i ng he a r i ng, he a r gue d f orthe f i r s tt i m e tha the6

sh o u l d h av e received a m i n o r-ro l e red u ct i o n . T h e d i stri ctco u rt d e n i ed th e req u est a f t e rV a l de z a dm i tt ed t h at h e f a i l e d t o f

i l e a t i m e l y m ot i on t o tha te nd. B utthe c o u r t w e n t o n to n o te th e f o llo w in g : S o, on tha tba s i s al o n e [ the unt i m e l i ne s s ] , i tw oul d be de ni e d , b u ta d d r e s s i n g th e me r i t s a n d c o n s i s t e n tw i th t he pr i orrul i ng w i th the othe rde f e nda nt , I w i l l a doptthe pr oba t i on of

f i c e r ’ s a s s e s s m e n t as t o the r e l a t i ve c u l p ab i l i ty o f each o f th e d efen d an t s i n th i s case p a r a g r ap h 4 5 a n d f

in d t h a t h e d o e s n o t q u a lif y f o ra r o le a d ju s tm e n t. A f t e rV a l de z apol ogi z e d f orhi s c r i m e , the c our ts t a t e d tha ti tha d c o n si d er e d the s ta te m e n ts o f t h e p a r t i e s , th e P S I , th e a d v is o r y g u id e lin e s , a n d th e f a c to r s s e t f

o r th i n 1 8 U . S .C . § 35 53 (a ), and d et erm i ned t hata l ow -e nd se nt ence w as approp ri at e. T h e co u rtth e i m p o sed a 1 3 5 -m o n th t erm o f im p ri so n m en t , fo l l o w ed b y 5 years’ s upe r vi s e d r e l e a s e . T hi s appe a l f ol l ow e d. W e f i r s ta ddr e s s the di st ri ctc our t ’ s unt i m e l i ne s s rul i ng. R ul e 88. 8( 6) of the L oc a l R u l e s of

the U ni t e d S t a t e s D i s tr i c tC our tf orthe S outhe r n D i s tr i c tof F l or i da r e qui r e s tha tm ot i ons f orde pa r tur e be f

i l e d no l a t e rtha n 5 da y s pr i o r t o the s e nt e nc i ng p r oc e e di ng. S . D . F l a . L . R . 88. 8( 6) . W e ha ve f ound no e r r ori n a di s tr i c tc our t ’ s r e

j e ct i on of

a de f e nda nt ’ s m ot i on f

ora dow nw a r d de pa r tur e on the basi s thati tw as un ti m el y und erL ocal R ul e 88. 8(6), w here the m ot i on w as fi l ed be y ond the 5- da y l i m i t a t i on. S e e U ni t e d S t a t e s v. Q ui nt a na, 3 0 0 F . 3 d 1227, 1229- 30 ( 11th C i r . 2000) . I n the pr e s e ntcase, i t i s undi s put e d tha tV a l de z f a i l e d t o m ove7

f o ra m in o rr o le r e d u c tio n p r io rto t h e s e n te n c in g h e a r in g , a n d , in f a c t, a d m itte d to thi s f a c ta tthe he a r i ng. T he r e f or e , t h e di s tr i c tc our t ’ s de t e r m i na t i on tha tthe m ot i on w as du e t o b e deni ed as un t i m el y w as no tan abuse of di sc re t i on . S ee Q ui nt ana, 30 0 F . 3d at12 29 -30. O n thi s bas i s a l on e, w e c ou l d aff i rm the di stri ct c o u rt ’ s de c i s i on. H ow e ve r , be c a us e i ti s c l e a rtha tthe di s tr i c tc our t ’ s de c i s i on on t he me r i t s o f

V a l d e z ’ s mo t i o n a l s o w a s p l a i n l y c o r r e c t , w e a d d r e s s th i s a l t e r na t i ve g r o u n d a s w e ll. T h e G u i d el i n es p ro v i d e fo r a tw o -l ev el d ecrease w h ere th e d efen d an tw as a m i norpa r t i c i pa nti n a ny c r i m i na l a c t i vi ty . S e e U . S . S . G . § 3B 1. 2( b) . A m i nor part i ci pa n ti s def

i ned as “ any par t i ci pantw ho i s l es s c ul pabl e than m ostother pa r t i c i pa nt s , butw hos e r ol e c oul d notbe de s c r i be d a s m i ni m a l . ” U . S . S . G . § 3B 1. 2, co m m en t . (n . 3 ). T o d et erm i n e w h eth er th e ad j u stm en tap p l ie s , a d i stri ctco u rtfi rst s h o u ld m e a s u r e t h e d e f e n d a n t’s r o le a g a in s t th e c o n d u c t f o rw h ic h h e h a s b e e n h e ld a c c ount a bl e . S e e D e V a r on, 175 F . 3d at 9 3 4 . S e c ond, w he r e the r e i s s uf f i c i e nt evi dence, a c ou rtal so m ay m easure the defendant ’ s c on du ctagai nstthatof ot her pa r t i c i pa nt s i n th e cri m i na l s c he m e a ttr i but e d t o the de f e nda nt . S e e i d. I n m a ki ng thi s i nq ui ry , a di stri ctcourtshou l d l oo k t o o ther par ti cip an ts on l y t o the ext entthat th e y ( 1 ) a r e id e n tif

ia b le o rd is c e r n a b le f

r o m th e e v id e n c e , a n d ( 2 ) w e r e i n v o lv e d in the r e l e va ntc onduc ta ttr i bu t ed t o t h e d e f e nda nt . S e e i d. a t944 ( s t a t i ng tha t“ [ t ] he c o n d u c t o f p a r t i c ip a n ts in a n y la r g e rc r im in a l c o n s p ir a c y is irr e le v a n t” ) . AGiven Valdez’s failure to car ry his burden on the first prong , we need not re ach thesecond 1 De Va ron prong , but we nevertheless obser ve that this second principle would also def eat the a ward of a min or-role re du c tio n he re . Th e on ly pa rtic ipa nts wh o may be c on side re d are tho seinv olv e d in the re levant conduct attributed t o Valdez, specific ally , the other crewmembers. Seeid. Wi th the possible exception of the boat’s captain, V aldez’s conduct appea rs to ha ve been equal to that of the other c rewmembers a

nd the conduc t o f o th ers who wereinvolved in the overall scheme of transportingand sellingcocaine -- theorg anizers or re cruiter s or those with an equity interest in the cocaine -- is irreleva

nt to the assessment of Valdez’s role, as heis not charg ed with a larg er c on sp ira c y

to impo rt

or dis tributedr

ug s, and , in

any e vent, the seindiv idu a ls a reno t id e nti fi a

ble from the evidence . See DeVaron, 175 F.3d at 944. 8 defe nd antw ho se rol e i n t he re l evantcond uctw as l es s than t hatof ot her pa rt i ci p an t s i s notne c e s s a r i l y e nt i t l e d t o a m i norr ol e r e duc t i on w he r e no p a r tic ip a n ts a r e m in o rp a r tic ip a n ts . I d . H e r e , the r e l e va ntc onduc ta ttr i but e d t o V a l d ez at se nt e nc i ng w a s the pos s e s s i on of

1, 896 ki l ogr a m s of co c a i ne , w hi c h r e pr e s e nt e d the a m ountof c oc a i ne foun d o n the vess el w hen i tw as i nt er ce pt ed w i th V al dez onb oard. Indeed, V al dez a d m itte d a t h is p le a c o llo q u y th a t h e w a s f o u n d o n a v e s s e l w ith 2 ,0 5 4 k ilo g r a m s . M or e ove r , a c c or di ng t o f e l l ow crew m e m be r s ’ pos t - a r r e s ts t a t e m e nt s , V a l de z a nd th e o th e r s a s s i s t e d i n lo a d in g th e c o c a in e a n d th e n b r e a k in g it u p a n d d is tr ib u tin g it on the boa t . T he s e a c t i vi t i e s de m ons tr a t e tha the pa r t i c i pa t e d i n tr ans por t i ng the d ru g s , a n d th a t h i s r o l e w a s n o t mi n o r i n th e r e l e v a n t c o n d u c t o f p o s s e s s i on a nd cons pi r a c y t o p os s e s s w i th i nt e ntt o d i s tr i bu t e f i ve ki l og r a ms ormor e of c ocai ne. S e e D e V a r on , 1 7 5 F . 3d a t944. T he r e f or e , the f

i r s tpr i nc i pl e of

D e V a r on pr e c l ude s a m i norr ol e r e duc t i on. 19

“ S o l on g as the basi s of the tri al court ’ s dec i si on i s s up po rt ed b y the re cord a nd doe s noti nvol ve a m i sap pl i c a t i on of a rul e of

l a w , w e be l i e ve tha ti tw i l l be r a r e f o r an ap p el l at e co u rt t o co n cl u d e th at th e sen t en ci n g co u rt ’ s d et erm i n at i o n is cl ea rl y e rr on eous. ” I d. at94 5 (em ph asis in o rig in al ). H er e, w e c anno tfi nd cl ea r e r r ori n the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s c onc l us i on tha tV a l de z pl a y ed an i n t e gr a l r ol e i n the c h a r g e d o f

f e n s e s a n d , a c c o r d i n g l y , w a s n o te n t i t l e d t o a mi n o r - r o l e r e d u c t i on, p u r s u a n t to o u rd e c is io n in D e V a r o n . AF F I RME D.