FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC U IT SEPT 29 , 2006 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ 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

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________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f o rth e N o r th e rn D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( S e p t e m b e r 29, 2006) B efo re T JO F L A T , D U B IN A 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

M ic h a e l E . J o n e s ap p e a ls h is s e v e n ty - o n e m o n th s e n te n c e f o llo w in g h is ne got i a t e d gui l ty pl e at o one c ountof ba nk f r aud, i n vi ol a t i on of

18 U . S . C . §§ 1344( 1) a nd 2. U pon athor ough r e vi e w of the r e c or d on appe a l , i nc l udi ng the F e d. R . C ri m . P . 11 pl eahear i ng and sent enci ng transcr i pt s, the pres ent ence in v e s tig a tio n r e p o rt ( “P S I ” ) , a n d a f te rc o n s id e r a tio n o f

th e b r ie f s o f th e p a r tie s to th is C o u r t, w e f

in d n o r e v e r s ib le e rr o r .

B AC KG R OU ND B etw een M ay 1 9 9 8 an d A p ri l 2 0 0 1 , Jo n es en g ag ed i n a sch em e t o p u rch ase num e r ous l uxury ve hi c l e s a nd R ol e x w a t c he s by c r e a t i ng a nd pa s s i ng f r audul e nt c e r t i f i e d c he c ks t o uns us pe c t i ng vi c t i m s . I n one i ns t a nc e , J one s us e d af r audul e nt c a s h i e r ’ s c h e c ki n th e a mo u n to f $ 4 5 , 5 0 0 t o p u r c h a s e a1 9 9 8 Ra n g e Ro v e rf r o m a pr i va t e s e l l e r . J one s the n s ol d the ve hi c l e t o C a rm a x f or$28, 851. I n J ul y 2001, J one s w a s a rr e s t e d i n V i r gi ni aa f t e ra tt e m pt i ng t o s e l l aP or s c he B oxs t e r , w hi c h he ha d f r audul e nt l y obt a i ne d, t o a n unde r c ove rof f i c e r . J one s w a s c onvi c t e d a nd r e m a in e d in c a r c e r a te d u n til O c to b e r3 , 2 0 0 3 . O n oraboutO c t obe r20, 2003, J one s c om m e nc e d the i ns t a ntc he c k- ki t i ng of f e ns e by ope ni ng ane w c he c ki ng a c c ountvi athe i nt e rne tw i th N e tB a nk us i ng a f or ge d and non- s uf

f i c i e nt - f unds c he c k. J one s the n ope ne d a ddi t i ona l f r audul e nt a c c ount s w i th othe rba nks , a f t e rw hi c h he be ga n ki t i ng c he c ks be tw e e n the va r i ous3

f i na nc i a l i ns t i tut i ons . I n A ugus t2004, J one s a ga i n a tt e m pt e d t o us e af r audul e nt c e r tif ie d c h e c kto p u r c h a s e a1 9 9 1 B M W . S h o r tly th e r e a f te r , F o r s y th C o u n ty p o li ce o ff

icer s o b tain ed an ar re st w ar ra n t fo r J o n es . W h il e s ea rc h in g Jo n es ’s v eh icle an d re sid en ce , th e p o li ce d isco v er ed b u sin es s c ar d s in se v er al o f J o n es ’s al i ases an d tw en ty-si x ch eck s t o t al i n g $ 6 7 , 0 0 5 , an d v ari o u s o th er i t em s. W h i l e co m m i tt i n g th e i n st an to ffen se, Jo n es al so frau d u l en t l y l eased a h o u se in S t. M a r lo G o lf

a n d C o u n try C lu b , D u lu th , G e o r g ia . J o n e s s ig n e d th e le a s e in Jul y 200 4 and w as evi ct ed i n S ept em ber 200 4. D uri ng thatperi od , Jones a tt em pt ed t o p aythe $9 , 30 0 i n rentdu e w i th a se ri es of three fr audu l entchec ks w i th a t ot al f a c e va l ue of

$21, 300. T he l a ndl or d c l a i m e d al os s of $11, 000 a s ar e s ul tof J one s ’ s f r aud. O n appe a l , J one s a r gue s tha ta ts e nt e nc i ng the di s tr i c tc ourt( 1) e rr e d by in c lu d in g in its f

r au d - lo s s c a lc u la tio n u n d e rU .S .S .G . § 2 B 1 .1 ( b ) th e lo s s a m o u n ts a s s o c ia te d w ith h is f

r au d u le n t c o n d u c t p r io rto h is in c a r c e r a tio n in V ir g in ia b e c au s e th o s e a c ts w e r e d is tin c t f r o m th e in s ta n t o f

f e n s e a n d to o te m p o r a lly rem o t e; (2 ) erred b y i n cl u d i n g b o th th e $ 4 5 , 5 0 0 h e u sed t o frau d u l en t l y p u rch ase th e 1 9 9 8 R a n g e R o v e ra s w e ll a s th e $ 2 8 ,8 5 1 h e la te rs o ld th e v e h ic le f o rto C arm ax; (3) e rr ed by i ncl ud i ng i n the t ot al fr aud-l oss a m ou ntthe cum ul at i ve fa ce val ue of the fr audu l entre ntchec ks thatJones pre se nt ed t o h i s l andl ord rather than4

th e ren tam o u n tactu al l y d u e; an d (4 ) p l ai n l y erred b y i n cl u d i n g i n i t s frau d -l o ss ca l cul at i on ou t dat ed checks s ei ze d from Jones’ s r es i dence and vehic l e. ST AN DA RD OF RE VI EW T h e d i stri ctco u rt ’ s ap p l i cat i o n o f th e S en t en ci n g G u i d el i n es p resen t s a m ix e d q u e s tio n o f

la w a n d f

a c t. U ni te d State s v . A nde rs on , 326 F . 3d 1319, 1326 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 3 ) . T h e C o u rt r e v ie w s th e f in d in g s o f

f a c t f o rc le a re rr o r , a n d its ap p l i cat i o n o f th e sen t en ci n g g u i d el i n es t o th o se fact s de no vo . I d. T he C ou rt rev i ew s a d i stri ctco u rt ’ s fi n d i n g s o f factatsen t en ci n g reg ard i n g th e am o u n to f l o ss f o rc le a re rr o r . U

ni te d State s v . M

anooc he rN

os r at i - Sham loo , 255 F . 3d 1290, 1291 (11th C i r. 20 01 ). DI S C US S I ON 1. P re -I ncar ce ra t i on C on du ct Jo n es arg u es th atth e d i stri ctco u rterred b y i n cl u d i n g i n i t s frau d -l o ss ca l cul at i on the $1 60 , 47 6. 80 l oss a ss oci at ed w i th h i s f raud ul entcond uctthat occurre d b ef

ore hi s V i rgi ni a i ncar ce ra t i on . Jones c on t ends thathi s pre in c a r c e r a tio n c o n d u c t c a n n o t b e c o n s id e r e d r e le v a n t c o n d u c t u n d e rU .S .S .G . § 1B 1. 3(a) (2), because i tdi d n oti nv ol ve a c om m on sc hem e or pl an and w as no tpart o f th e s a m e c o u r s e o f

c o n d u c t. U nde rthe G ui de l i ne s , adi s tr i c tc ourtm a y hol d ade f e nda nta c c ount abl e “ not5

ju s t f o rth e ‘o f f e n s e o f c o n v ic tio n ,’ b u t f

o ra ll ‘o f f e n s e c o n d u c t,’ w h ic h ‘r e f e r s to the t ot a l i ty of

the c r i m i na l tr a ns a c t i on i n w hi c h the de f e nda ntpa r t i c i pa t e d a nd w hi ch gave ri se t o h i s i nd i ctm ent , w i tho utre gard t o the part i cul arcr i m es char ged i n the i nd i ctm ent . ’ ” U

ni ted Stat es v. Fuent es , 10 7 F . 3d 15 15 , 15 22 (11th C i r. 1997) ( quot i ng U

ni te d State s v . Sc r oggi ns , 88 0 F . 2d 12 04 , 12 09 n. 12 (11 C i r. th 1 9 8 9 ) ) . S e c tio n 1 B 1 .3 ( a ) ( 2 ) o f th e G u id e lin e s d e s c r ib e s w h a t “r e le v a n t c o n d u c t” m ustbe consi dere d i n cal cul at i ng a def endant ’ s bas e off

ense l evel , and p rovi des thatthe defendantm ustbe hel d acc ou nt abl e f or al l ac t s and om i ss i on s “ thatw er e pa r tof the s a m e c our s e of

c onduc torc om m on s c he m e orpl a n a s the of f e ns e of conv i ct i on . ” U

n ite d S ta te s v . M

a x w e ll , 34 F . 3d 1006, 1010 ( 11th C i r . 1994) ( quot i ng U . S . S . G . § 1B 1. 3( a ) ( 2) ) . T w o of f e ns e s qua l i f

y a s the “ s a m e c our s e of c onduc t ” i f

“ the y a r e s uf

f i c i e nt l y c onne c t e d orr e l a t e d t o e a c h othe ra s t o w a rr a nt the c onc l us i on tha tthe y a r e pa rtof as i ngl e e pi s ode , s pr e e , orongoi ng s e r i e s of offe nses . ” U . S . S . G . § 1 B 1. 3, com m ent . (n. 9(B )) . R el evantfa ct ors t o con si der i nc l ude “ the de gr e e of

s i m i l a r i ty of

the of f e ns e s , the r e gul a r i ty ( r e pe t i t i ons ) of the offe nses , and the t i m e i nt erval betw ee n the offens es . ” I d. T w o o ff

ense s qual i fyas a “ com m on sc hem e or pl an” i f they are “ subst ant i al l y c on nect ed t o eac h o ther by a t l e a s tone c om m on f

a c t or , s uc h a s c om m on vi c t i m s , c om m on a c c om pl i c e s , c om m on pu rpose, or si m i l ar m odus ope r andi . ” I d. , com m ent . (n. 9(A )) . R el evantcond uct6

m a y in c lu d e u n c h a r g e d c o n d u c t. M a x w e ll , 3 4 F .3 d a t 1 0 1 0 . J one s a r gue s tha thi s pr e - i nc a r c e r a t i on c onduc t( 1) oc c urr e d be tw e e n tw oa nd- a - ha l f

a nd f i ve - a nd- a - ha l f

y e a r s be f

or e the be gi nni ng of

the c ha r ge d c he c kki t i ng of f e ns e s , ( 2) i nvol ve d the di s s i m i l a rs c he m e of a c qui r i ng ve hi c l e s a nd w a t c he s , a nd ( 3) i nvol ve d ac om pl e t e l y di f f e r e nttype of

vi c t i m a nd m odus ope r andi . Jones argues thatthe go vernm entfa i l ed t o d em on stra t e t em po ra l prox i m i ty, si m i l ar i ty, or re l evancyt o the i nst antsc hem e. A ts e nt e nc i ng, the di s tr i c tc our ts t a t e d tha tJ one s ’ s ongoi ng f r audul e nt cond uctw as on l y i nt errupt ed by hi s t erm of i ncar ce ra t i on ; there fore , the prein c a r c e r a tio n c o n d u c t c o u ld b e c o n s id e r e d r e le v a n t c o n d u c t u n d e rth e G u id e lin e s . T h is C o u rt h a s n o t a d d r e s s e d w h e th e ra n in te rv e n in g te rm o f in c a r c e r a tio n w ill ge ne r a l l y pr e c l ude adi s tr i c tc ourtf r om f i ndi ng tha tade f

e nda nt ’ s pr e - i nc a r c e r a t i on c onduc tw a s pa rtof

the s a m e c om m on s c he m e orpa r torthe s a m e c our s e of c o n d u c t a s th e o f

f e n s e s o f th e c o n v ic tio n , b e c au s e th e p r e - in c a r c e r a tio n c o n d u c t is to o te m p o r a lly r e m o te a n d d id n o t o c c u rw ith s u f f ic ie n t r e g u la r ity . I n th is pa r t i c ul a rc a s e , w e f

i nd tha tthe r e c or d de m ons tr a t e s tha tJ one s c om m i tt e d the e x tr in s ic f

r au d u le n t c o n d u c t w ith s u f f ic ie n t r e g u la r ity a n d in te m p o r a l p r o x im ity to th e c h a r g e d o f

f e n s e r e g a r d le s s o f

h is in c a r c e r a tio n . B etw ee n M ay19 98 and A pri l 20 01 , Jones e ng aged i n a se ri es of pu rc hase s7

o f s ix lu x u ry v e h ic le s a n d tw o R o le x w a tc h e s u s in g f r au d u le n t c e r tif

ie d c h e c k s . J one s ul t i m a t e l y w a s a rr e s t e d i n J ul y 2001 i n V i r gi ni aa f t e ra tt e m pt i ng t o s e l l one o f th e v e h ic le s to a n u n d e r c o v e ro f f ic e r . J o n e s r e m a in e d in c a r c e r a te d in V ir g in ia un t i l O ct ob er20 03 . T he s am e m onth tha the w a s r e l e a s e d f r om i nc a r c e r a t i on, J one s i m m e di a t e l y r e s um e d hi s f r audul e nta c t i vi t i e s , c om m e nc i ng the i ns t a nt c he c k- ki t i ng of

f e ns e . G i ve n tha tthe r e w a s no br e a k i n the a c t i vi ty out s i de of the peri od of i ncar ce ra t i on , Jones’ s a ct s of c re at i ng and p as si ng fr audu l entce rt i fi ed c h e c k s r e p r e s e n t a n “o n g o in g s e r ie s o f o f f e n s e s ” w ith in th e m e a n in g o f § 1 B 1 .3 . U .S .S .G . § 1 B 1 .3 , c o m m e n t. ( n .9 ( B ) ) . F ur the rm or e , the r e c or d de m ons tr a t e s the J one s ’ s pr e - i nc a r c e r a t i on f r audul e ntc onduc tw a s s uf f i c i e nt l y s i m i l a rt o the c ha r ge d of f e ns e . I n e va l ua t i ng the “ s i m i l a r i ty , r e gul a r i ty , a nd t e m por a l pr oxi m i ty ” be tw e e n the of f e ns e of c onvi c t i on a nd the e xtr i ns i c c onduc t , thi s C our tha s c aut i one d tha ti tw oul d be i mp r o p e rt o f

i n d tw o o f

f e n s e s s u f f i c i e n t l y s i mi l a rj u s tb e c au s e th e y a r e o f th e s a me g e n e r a l typ e . See M

ax w e ll , 34 F . 3d a t1011. I n M a x w e ll , thi s C ourtr e

j e c t e d the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s c onc l us i on tha tthe d e f e n d a n t’s d is tr ib u tio n o f

d ilau d id w a s p a r t o f

th e s a m e c o u r s e o f

c o n d u c t a s h is di stri bu t i on of cocai ne si m pl y bec ause bo th schem es i nv ol ved “ drug di stri bu t i on . ” I d. a t1011. U nl i ke the s i tua t i on i n M a x w e ll , the di stri ctcourti n the ca se before8

thi s C ou rtdi d n otconcl ud e thatthe extri nsi c a ct s and the i nst antoffe nse w er e suff i ci ent l y s i m i l arsol el y bec ause bo th o ff ense s gener al l y i nv ol ved “ fr aud. ” See i d. R ather, the fa ct s of thi s c as e dem on stra t e an o verl ap i n the m o du s o p e r a n d i a nd s im ila r ityo f

J o n e s ’s p r e - a n d p o s t- in c a r c e r a tio n c o n d u c t. T h e e v id e n c e s h o w s th a t, i n b o th i n st an ces, Jo n es’ s m o du s o p e r a n d i w a s t o c r e a t e a nd us e f r audul e nt c e r tif ie d c h e c k s to d e f

r au d h is v ic tim s . W hi l e hi s pre -i ncar ce ra t i on cond uct in v o lv e d as c h e m e to a c q u ir e a n d r e s e ll v e h ic le s a n d je w e lry , a n d h is p o s tin c a r c e r a tio n c o n d u c t in v o lv e d c h e c kk itin g b e tw e e n v a r io u s f in a n c ia l in s titu tio n s , the s c he m e s w e r e ba s e d on the s a m e m e thod a nd w e r e s uf f i c i e nt l y s i m i l a rt o a l l ow f o raf in d in g th a t th e y w e r e p a rt o f ac o m m o n s c h e m e o rs a m e c o u r s e o f c o n d u c t. In addi t i on , the evi dence s ho w s thatJones a l so used the sa m e a l i as , Ja cques D el oach, du ri ng bo th p er i od s. F urtherm ore, even aft erhi s i ncar ce ra t i on , Jones engaged i n the i dent i ca l ac tof usi ng a f raud ul entce rt i fi ed check t o p urchas e a v e h ic le . T here fore , the di stri ctcourtdi d n otcl earl y e rri n fi nd i ng thatJones’ s pre a nd pos t - i nc a r c e r a t i on c onduc tw e r e s uf f i c i e nt l y s i m i l a ra nd a m ount e d t o r e l e va nt cond uctun der § 1B 1. 3, and thatthe pre- i ncar ce ra t i on cond uctcoul d b e c on si dere d in c a lc u la tin g th e to ta l lo s s a m o u n t u n d e r§ 2 B 1 .1 ( b ) . 2. L oss C al cul at i on of the R ange R ov er9

J one s a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our te rr e d by i nc l udi ng i n i t s l os s c a l c ul a t i on bo th the $4 5, 50 0 fraud ul entchec k h e use d t o p urchas e the 19 98 R ange R ov eras w el l as the $2 8, 85 1 h e r ec ei ved w hen h e s ol d the vehi cl e t o C arm ax. Jones argues tha tthe di s tr i c tc ourti gnor e d the va l ue of the c a rtha the pr ovi de d t o C a rm a x, a nd th e co u rtsh o u l d h av e g i v en h i m an o ffsetcred i tb ecau se h e d i d n o ti n t en d t o cau se a l oss gre at erthan $ 45 , 50 0. Jones c on t ends thatthe l oss a m ou ntshou l d h ave been ei th er $ 4 5 , 5 0 0 o r $ 2 8 , 8 5 1 , b u tn o tb o th am o u n t s. S ect i o n 2 B 1 . 1 o f th e U n i t ed S t at es S en t en ci n g G u i d el i n es p ro v i d es a 14- l e ve l e nha nc e m e ntf

oraf r aud of f e ns e i nvol vi ng be tw e e n $400, 000 a nd $1 m i l l i on i n l oss. U . S . S . G . § 2 B 1. 1(b)(1)(H ) ( 20 04 ). A pp l i ca t i on N ot e 3 t o that se ct i on prov i des thatthe “ l oss i s the great erof ac tual l oss or i nt ended l oss. ” U .S .S .G . § 2 B 1 .1 , c o m m e n t. ( n .3 ( A ) ) . “A c tu a l lo s s ” is d e f in e d a s “th e r e a s o n ab ly fore se eabl e pec un i ary harm thatre sul t ed fr om the offens e. ” I d. , com m ent . (n. 3(A )( i )) . “ ‘ Int ended l oss’ (I ) m eans the pecuni ary harm thatw as i nt ended t o res ul tfr om the offens e; and (II ) i ncl ud es i nt ended p ec un i ary harm that w ou l d h ave been i m po ss i bl e or unl i kel y t o o cc ur. ” I d. , c om m e nt . ( n. 3( A ) ( i i ) ) . T he G u id e lin e s a ls o p r o v id e f o r“c r e d its a g a in s t lo s s ,” s ta tin g th a t th e lo s s a m o u n t s h a ll b e r e d u c e d b y e ith e r( 1 ) th e f a irm a rk e t v a lu e o f

a n y p r o p e r ty r e tu rn e d to th e v ic tim be f or e the of

f e ns e w a s de t e c t e d; or( 2) “ [ i ] n ac a s e i nvol vi ng c ol l a t e r a l pl e dge d or10

othe rw i s e pr ovi de d by the de f e nda nt , the a m ountthe vi c t i m ha s r e c ove r e d a tthe t i m e of s e nt e nc i ng f

r om di s pos i t i on of

the c ol l a t e r a l , ori f

the c ol l a t e r a l ha s not be e n di s pos e d of

by tha tt i m e , the f

a i rm a rke tva l ue of

the c ol l a t e r a l a tthe t i m e of se nt enci ng . ” I

d. , c o m m e n t. ( n .3 ( E ) ( i) ( ii) ) . T he di s tr i c tc ourtdi d notc l e a r l y e rri n f i ndi ng tha tJ one s ’ s i ni t i a l f r audul e nt pur c ha s e , a nd the n s a l e of the 1998 R a nge R ove rw e r e s e pa r a t e tr a ns a c t i ons d e s ig n e d to c au s e alo s s to tw o d is tin c t v ic tim s . T h e f a c ts o f th is c a s e d e m o n s tr a te thatJones use d a fr audu l entca shi er ’ s c heck i n the am ou ntof $4 5, 50 0 t o p urchas e a 1998 R a nge R ove rf

r om apr i va t e s e l l e r . J one s the n s ol d the 1998 R a n g e R o v e rto C a rm a x f

or$28, 851. A tthe t i m e of e a c h tr a ns a c t i on, J one s i nt e nde d t o de pr i ve the pr i va t e s e l l e rof

the $45, 500 va l ue of

hi s ve hi c l e , a s w e l l a s t o de pr i ve C a rm a x out of $28, 851. 00 See U .S .S .G . § 2 B 1 .1 , co m m en t. (n .3 (A )( ii )) . F u rth er m o re , Jo n es ’s c la im th a t h e w a s e n title d to a“c r e d it a g a in s t lo s s ” f o rth e v a lu e o f

th e v e h ic le is w ith o u t m e r it. I

d. , c o m m e n t. ( n .3 ( E ) ( i) ( ii) ) . J o n e s n e ith e rr e tu rn e d th e v e h ic le to th e o r ig in a l o w n e rb e f

o r e th e o f

f e n s e w a s d e te c te d , n o rp le d g e d a n y c o lla te r a l to pr ot e c te i the rof

the tw o vi c t i m s . A c c or di ngl y , the di s tr i c tc our tdi d note rrby i n cl u d i n g b o th th e $ 4 5 , 5 0 0 an d th e $ 2 8 , 8 5 1 l o ss am o u n t s i n i t s frau d -l o ss c a l c ul a t i on. 3. L os s C a l c ul a t i on of R e ntC he c ks11

J one s a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our te rr e d by us i ng the c um ul a t i ve f a c e va l ue o f th e th r e e f

r au d u le n t c h e c k s h e p a s s e d to h is la n d lo r d f o rp a y m e n t o f

r e n t o n h is hous e i n S t . M a r l o G ol f a nd C ountry C l ub. J one s c ont e nds tha tthe a c tua l a nd i nt e nde d l os s e s w e r e the s a m e , be c aus e hi s s e c ond a nd thi r d f r audul e ntc he c ks w ere o n l y p resen t ed t o h i s l an d l o rd i n o rd er t o rem ed y th e p ro b l em w i th h i s fi rst f r audul e ntc he c k. J one s not e s tha thi s l a ndl or d onl y c l a i m e d al os s of $11, 000, w hi l e the P S I c a l c ul a t e d the l os s va l ue of $30, 600. F e d e r a l R u le o f

C r im in a l P r o c e d u r e 5 2 ( a ) s ta te s th a t “[ a ]n y e rr o r , d e f e c t, i rr egul ar i ty, or vari ance thatdo es no taf fe ctsubst ant i al ri gh t s m ustbe di sr egar ded. ” F e d. R . C r i m . P . 52( a ) . A ts e nt e nc i ng, the di s tr i c tc our tnot e d tha tba s e d on the court ’ s other rul i ng s a s t o Jon es ’ s f raud -l oss c al cul at i on , thatJones’ s a m ended t ot al f r aud- l os s a m ountw a s $425, 960. T hus , the $19, 600 di f f e r e nc e be tw e e n the $ 3 0 ,6 0 0 f

ig u r e u s e d b y th e d is tr ic t c o u r t a n dth e $ 1 1 ,0 0 0 in r e n t a c tu a lly o w e d to J o n e s ’s la n d lo r d w a s in s u f f ic ie n t to g e t J o n e s b e lo w th e $ 4 0 0 ,0 0 0 th r e s h o ld . U . S . S . G . § 2B 1. 1( b) ( 1) ( H ) . T he r e f or e , e ve n i f

the di s tr i c tc our te rr e d by i nc l udi ng the cum ul at i ve fa ce val ue of eac h o f J on es ’ s f raud ul entre ntchec ks i n i t s t ot al f r aud- l os s c a l c ul a t i on, J one s c a nnotde m ons tr a t e tha tthe e rr ora f f e c t e d the c a lc u la tio n o f

h is s e n te n c e . See F e d .R .C r im .P . 5 2 ( a ) . 4. L os s C a l c ul a t i on of O ut da t e d C he c ks12

F i na l l y , J one s a r gue s tha tthe di s tr i c tc our tpl a i nl y e rr e d by i nc l udi ng i n the l os s c a l c ul a t i on the va l ue of out da t e d f

r audul e ntc he c ks s e i z e d f r om hi s ve hi c l e a nd r e s i de nc e . B e c aus e J one s ’ s c ha l l e nge t o the i nc l us i on of the s e c he c ks w a s not r a is e d in th e d is tr ic t c o u rt, w e r e v ie w f o rp la in e rr o r . U

ni ted Stat es v. C over , 199 F . 3d 1270, 1274 ( 11th C i r . 2000) . T o s a t i s f ythe pl a i n e rr ors t a nda r d, w e m us tf i nd th a t “( 1 ) th e r e w a s e rr o rin th e d is tr ic t c o u r t’s d e te rm in a tio n , ( 2 ) th e e rr o rw a s p la in or ob vi ou s, and (3) the error ‘ af fe ct ed subst ant i al ri gh t s’ i n thatthe error w as prej ud i ci al and n otharm l es s. ” U n ite d S ta te s v . Ch is h o lm , 7 3 F .3 d 3 0 4 , 3 0 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 6 ) . J one s a s s e rt s tha tthe s e i z e d c he c ks bor e da t e s a s f a rba c k a s J une 2000, m or e tha n f

oury e a r s be f

or e hi s a rr e s ti n the i ns t a ntc a s e . J one s c l a i m s tha ta l l but n in e o f th e tw e n ty - s ix s e iz e d c h e c k s w e r e d a te d m o r e th a n n in e ty d a y s b e f o r e h is S e pt e m be r3, 2004, a rr e s t , a nd e qua t e d t o $58, 070 of the $67, 005 t ot a l us e d by the di s tr i c tc ourt . J one s c ont e nds tha tthe r e l a t i ve l y ol d a ge of thos e c he c ks de m ons tr a t e tha the l a c ke d a ny i nt e ntt o utt e rthos e c he c ks ; the r e f or e , the c he c ks s h o u ld n o t h a v e b e e n in c lu d e d in th e to ta l f r au d - lo s s c a lc u la tio n . I n i t s r e s pons e , the gove rnm e nta s s e r t s tha tthe r e l a t i ve a ge of the c he c ks a nd th e f a c t th a t th e c h e c k s h a d n o t b e e n p r e s e n te d f o rp a y m e n t a r e in c o n s e q u e n tia l, be c aus e the ke y i s s ue i s J one s ’ s i nt e ntt o c aus e l os s w i th the s e i z e d c he c ks . T he13

g o v e rn m e n t a r g u e s th a t J o n e s ’s in te n t to u s e c o u n te r f e it c h e c k s to d e f

r au d o th e r s is ap p a r e n t f

r o m h is a c tio n s in c o m m ittin g th e in s ta n t o f f e n s e . J one s doe s nots a t i s f

y hi s bur de n unde rpl a i n- e rr orr e vi e w . J one s c i t e s no ca se l aw t o sup po rthi s a ss ert i on thatthe re l at i ve age of the checks e vi nces a l ac k o f in te n t to n e g o tia te th e c h e c k s . In a si m i l ar si tu at i o n , th i s C o u rth el d th at“ w h en an i n d i v i d u al p o ssesses a s t ol e n c he c k, oraphot oc opy of as t ol e n c he c k, f

orthe purpos e of

c ount e r f e i t i ng, the di stri ctcourtdo es no tcl earl y e rrw hen i tuses the ful l fa ce val ue of thatst ol en c he c k i n m a ki ng ar e a s onabl e c a l c ul a t i on of the i nt e nde d l os s , ” e ve n w he n the c opy of the c he c k doe s notl i s ta n a m ount . U ni te d State s v . G r ant , 431 F . 3d 760, 764- 65 (11th C i r. 20 05 ) ( i nv ol vi ng a s chem e t o u se ph ot ocop i ed checks t o cre at e new f r audul e ntc he c ks ) . I n G r ant , th is C o u r t s ta te d th a t th e d e f e n d a n t’s in te n t is para m ou nt , and thata di stri ctcourti s j ust i fi ed i n i ncl ud i ng a c heck’ s f ul l fa ce v a lu e in th e lo s s c a lc u la tio n w h e r e th e e v id e n c e in d ic a te s th e d e f e n d a n t in te n d e d to u tiliz e th e f

u ll f a c e v a lu e o f

th e c h e c k . Id . a t 7 6 5 . In the ca se before thi s C ou rt , the sc op e of J on es ’ s f raud ul ent -c heck act i vi t i es o v e rth e c o u r s e o f

an u m b e ro f

y e a r s d e m o n s tr a te s th a t J o n e s h a d th e in te n t to c aus e l os s w i th the c he c ks s e i z e d f r om hi s ve hi c l e a nd r e s i de nc e , r e ga r dl e s s of the d at es l i st ed o n th o se ch eck s. T h e G u i d el i n es’ s d efi n i t i o n o f “ i n t en d ed l o ss”14

in c lu d e s “in te n d e d p e c u n ia ry h a rm th a t w o u ld h a v e b e e n im p o s s ib le o ru n lik e ly to o c c u r .” U .S .S .G . § 2 B 1 .1 , c o m m e n t. ( n .3 ( A ) ( ii) ) . T h e r e f o r e , th e d is tr ic t c o u r t d id n o tp l ai n l y err b y i n cl u d i n g i n th e t o t al frau d -l o ss am o u n tth e v al u e o f th e tw en tysi x checks s ei ze d from Jones’ s vehi cl e and re si dence. A cc ordi ng l y, the di stri ct c o u r td i d n o te rr , a n d w e a f f i rm. A FFI R M ED .