FIL ED U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S EL EVENTHCI RCUI T MARCH 23, 2011 J OHN L EY CL ERK [PUBLIS H] IN THE U

NITED STATE S COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELE VENTH CIRCUIT

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__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ D.C. Dock etNo. 8 :0 9- cr-0 03 69 -SCB -AEP-2 UNITED STAT ES OF AMERIC A, ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pl ai nt iff - App el le e, vers us ISABELINO VALAREZO-OROBIO, ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defen da nt- App el la nt .

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__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ D.C. Dock etNo. 8 :0 9- cr-0 03 69 -SCB -AEP-4 UNITED STAT ES OF AMERIC A, ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pl ai nt iff - App el le e, vers us GERARDO PALOMINO-MOR ENO, ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defen da nt- App el la nt .__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ App eal s fr om

th e Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co urt forth e Mi dd le Dis tri ctof F lo rid a

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (Ma rch 23 , 20 11 ) Befo re MAR CUS an d ANDERSON, Ci rcu itJu dg es , andALBRITTON, Dis tri ct * Ju dg e. MARC US, Cir cu itJu dg e: Inth is co ns ol id at edap pe al , Isabe li no Vala rezo -Oro bi o (“ Vala rezo ”) an d Gerar do Pal om in o- Mo ren o (“ Pal om in o” ) ap pe al th ei r co nv ic ti on s fo r op erat in g o r em bark in g upo n asemi-subm ers ib le ve ss el , andco ns pi racy to d o t he same, in vi ol at io n o f Tit le 18 U.S.C. § 2 28 5( a)-( b) . Valar ezo als o app eal s h is sen te nc e fo r th os e co nv ic ti on s. Th e App el lant s’ con st itut io na l ch al le ng es to th ei r co nv ic ti on s are f or ecl os edby thi s C ourt’s re cen tl y publ is he d d eci si on s i n Un it edSta te s v . Ib arg ue n- Mo sque ra, _

_ F .3d__ , 20 11 W L 44 78 70 (11 th Cir . Feb . 10 , 20 11 ), an d Uni te d S tate s v . Saac, _

_ F .3d__ , 20 11 W L 41 49 95 (11 th Cir . Feb . 9, 2 01 1) . W e al so ho ldth atth e d is tri ctco urt d idno t err in ap pl y in g a n e ig ht -le ve l en hanc em en t to Vala rezo ’s sen te nc e, pu rs ua ntto § 2 X7.2 (b )(1 )(C) of t he U.S. Sen te nc in g Gui de li ne s. We, the refo re, aff irm th e d is tri ctco urt’s o rd ers inall res pe ct s.
Honora ble Will iam H. Albritton, I I I , United States District J udg e for the Middle District * of Alaba ma, sitting by

designation. 2I.

Bo th App el lant s wer e cre wm em be rs on a th irty -fi ve foo t, aquabl ue , sel fpr op el le d, s em i-s ub m ers ib le ve ss el (“ SPSS ”) tha t was ap pr eh en de d b y th e U.S. Co as t Gu ardon Ju ly 27, 2 00 9, wh il e o pe rat in g i n i nt ern at io na l wat ers ne ar Mal pe lo Isl an d, Co lo m

bi a. No fl ag no r m ark in gs of r eg is try were vi si bl e o n t he ve ss el . The v es se l, wh ic h Val arez o a dm it te d was semi-subm erg edinord er t o ev ad e d et ect io n, was tra ve li ng fro m Co lo m bi a to Ecua do r to pi ckup carg o fo r a tra ns po rta ti on tri p. Th e fo ur -p ers on crew h adem ba rk edfro m

Co lo m bi a in a sp eed bo atan d b oard edth e SPSS th ree a nda ha lf h ours fro m sh or e o n o r aro un d J ul y

25 , 20 09 . Valar ezo was p ai d i n a dv an ce 3 ,00 0,0 00 Co lo m bi anpe so s, o r ap pr ox im at el y

1,5 25 U.S. do ll ars , forhi s p art ic ip at io n. Val arez o h adbe en recrui te d b y

th e SPSS ’s cap ta in to joi n t he crew. Val arez o s ai d i t was hi s fi rs t t im e pa rti ci pa ti ng inanSPSS t ran sp orta ti on tri p. Whi le at s ea o n J ul y

27 , 20 09 , Valar ezo sp ot te d am ari ti m e p atro l h el ic op te r an d n ot ifi edth e SPSS ’s cap ta in of i ts pre se nc e. The c ap ta in imm ed ia te ly ord ered Vala rezo to in fla te a li fe ra ft a ndord eredPal om in o t o o pe n fo urva lv es on th e SPSS , cau si ng th e v es se l t o s in k. By the ti m e th e Co as t Gu ardreac he d t he SPSS, th e v es se l h adsu nkco m

pl et el y an d t he en ti re cr ew ha d aba nd on edth e v es se l an d bo ard edth e li fe ra ft. Al l o f th e cre wm em be rs cla im edto be Co lo m bi ancit iz en s. 3All crewm em be rs ex cep t the cap ta inwere tran sp orte d t o t he Uni te d S ta te s fo r pr os ecu ti on . 1 Vala rezo an d P al om in o wer e eac h c ha rg edina two -co un t i nd ic tm en t fo r co ns pi racy andsubs tant iv e v io la ti on s o f th e Dru g Tra ffi ck in g Ves se l In te rd ic ti on Act o f 20 08 (“ DTVIA”), 18 U.S.C. § 2 28 5, wh ic h p ro sc rib es op erat in g o r em bark in g i n asemi-subm ers ib le ve ss el witho utna ti on al ity inin te rn at io na l wat ers with t he in te ntto ev ad e d et ect io n. 2 Pal om in o m ov edto di sm is s the in di ctm en t o n t he gro un ds th at18 U.S.C. § 22 85 is un co ns ti tu ti on al ; Val arez o jo in edPal om in o’s m ot io n. OnNov em be r 2, 20 09 , th e d is tri ctco urt en te redanord er d en y in g t he m ot io n i n i ts en ti rety . Bot h Vala rezo an d P al om in o t he n p le ad edgu il ty to the ch arg es witho utan y pl ea Although the capta in, L emos Wil son-Cang a, wa s appre hended a long w ith the cre w, he 1 appar ently

fell ill on the approximately ten-da y journey to the United States and wa s relea sed and returne d to Colombia. Howe ver, at Valar ezo’s sentenc ing he aring , the g overnme nt indicated that it had not give n up on its efforts to appr ehend Wilson-Cang a, either by extraditing him or by catc hing him on anothe r illeg al vessel. The statute pr ovides as follows: 2 Whoever knowing ly

operates, or attempts or c onspires to opera te, by any means, or emba rks in any submersible vesse l or semi-submersible ve ssel that is without nationality

and that is navig atingor has na viga ted into, through, or fr om water s beyond the outer limit of the territorial sea of a sing le country

or a latera l limi t of that country ’s territorial sea with an a djace nt country , with the intent to evade detec tion, shall be fined under this ti tle, imprisoned not more than 15 year s, or both. 18 U.S.C. § 2285(a). 4ag reem en t, p res erv in g the rig htto ap pe al th e d is tri ctco urt’s ru li ng ab ou t the

st atut e’s co ns ti tu ti on al ity . The co urt s en te nc edVala rezo to 10 8 m on th s o f im pr is on m en t o n e ach co un t, t o ru n c on curren tl y , fol lo wedby 36 m on th s o f supe rv is edrel eas e. Pal om in o was sen te nc edto th e sam e. Bo th Vala rezo an d Pal om in o t im el y

ap pe al edfro m

th e d is tri ctco urt’s o rd er d en y in g t he ir m ot io n t o di sm is s the in di ctm en t. Val arez o a ls o app eal edhi s s en te nc e, ch al le ng in g t he ei gh t-l ev el en ha nc em en t t o h is off en se lev el ass es se d u nd er U.S.S.G. § 2X7 .2(b )(1 )(C) forth e si nk in g o f th e v es se l. II. W e rev ie w th e co ns ti tu ti on al ity of ast atut e d e n ov o. Un it edSta te s v . Sp oe rk e, 56 8 F .3d12 36 , 12 44 (11 thCir . 20 09 ). Vala rezo an d P al om in o c ha ll en ge th e co ns ti tu ti on al ity of Ti tl e 1 8 U.S.C. § 22 85 on th ree g ro un ds : fi rs t, the y say tha t s ect io n 2 28 5 e xc eed s the sco pe of Co ng res s’s p owe r to reg ul at e p ira cy an d c rimes on th e h ig h s eas , pu rs uantto Arti cl e I, Sec ti on 8, cl au se 10 of t he U.S. Con st itut io n; sec on d, the y arg ue th atth e st atut e is un co ns ti tu ti on al ly vag ue , bec au se th e st atut ory term s “ se mi-s ub m ers ib le ” an d “ in te ntto ev ad e” ar e in ad equa te ly defi ne d; fin al ly, th ey cla im th atth e st atut e vi ol at es pro cedur al du e p ro ces s b y pre su m in g t ha t the de fen dantis gu il ty of drug tra ffi ck in g s ol el y

up on ev id en ce tha t h e o pe rat eda se m i-s ub m ers ib le ve ss el , 5th ereb y

im pe rm is si bl y

sh ift in g t he bu rd ento th e d efen da ntto pro ve a le gi ti m at e pu rp os e fo r hi s co nduc t. Si nc e th e App el lant s fi le d t he ir app eal s i n t hi s ca se , con tro ll in g p rece de nt fro m th is Co urt h as res ol ve d i n t he go ve rn m en t’s fa vo r al l o f th e App el la nt s’ ch al le ng es to th e co ns ti tu ti on al ity of 1 8 U.S.C. § 22 85 . See Ib arg ue n- Mo sque ra, 20 11 W L 44 78 70 , at * 3- *6 ; Sa ac, 2 01 1 WL 41 49 95 , at * 5- *6 . Accor di ng ly, we affi rm th e d is tri ctco urt’s o rd er d en y in g t he m ot io n t o d is m is s. III. The on ly rem ai ni ng is su e is whet he r th e d is tri ctco urt erredinap pl y in g a n ei gh t-l ev el en ha nc em en t t o Val arez o’s o ffen se lev el forth e si nk in g o f th e v es se l, pu rs ua ntto U.S.S.G. § 2 X7.2 (b )(1 )(C) . W e rev ie w th e d is tri ctco urt’s l eg al in te rp ret at io n o f th e se nt en ci ng gu id el in es de no vo , andth e d is tri ctco urt’s fa ctua l fin di ng s fo r cl ear e rro r. Uni te d S tate s v . Zald iv ar, 6 15 F.3d13 46 , 13 50 (11 th Cir . 20 10 ); Un it edSta te s v . De La Cru z Su arez , 60 1 F .3d12 02 , 12 19 (11 thCir . 20 10 ). Vala rezo ’s sen te nc e was co m pu te d i n a cco rd an ce wi th§ 2 X7.2 of t he U.S. Sen te nc in g C omm is si on Gui de li ne s M anua l -- th e n ewly enac te d g ui de li ne co rres po nd in g t o 1 8 U.S.C. § 22 85 . See U.S.S.G., App . C Supp ., am en d. 7 28 (eff. Nov . 1, 2 00 9) . Sect io n 2 X7.2 pro vi de s fo r a b as e o ffen se lev el of 2 6 fo r a co nv ic ti on un de r 18 U.S.C. § 2 28 5, an d i ns tru ct s the di stric t co urt t o i nc reas e th at 6fig ur e b y

8 l ev el s i f th e sp eci fic off en se ch arac te ris ti cs in vo lv ed“ th e si nk in g o f th e v es se l.” U.S.S.G. § 2X7 .2(b )(1 )(C) . 3 Unl es s o th erwi se sp eci fie d, a c on vi ct edde fen da nt ’s gu id el in e ran ge is de te rm in edon th e b as is of a ll “ rel ev an t co nduc t.” De La Cruz Su arez , 60 1 F .3dat 12 21 ; U.S.S.G. § 1B 1.1 cmt. n .1(H) . Rele va ntco nduc t i nc lu de s n oton ly the de fen da nt ’s ownact s i n p erp etrat io n o f th e o ffen se , bu t al so “ al l re as on ab ly fo res eeab le act s an d o mis si on s o f ot he rs infurth eran ce o f th e joi nt ly und ert ak en cri m in al act iv ity .” U.S.S.G. § 1 B1 .3(a )(1 ). Whe th er a co -co ns pi rat or ’s actwas reas on ab ly fores eeab le to th e d efen da ntso th atitqu al ifi es as r el ev an t co nduc t i s a

The c omplete guideline re ads as f ollows: 3 § 2X7.2. Submersible and Semi-Submersible Ve ssels (a) Ba se Off

ense L evel: 26 (b) Spec ific Off

ense Char acte ristic (1) ( Apply

the greatest) I f the off

ense involved- - (A) a failureto heave to when dire cted by law enf orce ment office rs, incre ase by

2 levels; (B ) an attempt to si nk the vessel, incr easeby 4 levels; or (C) the sinkingof the ve ssel, incre ase by 8 levels. U.S.S.G. § 2X7.2. 7qu es ti on of f actrev ie wedforcle ar erro r. Uni te d S ta te s v . Cov er, 1 99 F.3d12 70 , 12 74 (11 th Cir . 20 00 ). Vala rezo rece iv edth e ei gh t-l ev el en ha nc em en t u nd er U.S.S.G. § 2X7 .2(b )(1 )(C) forth e si nk in g o f th e v es se l, l ead in g t o a n a dju st edoff en se lev el of 34 . Fin di ng no reas on to de vi at e fro m th e advi so ry

gu id el in e se nt en ce, the di st ric t co urt s en te nc edVala rezo to 10 8 m on th s i n p ris on -- th e lo wer l im itof h is gu id el in e ran ge . Valar ezo do es no t d is pu te th atth e v es se l was infactsunk , no r 4 do es he di sp ut e th athi s co -co ns pi rat or s s un k t he ve ss el infurth eran ce o f th ei r joi nt ly und ert ak encri m in al act iv ity . Howev er, Val arez o a rg ue s tha t h e sh ou ldno t ha ve rece iv edth e ei gh t-l ev el en ha nc em en t u nd er s ub se ct io n (b )(1 )(C) be cau se he di d n otscu tt le th e v es se l h im se lf, n or was i t re as on ab ly fores eeab le th athi s co co ns pi rat or s wo ul d d o s o. To b eg in with, i t i s cl ear t ha t the di st ric t co urt n eces sa ril y m ad e a fac tu al fin di ng th atth e sc ut tl in g o f th e v es se l was reas on ab ly fores eeab le to Vala rezo . The is su e was pro pe rly fram edan d e xp res sl y pre se nt edto th e d is tri ctco urt as on e of reas on ab le for es eeab il ity . Valar arez o fi le d awrit te n o bjec ti on to th e p ro ba ti on of fic er’s Pre se nt en ce In ve st ig at io n R ep ort (“ PSI” ), whi chreco m m en de d t he eig ht
- Valar ezo rec eived a

three -leve l adjustment for ac cepta nce of responsibility

under 4 U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1, resulting in a total offense level of 31. H is criminal history cate g ory was I , yielding a guideline imprisonment rang e of 108 to 135 months. 8le ve l en ha nc em en t, o n t he ex pr es s g ro un ds th at“ itwas [n ot ] reas on ab ly

fo res eeab le th atth e Cap ta in of t he ve ss el , who was re tu rn edto Co lo m bi a an d i s no t cu rren tl y

incu st od y , wou ldsi nkth e v es se l l eav in g t he m to fen d fo r th em se lv es in th e o pe n s ea.” Atth e se nt en ci ng he ari ng , th e d is tri ctco urt n ot edth atth e o nl y co nt es te d i ss ue pre se nt edwas Val arez o’s o bjec ti on th at“ itwas n otreas on ab ly fo res eeab le to hi m

th atth e cap ta in of t he ve ss el wou ldord er the si nk in g o f th e ve ss el .” The d is tri ctco urt fr am edit s i nqui ry go ve rn in g app li cat io n o f th e ei gh tle ve l s en te nc in g e nh an cem en t u nd er U.S.S.G. § 2 X7.2 (b )(1 )(C) as “ I as su m e wha t we ne edto do is ap pl y

for es eeab il ity

an d wh ethe r orno t h e actua ll y pa rti ci pa te d an d s o o n.” The d is tri ctco urt t oo k arg um en t fr om bo th th e p ro se cu ti on an d de fen se co un se l s pe ci fic al ly relat in g t o wh ethe r th e si nk in g o f th e v es se l was reas on ab ly fores eeab le to Vala rezo . At the co nc lu si on of t he arg um en t, the di st ric t co urt ad op te d t he PSI, an d ex pr es sl y ov erru le d Val arez o’s o bjec ti on to th e ei gh t-l ev el in crea se , fin di ng th e en ha nc em en t “ was ap pr op ria te ly ass es se d u nd er the gu id el in es .” Inpa rti cu la r, th e co urt s ta te d, “ [th e g ui de li ne ] do es pro vi de un de r 2X7 .2 fo r aneig htlev el in crea se fo r th e si nk in g o f th e v es se l, an d t hi s s em i s ub m ers ib le was s un k, an d i f y our pa rt was tak in g c are o f th e li fe b oa ts , th enth atwas apa rt, s o I t hi nkitwas

9ap pr op ria te ly app li ed .” The d is tri ctco urt’s d et erm in at io n n eces saril y en ta il eda factua l fi nd in g t ha t i t was reas on ab ly fores eeab le th e v es se l wo ul d b e sc ut tl ed . Thi s fa ctua l fi nd in g -- whi chne edon ly be es tabl is he d b y a pr ep on de ran ce of th e ev id en ce, Un it edSta te s v . Mart in ez, 5 84 F.3d10 22 , 10 27 (11 th Cir . 20 09 ) - - was no t cl earl y

erro ne ou s. Inth e fi rs t p la ce, atth e ti m e th atVala rezo joi ne d t he co ns pi racy, it was well kn own th atsemi-subm ers ib le ve ss el s ar e fre qu en tl y sc ut tl edwhenco nf

ro nt edby autho rit ie s. See Saac , 20 11 W L 41 49 95 , at * 6 (d es cri bi ng leg is la ti ve hi st ory of DTVIA, in cl ud in g c on gr es si on al reco gn it io n t ha t se m i-s ub m ers ib le ve ss el s “po se a fo rm id ab le sec ur ity th reatbe cau se th ey

are di ffi cu ltto de te ctan d e as y to scu tt le or s in k,” th ereb y “ faci li ta t[i ng ] th e de st ru ct io n o f ev id en ce an d h in de r[i ng ] pr os ecu ti on of s m ug gl in g o ffen se s” ); s ee al so Pub. L. No. 1 10 -4 07 , § 1 03 (a), (b )(2 )(D); 15 4 C on g. Re c. H10 14 5- 01 , H10 15 3 (d ai ly ed. Sep t. 2 7, 2 00 8) (st at em en t o f Rep . LaTou ret te ); 1 54 Co ng . Rec. H72 37 -0 2, H7 23 8- 39 (da il y ed . Ju ly 29, 2 00 8) (st at em en t o f Rep . Coh en ); 1 54 Co ng . Rec. H7 23 7- 02 , H72 39 -4 0 (d ai ly ed. Ju ly 29, 2 00 8) (st at em en t o f Rep . Lun gr en ); 1 54 Co ng . Rec. H7 23 7- 02 , H72 39 (da il y ed . Ju ly 29, 2 00 8) (st at em en t of Rep . Poe ); 1 54 Co ng . Rec. S7 57 5- 01 , S75 76 (da il y ed . Ju ly 28, 2 00 8) (s ta te m en t o f th en -Sen . Bid en ). Mo reo ve r, th e und is pu te d fa ct s s ho w th at Vala rezo ag reedby both wo rdan d c on du ctto pa rti ci pa te as acrewm em be r on a 10sm al l, b lu e, se m i-s ub m ers ib le ve ss el th athe well kn ew was sp eci fic al ly des ig ne d

to ev ad e d et ect io n. In de ed , bec au se Valarezo was aware tha t the ve ss el was sa il in g s urrep ti ti ou sl y , andhe acce pt eda la rg e su m -- ap pr ox im at el y

$1 ,52 5 -- in co ns id erat io n fo r hi s s erv ic es , he a ls o h adreas onto be li ev e th atth e v es se l was carry in g o r wou ldcarry

il li ci t ca rg o. Val arez o a ls o kne w to be on th e lo ok -o utfor an y si gn s o f in te rcep ti on , andwas h im se lf t he on e who si gh te d t he m ari ti m e p atro l he li co pt er an d a le rte d t he cap ta in to it s p res en ce. Itwas, the refo re, rea so nabl y fo res eeab le to Vala rezo th atwhen face d wi th th e th reatof i nt erd ic ti on , th e cap ta in wou lden ga ge inev as iv e m an eu ve rs to elu de th e au th or it ie s o r ta ke act io ns to de st ro y in cri m in at in g e vi de nc e -- i nc lu di ng th e v es se l an d i ts carg o -- inadva nc e of cap tu re. Mo reo ve r, th e o ve ral l s pe edwith wh ic h t he scu tt li ng of t he ve ss el oc cu rredfurth er s up po rts th e in fere nc e th atth e en ti re cr ew was aware o f a st an di ng pl anto si nkth e v es se l i f fac edwith app reh en si onby the au th or it ie s. Th e di st ric t co urt’s d et erm in at io n was no t cl earl y erro ne ou s. Acco rd in gl y , we affi rm . AFFIRMED.

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