FI L ED
U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S

EL EVENTH CI RCUI T NOV 5, 2008

THOMAS K. KAH

N
CL ERK [ D O N O T P U B L I S H ]

I N T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S C O U R T O F A P P E A L S

F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C I R C U I T

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

N o

. 0 8

- 1 1 0 6 6

N o n

- A r g u m e n t C a l e n d a r

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

D

. C

. D o c k e t N o s

. 0 7

- 0 0 2 2 3

- C R

- B A E

- 4

0 7

- 0 0 3 1 2

- C R

- B A E

U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A

,

P l a i n t i f f

- A p p e l l e e ,

v e r s u s

G A R R Y C L I F F O R D C H U P U R D Y

,

a

. k

. a

. G a r r y C

. C h u p u r d y ,

D e f e n d a n t

- A p p e l l a n t

.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A p p e a l f r o m t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s D i s t r i c t C o u r t
f o r t h e S o u t h e r n D i s t r i c t o f G e o r g i a

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

( N o v e m b e r 5
, 2 0 0 8 )

B e f o r e B L A C K

, B A R K E T T a n d F A Y

, C i r c u i t J u d g e s

.

P E R C U R I A M :G a r r y C l i f f o r d C h u p u r d y a p p e a l s h i s c o n c u r r e n t 2 2 0

- m o n t h s e n t e n c e s f o r

i m p o r t a t i o n o f m a r i

j u a n a , c o n s p i r a c y t o i m p o r t m a r i j u a n a , c o n s p i r a c y t o p o s s e s s

w i t h i n t e n t t o d i s t r i b u t e m a r i j u a n a , a n d m o n e y l a u n d e r i n g

. F i r s t

, C h u p u r d y a r g u e s 1

t h a t t h e c o o p e r a t i o n

- a g r e e m e n t p r o v i s i o n s o f U

. S

. S

. G

. § 1 B 1

. 8 ( a ) w e r e v i o l a t e d

w h e n t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t h e l d h i m a c c o u n t a b l e a t s e n t e n c i n g f o r 4 7

. 0 9 k i l o g r a m s o f

h a s h i s h o i l f

o u n d i n C h u p u r d y ’ s t w o s t o r a g e s h e d s b e c a u s e , C h u p u r d y c l a i m s , l a w

e n f o r c e m e n t a g e n t s w e r e n o t a w a r e o f t h e e x i s t e n c e o f t h e h a s h i s h o i l u n t i l h e t o l d

t h e m a b o u t i t

. N e x t

, C h u p u r d y a r g u e s t h a t t h e c o u r t e r r e d i n i t s a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e

t w o

- l e v e l i n c r e a s e f

o r p o s s e s s i o n o f a f

i r e a r m , p u r s u a n t t o U

. S

. S

. G

. § 2 D 1

. 1 ( b ) ( 1 )

b e c a u s e , h e c l a i m s , t h e w e a p o n s h e a d m i t t e d t h a t h e p o s s e s s e d w e r e k e p t a b o a r d

h i s 7 8

- f o o t c a t a m a r a n , t h e “ C A T ’ S M E O W

, ” s o l e l y f o r p r o t e c t i o n f

r o m p i r a t e s

.

F o r t h e r e a s o n s s e t f

o r t h m o r e f

u l l y b e l o w , w e a f

f i r m

.

I

. L A W & A N A L Y S I S

A

. S e c t i o n 1 B 1

. 8 ’ s C o o p e r a t i o n

- A g r e e m e n t P r o v i s i o n s

W e r e v i e w f

o r c l e a r e r r o r t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s f a c t u a l d e t e r m i n a t i o n o f t h e

As a result of the char g es in two separ ate indictments filed in the S o u t h er n District of 1

Geor g ia (“CR407-00223”) and the District of South Carolina (“CR407-0 0 3 1 2 ”), Chupurdy pled

g uilty to: (1) importation of 100 kilogr ams of marijuana

, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 952(a)

, CR407-
00223/Count 2; (2 ) co n s p i racy to import 1,000 kilogr ams of marijuana

, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 963

, C R 4 0 7 -00312/Count 1; (3) conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 1,000 kilogr ams or more of marijuana

, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, CR407-00312/Count 2; and (4) money launder in g, i n violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h), CR407-00312/Count 3. Chupurdy

rec eived c oncurr ent sentenc es of 220 months’ imprisonment for a ll four convictions.

2d r u g q u a n t i t y f o r w h i c h C h u p u r d y i s a c c o u n t a b l e

. U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. R o d r i g u e z , 3 9 8

F

. 3 d 1 2 9 1

, 1 2 9 6 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 5 )

. W h e r e a d e f e n d a n t a l l e g e s a v i o l a t i o n o f

§ 1 B 1

. 8 i n t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t

, w e r e v i e w t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s f a c t u a l f i n d i n g s f o r c l e a r

e r r o r

. U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. P h a m , 4 6 3 F

. 3 d 1 2 3 9

, 1 2 4 3 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 6 )

. “ F o r a

f a c t u a l f i n d i n g t o b e ‘ c l e a r l y e r r o n e o u s , ’ t h i s c o u r t

, ‘ a f t e r r e v i e w i n g a l l o f t h e

e v i d e n c e , m u s t b e l e f

t w i t h a d e f

i n i t e a n d f

i r m c o n v i c t i o n t h a t a m i s t a k e h a s b e e n

c o m m i t t e d

. ’ ” U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. R o d r i g u e z

- L o p e z , 3 6 3 F

. 3 d 1 1 3 4

, 1 1 3 7 ( 1 1 t h C i r

.

2 0 0 4 ) ( c i t a t i o n o m i t t e d )

.

S e c t i o n 1 B 1

. 8 p r o v i d e s t h a t

,

[ w ] h e r e a d e f

e n d a n t a g r e e s t o c o o p e r a t e w i t h t h e g o v e r n m e n t b y

p r o v i d i n g i n f

o r m a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g u n l a w f u l a c t i v i t i e s o f o t h e r s , a n d a s

p a r t o f t h e c o o p e r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t t h e g o v e r n m e n t a g r e e s t h a t

s e l f

- i n c r i m i n a t i n g i n f

o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d p u r s u a n t t o t h e a g r e e m e n t

w i l l n o t b e u s e d a g a i n s t t h e d e f e n d a n t

, t h e n s u c h i n f

o r m a t i o n s h a l l n o t
b e u s e d i n d e t e r m i n i n g t h e a p p l i c a b l e g u i d e l i n e r a n g e

. . .

U

. S

. S

. G

. § 1 B 1

. 8 ( a )

. H o w e v e r , t h e p r o v i s i o n e x p r e s s l y p r o v i d e s t h a t

, i n t e r a l i a , i t

“ s h a l l n o t b e a p p l i e d t o r e s t r i c t t h e u s e o f i n f o r m a t i o n

. . . k n o w n t o t h e g o v e r n m e n t

p r i o r t o e n t e r i n g t h e a g r e e m e n t

. ” U

. S

. S

. G

. § 1 B 1

. 8 ( b ) ( 1 )

. I n a d d i t i o n , w e h a v e

h e l d t h a t “ s o l o n g a s t h e i n f o r m a t i o n i s o b t a i n e d f

r o m i n d e p e n d e n t s o u r c e s

. . . , i t

m a y b e u s e d a t s e n t e n c i n g w i t h o u t v i o l a t i n g § 1 B 1

. 8

. ” P h a m , 4 6 3 F

. 3 d a t 1 2 4 4

.

“ H o w e v e r , ‘ t h e g o v e r n m e n t m a y n o t e v a d e U

. S

. S

. G

. § 1 B 1

. 8 ( a ) w h e r e t h e

e v i d e n c e w a s e l i c i t e d s o l e l y a s a r e s u l t o f

, o r p r o m p t e d b y , t h e d e f e n d a n t ’ s

3c o o p e r a t i o n

. ” I d

.

T h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t d i d n o t c l e a r l y e r r i n h o l d i n g C h u p u r d y a c c o u n t a b l e f o r

3

, 4 8 8

. 2 k i l o g r a m s o f m a r i j u a n a , w h i c h i n c l u d e d t h e m a r i j u a n a e q u i v a l e n c y o f

4 7

. 0 9 k i l o g r a m s o f h a s h i s h o i l t h a t w a s f o u n d i n t h e t w o s t o r a g e s h e d s

. L a w 2

e n f o r c e m e n t a g e n t s h a d o b t a i n e d s e a r c h w a r r a n t s f o r t h e s t o r a g e s h e d s p r i o r t o

C h u p u r d y ’ s a r r e s t a n d d i s c l o s u r e , a n d o n e o f t h e a g e n t s t e s t i f i e d a t C h u p u r d y ’ s

s e n t e n c i n g h e a r i n g t h a t ( 1 ) a g e n t s w e r e p r e p a r i n g t o e x e c u t e t h e w a r r a n t s a t t h e

t i m e o f C h u p u r d y ’ s d i s c l o s u r e , a n d ( 2 ) t h e w a r r a n t s w o u l d h a v e b e e n e x e c u t e d

r e g a r d l e s s o f w h e t h e r C h u p u r d y a g r e e d t o c o o p e r a t e

. T h u s , C h u p u r d y ’ s d i s c l o s u r e

d i d n o t p r o m p t a g e n t s t o s e a r c h t h o s e l o c a t i o n s

. I n o t h e r w o r d s , t h e h a s h i s h o i l

d i s c o v e r e d i n t h e s t o r a g e s h e d s w a s n o t e l i c i t e d s o l e l y a s a r e s u l t o f C h u p u r d y ’ s

c o o p e r a t i o n , e v e n t h o u g h a g e n t s w e r e u n a w a r e o f i t s e x i s t e n c e p r i o r t o C h u p u r d y ’ s

d i s c l s o u r e

. S e e P h a m , 4 6 3 F

. 3 d a t 1 2 4 4

. A s s u c h

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s c a l c u l a t i o n

o f C h u p u r d y ’ s b a s e o f

f e n s e l e v e l d i d n o t v i o l a t e § 1 B 1

. 8 ( a )

. S e e i d

. 3

B

. T w o

- l e v e l f

i r e a r m i n c r e a s e , p u r s u a n t t o § 2 D 1

. 1 ( b ) ( 1 )

W e r e v i e w “ t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s f i n d i n g s o f f

a c t u n d e r U

. S

. S

. G

. § 2 D 1

. 1 ( b ) ( 1 )

Some of the hashish oi l (24.23 kilogr ams) was rec overe d from a sear ch of Chupurdy ’s 2

smaller B ertra

m boat that had bee n taken to one of the storag e sheds.

T h e h ashish oil that was found at the bottom of the ocea n was not included i n t h e 3

calc ulation of C hupurdy ’s base offe nse l evel. Thus, to the ex tent Chupurdy arg ues ot herw ise, his

arg ument lacks mer it.

4f

o r c l e a r e r r o r , a n d t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e S e n t e n c i n g G u i d e l i n e s t o t h o s e f a c t s d e

n o v o

. ” U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. G a l l o , 1 9 5 F

. 3 d 1 2 7 8

, 1 2 8 0

- 8 1 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 9 )

. “ T h e

d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s f

a c t u a l f i n d i n g s f o r p u r p o s e s o f s e n t e n c i n g m a y b e b a s e d o n , a m o n g

o t h e r t h i n g s , e v i d e n c e h e a r d d u r i n g t r i a l

, u n d i s p u t e d s t a t e m e n t s i n t h e P S I

, o r

e v i d e n c e p r e s e n t e d d u r i n g t h e s e n t e n c i n g h e a r i n g

. ” U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. P o l a r , 3 6 9

F

. 3 d 1 2 4 8

, 1 2 5 5 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 4 )

.

P u r s u a n t t o § 2 D 1

. 1 ( b ) ( 1 )

, a d e f e n d a n t ’ s o f

f e n s e l e v e l s h o u l d b e i n c r e a s e d

b y t w o l e v e l s “ [ i ] f a d a n g e r o u s w e a p o n ( i n c l u d i n g a f i r e a r m ) w a s p o s s e s s e d

. ”

U

. S

. S

. G

. § 2 D 1

. 1 ( b ) ( 1 )

. A p p l i c a t i o n N o t e 3 o f t h e p r o v i s i o n p r o v i d e s :

T h e a d j u s t m e n t s h o u l d b e a p p l i e d i f t h e w e a p o n w a s p r e s e n t

, u n l e s s i t
i s c l e a r l y i m p r o b a b l e t h a t t h e w e a p o n w a s c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e o f f e n s e

. F o r e x a m p l e , t h e e n h a n c e m e n t w o u l d n o t b e a p p l i e d i f t h e d e f e n d a n t

,

a r r e s t e d a t h i s r e s i d e n c e , h a d a n u n l o a d e d h u n t i n g r i f l e i n t h e c l o s e t

.

U

. S

. S

. G

. § 2 D 1

. 1

, c o m m e n t

. ( n

. 3 )

. “ T h e g o v e r n m e n t h a s t h e b u r d e n u n d e r

§ 2 D 1

. 1 t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h e p r o x i m i t y o f t h e f i r e a r m t o t h e s i t e o f t h e c h a r g e d

o f f e n s e b y a p r e p o n d e r a n c e o f t h e e v i d e n c e

. ” U n i t e d S t a t e s v

. A u d a i n , 2 5 4 F

. 3 d

1 2 8 6

, 1 2 8 9 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 1 )

. T h e g o v e r n m e n t n e e d n o t p r o v e t h a t t h e f i r e a r m w a s

u s e d t o f a c i l i t a t e t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f d r u g s

. I d

. a t 1 2 8 9

- 9 0

. “ I f t h e g o v e r n m e n t i s

s u c c e s s f u l

, t h e e v i d e n t i a r y b u r d e n s h i f t s t o t h e d e f

e n d a n t t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t a

c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e w e a p o n a n d t h e o f f e n s e w a s ‘ c l e a r l y i m p r o b a b l e

. ’ ” I d

. a t

1 2 8 9 ( c i t a t i o n o m i t t e d )

.

5C h u p u r d y ’ s a r g u m e n t t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t e r r e d i n a p p l y i n g § 2 D 1

. 1 ( b ) ( 1 )

i s w i t h o u t m e r i t

. C h u p u r d y c o n c e d e s t h a t t h e g o v e r n m e n t m e t i t s b u r d e n , t h u s ,

C h u p u r d y w a s r e q u i r e d t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t a c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e w e a p o n s a n d

t h e o f f e n s e w a s c l e a r l y i m p r o b a b l e , w h i c h h e h a s f a i l e d t o d o

. S e e U

. S

. S

. G

.

§ 2 D 1

. 1

, c o m m e n t

. ( n

. 3 ) ; A u d a i n , 2 5 4 F

. 3 d a t 1 2 8 9

. A l t h o u g h C h u p u r d y c l a i m s

t h a t t h e w e a p o n s w e r e o n b o a r d t h e C A T ’ S M E O W t o p r o t e c t t h e c r e w f r o m

p i r a t e s , h i s c l a i m d o e s n o t d i m i n i s h t h e l i k e l i h o o d t h a t t h e w e a p o n s a l s o c o u l d h a v e

b e e n u s e d t o p r o t e c t t h e l a r g e q u a n t i t i e s o f d r u g s t h a t w e r e b e i n g t r a n s p o r t e d

. S e e 4

A u d a i n , 2 5 4 F

. 3 d a t 1 2 8 9

. A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t d i d n o t c l e a r l y e r r i n

a p p l y i n g t h e t w o

- l e v e l i n c r e a s e

.

A F F I R M E D

.

This is true reg ardle ss of the other cre w m ember s’ failure to admit to the wea pons’ 4

wher eabouts a

nd Chupurdy ’s forthc omingne ss with authorities.

6