Source: https://www.federalcriminalappealsblog.com/multiplicity-and-illegal-sentence-when-two-alleged-conspiracies-are-but-one-erroneous-enhancement-and-a-sentence-exceeding-the-statutory-maximum-united-states-v-gary-cooper-_-f-3d-_-d-c/
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 12:33:17+00:00

Document:
After cataloguing the indictment’s allegations and considering the trial evidence and prosecution’s closing argument, as permitted under Ward v. United States, 694 F.2d at 661-62, the panel instructed the district judge to vacate one of the multiplicitous convictions. (Slip Op. at 11-15).
Next, Judge Henderson found that it was necessary to “pinball through the Guidelines Manual as a whole” to assess Cooper’s claim that his sentence was improperly enhanced. (Slip Op. at 15). Using a de novo standard of review to analyze Cooper’s legal claim, Judge Henderson explained that the proper course here, where there were multiple counts of conviction, was “to use ‘the offense guideline that produces the highest offense level and advisory imprisonment range’” under U.S.S.G. § 3D1.3(b). (Slip Op. at 15-16). Once more rejecting a claim that the argument was forfeited (Id. at 18 n./7), Judge Henderson gently noted that the trial judge had taken “a wrong turn” by adding two points to Cooper’s offense level for aiding and abetting the commission of a crime by a fiduciary of the union. The mistake lay in the fact that Cooper wasn’t a union fiduciary. Under U.S.S.G. § 2X1.1 and U.S.S.G. § 2E5.1, which govern the conspiracy offense and the substantive offenses, respectively, Cooper’s conspiring with one who was a fiduciary did not justify resorting to U.S.S.G. § 2X1.2, the aiding and abetting guideline. Because “[a]s a matter of plain English” the co-defendant/fiduciary’s status was neither an act nor omission attributable to Cooper, the enhancement couldn’t be pinned on him. (Slip. Op. at 19-21) (citing United States v. Moore, 29 F.3d 175, 176 (4th Cir. 1994) (conspirator’s abuse of trust enhancement inapplicable to co-conspirators who don’t hold such a position).
Finally, the Government conceded and the panel found plain error, notwithstanding Cooper’s failure to object below, to two concurrent sentences of 68 months for crimes whose statutory ceilings are five years. (Slip Op. at 21).
A nice clean and sweet sweep for the Dynamic Duo of Jonathan Zucker and Patty Daus, who hit the proverbial trifecta. And whoever knew that in another life, Judge Henderson is a movie buff?

References: v. 
 § 3
 § 2
 § 2
 § 2
 v.