Source: http://ca10.washburnlaw.edu/cases/2001/04/00-3298.htm
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 20:02:46+00:00

Document:
The court finds that the two-level increase for possession of a gun is appropriate in this case. The statements from eyewitnesses indicating the defendant had been in possession of the gun, that he had been conducting drug transactions at the residence before he was arrested, and that the knapsack containing ammunition and drugs belonged to him all persuade the court by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant was in possession of the gun and that it related to his drug trafficking.
The court notes that this objection would not affect the sentence in this case, because the court would impose the same sentence regardless of whether or not the two-point increase was applied.
On appeal, Hardesty continues to assert that the two-level enhancement was improper. The district court had jurisdiction under 18 U.S.C. § 3231. We have jurisdiction under 18 U.S.C. § 3742(a).
We need not reach the merits of this appeal because any error would be harmless. The district court unequivocally asserted that it would have imposed the same sentence regardless of the enhancement. Other courts of appeal have found that when a district court makes such a statement, it is not necessary to resolve which of two guidelines ranges applies if the sentence imposed falls within both. See United States v. Fairchild, 189 F.3d 769, 780 (8th Cir. 1999); United States v. Howard, 179 F.3d 539, 545 (7th Cir. 1999); United States v. Thompson, 994 F.2d 864, 868 (D.C. Cir. 1993); United States v. Garrett, 984 F.2d 1402, 1416 (5th Cir. 1993); cf. United States v. Urbanek, 930 F.2d 1512, 1516 (10th Cir. 1991) ("Unless the district court makes it clear during the sentencing proceeding that the sentence would be the same under either of the applicable Guideline ranges, we are compelled to remand for resentencing . . . ."). Similarly, we have held that when the record supports one basis for the district court's enhancement and we are convinced the court would have imposed the same sentence regardless of the status of the other bases, any error is harmless. See United States v. Anderson, 189 F.3d 1201, 1214 (10th Cir. 1999); cf. Williams v. United States, 503 U.S. 193, 203 (1992) ("[A] remand is appropriate unless the reviewing court concludes, on the record as a whole, that the error was harmless, i.e., that the error did not affect the district court's selection of the sentence imposed." (emphasis added)). We agree that in this case, a remand would not be warranted even if there was error, given the district court's statements and Hardesty's agreement not to seek a sentence of less than 60 months.
We therefore AFFIRM the district court's sentence.

References: § 3231
 § 3742
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