Source: http://pa.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20090707_0000646.MPA.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2018-06-18 06:12:39
Document Index: 438873339

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 3582', '§ 2', '§ 2241', '§ 371', '§ 1952', '§ 1028', '§ 2', '§ 1']

JUAN A. SANCHEZ, DEFENDANT
Defendant, Juan A. Sanchez, requests a reduction in his sentence under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2) pursuant to Amendment 706 to the sentencing guidelines, which generally reduces the base offense level in U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(c) for crack cocaine offenses by two levels. He has filed several pro se motions. In addition to a reduction under Amendment 706, Defendant also seeks relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 for errors he claims occurred at sentencing. The Federal Public Defender has filed a supplemental motion in support of a sentence reduction.
The probation office has filed an addendum to the presentence report indicating that a reduction should not be granted because Amendment 706 does not have the required effect of lowering Defendant's applicable guideline range. The government opposes a reduction for the same reason. We agree that the amendment has no effect on Defendant's guideline range and will therefore deny the motion.
In June 2001, Defendant pled guilty to conspiracy to cause interstate and foreign travel in aid of drug distribution in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 (Count I); causing interstate and foreign travel in aid of drug distribution in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1952(a)(3) (Count II); and producing a false identification in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028 (Count III).
A presentence report (PSR) was prepared. Defendant's drug quantity was 3,818.03 grams of powder cocaine, 10.8 grams of crack cocaine, 28.34 grams of heroin, and 1,273.9 grams of marijuana. (PSR ¶ 23). Because the offenses involved different controlled substances, the quantities were converted to a marijuana equivalent, which was determined to be 1,009.22 kilograms of marijuana. (Id.). Because this amount was "very close to the guideline breakpoint," Defendant's drug quantity was determined to be between "700 and 1,000 grams of marijuana, resulting in a base offense level of thirty," (PSR ¶ 23), under the drug quantity table in U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(c).
Counts I and II were placed in Group One. Two points were added for the involvement of a firearm, two points were added for a leadership role in the offense, and two points were added for obstruction of justice, for an adjusted offense level of 36. Count III was placed in Group Two, with an adjusted offense level of 8. As the greater of the adjusted offense levels, the adjusted offense level of 36 from Group One was used. (PSR ¶ 40). The PSR recommended a two-level reduction for acceptance of responsibility, for a total offense level of 34. With a criminal history category of II, Defendant's guideline range was 168 to 210 months.
At sentencing on September 8, 2004, Defendant waived his objections to the PSR in return for the government's agreement that he would receive an additional one-point reduction in his offense level for acceptance of responsibility. With this reduction, his total offense level was 33, making his guideline range 151 to 188 months. Defendant was sentenced to a total of 168 months' imprisonment, consisting of sixty months on each of counts I and II, and 168 months on count III, to be served concurrently.
Id., § 1B1.10(b)(1). Generally, the court "shall not reduce the defendant's term of imprisonment . . . to a term that is less than the minimum of the amended ...