Source: http://openjurist.org/146/f3d/712/united-states-v-lopez-sandoval
Timestamp: 2015-05-22 12:08:00
Document Index: 310095607

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 841', '§ 841', '§ 841', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 3', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', 'art, 926']

146 F3d 712 United States v. Lopez-Sandoval | OpenJurist
146 F. 3d 712 - United States v. Lopez-Sandoval	Home146 f3d 712 united states v. lopez-sandoval
146 F3d 712 United States v. Lopez-Sandoval 146 F.3d 712
98 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 4578, 98 Daily JournalD.A.R. 6269UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,v.Carlos LOPEZ-SANDOVAL, Defendant-Appellant.UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,v.Moises GONZALEZ, Defendant-Appellant.
Nos. 97-30167, 97-30178.
Submitted June 1, 1998*.Decided June 15, 1998.
Robert W. Goldsmith, Seattle, Washington, for defendant-appellant Carlos Lopez-Sandoval.
Antonio Salazar, Seattle, Washington, for defendant-appellant Moises Gonzalez.
Bruce F. Miyake, Assistant United States Attorney, Seattle, Washington, for the plaintiff-appellee.
Appeals from the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington; Jack E. Tanner, District Judge, Presiding. D.C. No. CR-96-00670-JET.
Carlos Lopez-Sandoval and Moises Gonzalez appeal their sentences for conspiracy to distribute cocaine under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 and 846, distribution of cocaine under 21 U.S.C. § 841, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 and 812. Lopez-Sandoval and Gonzalez contend that the district court erred by applying a firearm enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(b)(1). We affirm.
Gonzalez also appeals the district court's two-level increase to his sentence under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.1(c) because the court determined that Gonzalez was a leader of the conspiracy. We reverse the district court's ruling that imposed the two-level enhancement under § 3B1.1(c).
In August 1996, members of the Skagit County Interlocal Drug Enforcement Unit ("SCIDEU") initiated an undercover investigation of Carlos Lopez-Sandoval and Moises Gonzalez. Between August 1996 and November 1996, the defendants were involved in four different distributions of cocaine to an informant working with SCIDEU. The defendants were arrested during the last cocaine transaction on November 7, 1997. Following their arrest, the police executed search warrants at each defendant's residence.
The police seized 8.52 grams of crack cocaine, a .22 caliber handgun, and a 7 mm magnum rifle found at Lopez-Sandoval's residence. The .22 caliber handgun was found between a mattress and box spring in the master bedroom. A box of ammunition and several identification cards for Lopez-Sandoval also were found between the mattress and the box spring. From Gonzalez's residence, the police seized cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and two handguns.
I. Firearm Enhancement
We review a district court's interpretation of the Sentencing Guidelines de novo. See United States v. Parrilla, 114 F.3d 124, 126 (9th Cir.1997). "We review the district court's finding that [a defendant] possessed firearms in connection with a drug conspiracy for clear error." United States v. Cazares, 121 F.3d 1241, 1244 (9th Cir.1997).
B. Section 2D1.1(b)(1)
Sentencing Guideline § 2D1.1(b)(1) provides: "If a dangerous weapon (including a firearm) was possessed [during a drug-trafficking crime], increase by 2 levels." Application Note 3 to § 2D1.1 explains: "The enhancement for weapon possession reflects the increased danger of violence when drug traffickers possess weapons." In applying this enhancement, "the court need not find a connection between the firearm and the offense. If it finds that the defendant possessed the weapon during the commission of the offense, the enhancement is appropriate." United States v. Diego Restrepo, 884 F.2d 1294, 1296 (9th Cir.1989).1 But the adjustment will not be applied if it is "clearly improbable that the weapon was connected with the offense." See U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1, Commentary (n.3); United States v. Willard, 919 F.2d 606, 609 (9th Cir.1990).
1. Possession of the Weapon
Defendants contend that the district court erred in finding that they "possessed" weapons during the commission of the drug offense because neither of them was carrying a weapon when they were arrested. But, for the enhancement to apply, a defendant need not be carrying a weapon when he is arrested.
In United States v. Willard, the defendant was arrested in his car without any weapons, but the police later found thirty-one firearms at his place of business. The defendant admitted that he was involved in the drug trade for two or three years and that some of the firearms found at his business belonged to him. Id. We upheld a weapons enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(b)(1), explaining that: "for purposes of the firearm enhancement, the court ... look[s] to all of the offense conduct, not just the crime of conviction." Id. at 610. Thus, "the key is whether the gun was possessed during the course of criminal conduct, not whether it was 'present' at the site." United States v. Stewart, 926 F.2d 899, 901 (9th Cir.1991).
In this case, the defendants were involved in several drug transactions over a