Source: http://pa.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.19910301_0041123.C03.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2017-05-22 23:51:08
Document Index: 83281515

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 841', '§ 5324', '§ 2', '§ 7201', '§ 922', '§ 3', '§ 3', '§ 3', '§ 3']

UNITED STATES OF AMERICAv.CARLOS MURILLO, APPELLANT
On Appeal From the United States District Court For the District of Delaware; D.C. Criminal Nos. 89-9-1, 89-29, and 89-36.
Stapleton and Alito, Circuit Judges, and Edward N. Cahn,*fn* District Judge.
CAHN, District Judge
After a number of co-defendants agreed to provide the Government with trial testimony, the appellant pleaded guilty on October 17, 1989 to four offenses: possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine (21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)), illegal structuring of a financial transaction (31 U.S.C. §§ 5324(3) and 5322 and 18 U.S.C. § 2), tax evasion (26 U.S.C. § 7201), and possession of a firearm by a drug user (18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(3) and 924(a)(2)). Frank J. Larry of the United States Probation Office conducted a presentence investigation. Pursuant to the Rules of Criminal Procedure, the Government submitted the prosecution's version of the offenses. After Mr. Larry prepared a Presentence Report ("Report"), Murillo interposed objections to the contents of the Report. Prior to sentencing, Murillo submitted a sentencing memorandum summarizing legal arguments to be made at the sentencing hearing, which occurred on September 5, 1990.
One of the issues raised by the presentence report, and which was the subject of a dispute between the Government and Murillo, was whether the defendant's guideline calculation should be enhanced by four levels pursuant to § 3B1.1(a) of the Sentencing Guidelines by categorizing Murillo as ". . . an organizer or leader of a criminal activity that involved five or more participants . . . ." The Government argued that when making a determination as to whether the defendant was an organizer of criminal activity involving five or more participants, the court should focus on all relevant aggravating conduct. Murillo argued that only his role in the offense of conviction was relevant to the court's determination under § 3B1.1(a).
In rendering its decision the district court found persuasive various commentaries to § 3B1.1, which it felt suggested that the proper focus at sentencing should be on the defendant's overall criminal network, rather than simply the number of participants in the offense of conviction. The district court also relied on proposed amendments to the Sentencing Guidelines which purport to clarify the language and the United States Sentencing Commission's intent in drafting § 3B1.1. Accordingly, the court deemed it appropriate to increase the appellant's offense level by four, finding "that the defendant was an organizer or leader of a criminal activity that involved five or more participants or was otherwise extensive." The district court determined that the total offense level for the appellant was 36, with a criminal history category of I.
On September 14, 1990, the appellant filed a Notice of Appeal. This court has appellate jurisdiction of this appeal from a final judgment and sentence in a criminal case ...