Source: http://www.scribd.com/doc/65679433/Kevin-Ring-Sentencing-Guidelines
Timestamp: 2013-12-21 02:54:21
Document Index: 535043441

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1346', '§ 3553', '§ 3553', '§2', '§2', '§2', '§2', '§2']

Kevin Ring Sentencing Guidelines
P. 1Kevin Ring Sentencing GuidelinesKevin Ring Sentencing GuidelinesRatings: 0|Views: 9,982|Likes: 0Published by tpmdocsMore info: categoriesBusiness/Law, Court FilingsPublished by: tpmdocs on Sep 20, 2011Copyright:Attribution Non-commercialAvailability:Read on Scribd mobile: iPhone, iPad and Android.Free download as PDF, TXT or read online for free from ScribdFlag for inappropriate content|Add to collectionSee MoreSee lesshttp://www.scribd.com/doc/65679433/Kevin-Ring-Sentencing-Guidelines09/20/2011pdftextoriginal UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTFOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA)UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ))v. ) Criminal No. 08-274 (ESH))KEVIN A. RING, ))Defendant. ))MEMORANDUM OPINIONBACKGROUND
On September 5, 2008, a federal grand jury indicted Kevin Ring, a lobbyist who workedwith Jack Abramoff, for payment of an illegal gratuity (Count II), honest services wire fraud(Counts III, IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII), and conspiracy (Count I). A jury trial that commenced onSeptember 1, 2009 ultimately resulted in a hung jury on all counts.
A second trial commencedon October 18, 2010. Following a two-week trial and four days of deliberations, the juryreturned a verdict of guilty on Counts I, II, III, VII, and VIII and a verdict of not guilty onCounts IV, V, and VI.Before the Court is the matter of calculating the appropriate sentence for defendant under the Sentencing Guidelines. The parties’ respective positions could hardly differ moredramatically. By the government’s calculation, Ring’s total offense level is 37, corresponding to
Because seven of the eight counts involved violations of the honest services wire fraud statute,18 U.S.C. § 1346, the Court continued the retrial pending the Supreme Court’s decision in
, 130 S. Ct. 2896 (2010), which was handed down on June 24, 2010.
Case 1:08-cr-00274-ESH Document 289 Filed 09/20/11 Page 1 of 42
2a Guidelines sentence of 210 to 262 months.
Defendant, however, calculates his offense levelas 16,
resulting in a Guidelines range of 21-27 months—a difference of approximately 17 years.Before the Court can proceed to sentencing, it must resolve this stark conflict between the parties, for in the wake of Booker v. United States
, 543 U.S. 220 (2005) and
, 552 U.S. 38 (2007), a set of procedural requirements have developed that governsentencing. “A district court begins by calculating the appropriate Guidelines range, which ittreats as ‘the starting point and the initial benchmark’ for sentencing.”
United States v. Akhigbe
,642 F.3d 1078, 1084 (D.C. Cir. 2011) (quoting
Gall , 552 U.S. at 49). “Then, after giving both parties an opportunity to argue for whatever sentence they deem appropriate,” the court considersall of the sentencing factors listed in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)
and undertakes “an individualizedassessment based on the facts presented.”
Gall , 552 U.S. at 49-50).
Everyone agrees that defendant’s criminal history category is I.
Although Ring has advocated against the use of the 8-level “public official” enhancement, heappears to ultimately concede that this objection is secondary to his “core position” in favor of consistency between similarly-situated co-conspirators. (Dkt. No. 272 at 14.)
Section 3553(a) states in pertinent part:The court shall impose a sentence sufficient, but not greater than necessary, tocomply with the purposes set forth in paragraph (2) of this subsection. The court,in determining the particular sentence to be imposed, shall consider--(1) the nature and circumstances of the offense and the history andcharacteristics of the defendant;(2) the need for the sentence imposed--(A) to reflect the seriousness of the offense, to promote respectfor the law, and to provide just punishment for the offense;(B) to afford adequate deterrence to criminal conduct;(C) to protect the public from further crimes of the defendant;and(D) to provide the defendant with needed educational or vocational training, medical care, or other correctional treatmentin the most effective manner;(3) the kinds of sentences available;
Case 1:08-cr-00274-ESH Document 289 Filed 09/20/11 Page 2 of 42
3Given the complexity of the sentencing issues that confront the Court, it ordered the parties to brief the disputed factual and legal issues that must first be resolved, reserving briefingand argument as to the § 3553(a) factors until after a Guidelines range had been determined.Oral argument was held on August 30, 2011.Ring asserts that he is being penalized for exercising his Sixth Amendment right to trial,arguing that the government should be bound by the prior methodology it has consistently usedfor calculating the Guidelines sentences of the other Greenberg Traurig lobbyists/ co-conspirators who were also convicted of honest services fraud. The Court will address this issuefirst, and then will turn to the host of remaining disputes regarding the calculation of defendant’sGuidelines sentence, which include:1.Whether to apply U.S.S.G. §2C1.7 (honest services fraud) or §2C1.1 (bribery) asthe applicable offense of conviction.2.Whether to apply the 2-level enhancement for offenses involving “more than one bribe.” U.S.S.G. §2C1.1(b)(1).3.Calculation of the “benefit received or to be received.” U.S.S.G. §2C1.1(b)(2)(A).4.Calculation of the “value of the payment” or “value of anything obtained or to beobtained by a public official or others acting with a public official.” U.S.S.G.§§2C1.1(b)(2)(A) or 2C1.7(b)(1)(A).(4) the kinds of sentence and the sentencing range established for--(A) the applicable category of offense committed by theapplicable category of defendant as set forth in the guidelines--. . .(5) any pertinent policy statement--. . .(6) the need to avoid unwarranted sentence disparities amongdefendants with similar records who have been found guilty of similar conduct; and(7) the need to provide restitution to any victims of the offense.
Case 1:08-cr-00274-ESH Document 289 Filed 09/20/11 Page 3 of 42
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