Source: http://openjurist.org/313/f3d/1251/united-states-v-collins
Timestamp: 2013-12-11 19:40:42
Document Index: 564205666

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 922', '§ 2', '§ 3742', '§ 1291', '§ 922', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2']

313 F3d 1251 United States v. Collins | OpenJurist
313 F. 3d 1251 - United States v. Collins	Home313 f3d 1251 united states v. collins
313 F3d 1251 United States v. Collins 313 F.3d 1251
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,v.Carlos COLLINS, Defendant-Appellant.
No. 01-4196.
Steven B. Killpack, Federal Public Defender, and Scott Keith Wilson, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Salt Lake City, UT, for the Defendant-Appellant.
Paul M. Warner, United States Attorney, and Felice John Viti, Assistant United States Attorney, Salt Lake City, UT, for the Plaintiff-Appellee.
Carlos Collins pled guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) and was sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment, followed by twenty-four months' supervised release.1 On appeal, Collins disputes only the calculation of his sentence, arguing that the district court erred in refusing to apply a reduction in base offense level applicable to defendants who "possessed all ammunition and firearms solely for lawful sporting purposes or collection, and did not unlawfully discharge or otherwise unlawfully use such firearms or ammunition." U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(b)(2). We have jurisdiction pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3742(a) and 28 U.S.C. § 1291. Because we conclude that the district court failed to properly examine surrounding circumstances in determining whether the purpose behind Collins's possession was solely a lawful, sporting one, as is required by the Sentencing Guidelines, we vacate Collins's sentence and remand for resentencing.
* On November 21, 2000, Collins took his automobile to a repair shop in Blanding, Utah to have some repair work done. Finding himself without the means to pay for the repairs, Collins left his hunting rifle, a Winchester Model 700, 30-06, as security for payment. Three days later, Collins returned, paid the remaining $200 he owed on the car, and retrieved his rifle. On December 4, 2000, Collins returned to the repair shop for additional repairs and once again used his rifle as collateral for the balance of the debt owed. The rifle was eventually taken from the shop by FBI agents and Collins was arrested.
In May 2001, Collins pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). At the sentencing hearing, Collins moved for application of U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(b)(2), which provides, in pertinent part:
(emphasis added). U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(b)(2), cmt. n. 10 further provides:
Under Subsection (b)(2), "lawful sporting purposes or collection" as determined by the surrounding circumstances, provides for a reduction to an offense level of 6. Relevant surrounding circumstances include the number and type of firearms, the amount and type of ammunition, the location and circumstances of possession and actual use, the nature of the defendant's criminal history (e.g., prior convictions for offenses involving firearms), and the extent to which possession was restricted by local law.
(emphasis added). The district court denied Collins's motion and applied the standard base offense level of fourteen, with a two-level reduction for acceptance of responsibility, resulting in a net offense level of twelve, criminal history category III. Collins received a sentence at the midpoint of the corresponding guideline range: eighteen months' imprisonment, followed by twenty-four months' supervised release. If § 2K2.1(b)(2) had been applied, Collins would likely have had a base offense level of six, and a net offense level of four, criminal history category III.
In denying Collins's motion for application of the reduction, the district court focused on Collins's use of the gun as collateral, reasoning that use of the rifle to secure a promise to pay for automobile repairs precludes, of itself, application of the offense-level reduction allowed by § 2K2.1(b)(2) because it demonstrates that the purpose of possession was not "solely" a sporting one. Apart from the two instances in which Collins used the gun as collateral, there is no evidence to suggest that Collins's purpose in possessing the gun was anything other than a lawful sporting one. He had a hunting permit from the Ute tribe and had been hunting with the weapon before. There was no evidence of any unlawful use.
We review the district court's factual determinations for clear error, United States v. Dudley, 62 F.3d 1275, 1276 (10th Cir.1995), and its interpretation and application of the Sentencing Guidelines de novo, United States v. Mojica, 214 F.3d 1169, 1171 (10th Cir.2000). It is the defendant's burden to show the applicability of U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(b)(2). Dudley, 62 F.3d at 1276.
According to the government, because Collins used his rifle as collateral in two isolated instances to secure repairs to his automobile, he used his firearm in a manner inconsistent with possession "solely for lawful sporting purposes." U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(b)(2) (emphasis added). Under this reading of the provision, any legal non-sporting use, even in the broader context of an overall lawful sporting purpose, precludes application of § 2K2.1(b)(2). Thus, it is the government's position that it is actual use that is largely determinative of whether § 2K2.1(b)(2) is applicable. According to this view, Collins's inconsistent use transformed his purpose for possessing the gun and rendered § 2K2.1(b)(2) inapplicable. See United States v. Clingan, 254 F.3d 624, 626 (6th Cir.2001) (holding that the repeated sale of firearms was inconsisten