Opinion ID: 2747341
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: ______________ This disposition is not an opinion of the full court and pursuant to I.O.P. 5.7 does not constitute binding precedent. Appellant Anthony Williams organized and managed a broad conspiracy to acquire and misuse the personal identification and banking information of dozens of victims in acts constituting access device and bank fraud, among other offenses. The conspiracy cost its victims over $1.8 million dollars before the conspirators were arrested and indicted. Williams now appeals from his conviction for conspiracy, access device fraud, identity theft, and bank fraud. Having exhausted the efforts of two court-appointed attorneys in the District Court and regarding their representation to have been unsatisfactory, Williams is proceeding pro se on this appeal. On April 12, 2011, a grand jury indicted Williams for conspiracy to commit access device fraud and bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 (Count 1); 13 counts of access device fraud, and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1029(a)(2) and 2 (Counts 2-14); three counts of bank fraud, and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1344 and 2 (Counts 15-17); three counts of aggravated identity theft, and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1028(A)(1) and 2 (Counts 18-21); and one count of identity theft, and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1028(a)(7) and 2 (Count 22). The indictment charged 15 other individuals with various offenses arising out of the conspiracy. All of Williams’ co-defendants pleaded guilty and have been sentenced and none has appealed. Williams’ trial commenced on November 27, 2012. On December 6, 2012, the jury convicted Williams of conspiracy, nine counts of access device fraud, the three bank fraud counts, and all of the identity theft counts. He advances both legal and procedural claims on this appeal, some of which he did not raise in the District Court. He contends 2 that he was prejudiced when the Court denied his motions to dismiss the indictment on the ground that he had been denied counsel and that his constitutional and statutory right to a speedy trial had been infringed. Williams next attacks the validity of his conspiracy conviction, and argues that the access device fraud and identity theft counts did not allege facts sufficient to enable him to prepare a defense. He goes on to argue that there was a prejudicial variance between the evidence at trial and offenses charged in the indictment, the government constructively amended the indictment, and the Court erred in charging the jury and in denying the jury’s request for a transcript of certain testimony during its deliberations. Finally, he claims that the Court erred in determining the amount of the loss attributable to him, in applying a two-level sentencing enhancement for obstruction of justice, and in assessing criminal history points on the basis of his state conviction for fraud in New Jersey in 2010. We address each of his arguments. Although many of them have been waived or not preserved, we address the merits of each argument. We find all of them to be groundless. For the reasons we will set forth, we will affirm the judgment of conviction and sentence on all counts.