Opinion ID: 506592
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Scope of Oddo's Criminal Activity

Text: 20 The original report contained the controverted statement that defendant played what authorities described as a primary role in multiple cocaine transactions. Oddo asserted in the district court that this statement contained the unwarranted implication that he was a persistent drug dealer who participated in many different drug transactions. He contended that the evidence only demonstrated his involvement in the one transaction to which he had pleaded guilty. The government responded that the report merely alluded to the fact that the transaction was supposed to involve five kilograms of cocaine, to be sold in two exchanges, and that the two-kilogram sale for which Oddo was arrested was only the first installment. Judge Pratt neither addressed this challenge nor disclaimed reliance upon it before imposing sentence. The subject statement is ambiguous and misleading, and we note that this wording has also been changed in the modified version of the report that is now before us. The modified report says the defendant played what authorities describe as a primary role in a multi-kilo cocaine transaction.... 21 Our review of the transcript of the sentencing hearing suggests that Judge Pratt based Oddo's sentence primarily on his finding that Oddo was the source of the cocaine. There is no indication that the court understood that Oddo was involved in any other drug transaction or that the sentence imposed was in any way affected by the ambiguous statement in the report. However, we cannot rely upon conjecture as to what statements the district court may have considered or ignored; pursuant to Rule 32, resentencing is warranted whenever the court may have considered a material controverted statement and did not first make a finding as to its accuracy. See Eschweiler, 782 F.2d at 1389, 1390 n. 11 ([W]here it is unclear whether the sentencing judge relied on the contested information, resentencing would resolve the matter.); United States v. Velasquez, 748 F.2d 972 (5th Cir.1984) (defendant convicted on one count of aiding and abetting transportation of illegal aliens entitled to be resentenced because court may have considered statement that he was a notorious alien smuggler); cf. Bradley, 812 F.2d at 782, 783 n. 10 (resentencing not required if, on remand, judge can disclaim reliance on controverted statement containing only de minimis inaccuracy). Since the statement in Oddo's report about multiple cocaine transactions, if considered by the court, may have affected the sentence imposed, we are constrained to vacate the sentence and to remand for resentencing.