Opinion ID: 1238399
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Inadequacy of criminal history

Text: Finally, the district court departed upward in this case [b]ased upon the nature of [Arhebamen's] criminal history, and the likelihood that [he] will recidivate. The district court employed U.S.S.G. § 4A1.3, which provides that when reliable information indicates that the criminal history category does not adequately reflect the seriousness of the defendant's past criminal conduct or the likelihood that the defendant will commit other crimes, the court may consider imposing a sentence departing from the otherwise applicable guideline range. In support of this final departure, the court cited, among other things, Arhebamen's extended unlawful presence in the United States, the extensive scope of his tax-fraud activities (preparing 171 false federal income tax returns), civil judgments against him totaling more than $150,000, a period of about two months in 1995 when he was married to two women at the same time, and the more than $280,000 of unpaid child support that he owed at the time to one of his ex-wives. The district court thus adjusted Arhebamen's criminal history category from V to VI. Section 4A1.3 provides that a departure for the underrepresentation of a defendant's criminal history category is appropriate where prior sentence(s) of substantially more than one year [were] imposed as a result of independent crimes committed on different occasions and where prior similar misconduct [was] established by a civil adjudication or by a failure to comply with an administrative order. U.S.S.G. § 4A1.3 (b)-(c). The district court's consideration of Arhebamen's wrongdoings, particularly his outstanding civil debts and child support, was therefore appropriate. We find no error in the district court's decision to increase Arhebamen's criminal history category from V to VI.