Opinion ID: 1463389
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Reasonableness of Shank's Sentence

Text: Shank argues that her sentence was unreasonable based upon her criminal history, her changed circumstances, and the quantity of drugs attributed to her at sentencing. Since the district court properly utilized the correct procedures, took into account all of the mitigating factors, and eventually sentenced Shank to 112 months below her recommended Guidelines range, the district court did not abuse its discretion. [W]e review the sentence imposed by a district court for reasonableness utilizing the `familiar abuse of discretion standard.' United States v. Moon, 513 F.3d 527, 539 (6th Cir.2008) (quoting Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38, 128 S.Ct. 586, 594, 169 L.Ed.2d 445 (2007)). The reasonableness review is split into two parts: procedural reasonableness and substantive reasonableness. United States v. Collington, 461 F.3d 805, 808 (6th Cir.2006). Sentences that are properly calculated and within the applicable Guidelines range are presumptively reasonable. United States v. Williams, 436 F.3d 706, 708 (6th Cir. 2006). A sentence may be considered substantively unreasonable when the district court `select[s] the sentence arbitrarily, bas[es] the sentence on impermissible factors, fail[s] to consider pertinent § 3553(a) factors or giv[es] an unreasonable amount of weight to any pertinent factor.' Collington, 461 F.3d at 808 (quoting United States v. Webb, 403 F.3d 373, 385 (6th Cir.2005)) (alterations in original). Shank does not question the procedural reasonableness of her sentence. The district court did not base Shank's sentence on impermissible factors or give an unreasonable amount of weight to any factor. It weighed Shank's short criminal history and her circumstances of becoming a mother of three against the huge quantities and the intimate details she knew and engaged in the Humphry organization. The district court unquestionably did not focus on the quantity exclusively. If that had been the case, Shank would have faced a Guidelines range of 235-293 months' imprisonment. Here, the sentence of 180 months represents a 55-month downward variance from a quantity alone consideration. The district court granted lenience compared to a quantity alone assessment. Any argument by Shank that the quantity alone determined her sentence is baseless. Furthermore, Shank has not presented an argument explaining why the 112-month downward variance in her sentencing did not represent an adequate consideration of the reduced deterrence her situation demands. Since the district court utilized the correct sentencing procedures and did not place an unreasonable amount of weight on impermissible factors, Shank's sentence was reasonable.