Opinion ID: 170046
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Classification of Offense as Felony

Text: The second issue raised in Appellant’s Anders brief is whether the classification of a prior crime as a felony or a misdemeanor is a fact which must be proven to a jury if not admitted by the defendant. Here, the application of Guideline 2L1.2(b)(1)(B) turns on whether Mr. Garcia-Ramirez’s 1993 drug trafficking conviction in Utah, the basis for the enhancement, was “a felony drug -6- trafficking offense for which the sentence imposed was 13 months or less.” Mr. Garcia-Ramirez argues that, because he did not admit that the offense was a felony, and because this was not proven by the government prior to sentencing, the guideline cannot be applied to him. This “argument simply miscasts a legal conclusion as a factual dispute.” United States v. Cordova-Arevalo, 456 F.3d 1229, 1232 (10th Cir. 2006). Once the offense itself has been admitted to, its classification for sentencing purposes is a matter of federal law. On this question, it is clear that “felony,” under this guideline, means any offense punishable by death or any term of imprisonment exceeding one year. See U.S.S.G. § 2L1.2 cmt. 2; Cordova-Arevalo, 456 F.3d at 1232–33; see also, e.g., 18 U.S.C. § 3156(a)(3); U.S.C.G. § 4A1.2(o). As a legal matter, it is apparent from the face of the statute under which Mr. Garcia-Ramirez was convicted, Utah Code Ann. § 58-37-8 (1993), that the maximum penalty exceeded one year’s imprisonment. See id. § 76-3-203. Mr. Garcia-Ramirez was actually sentenced to a term of five years, with all but six months suspended. The 12-level enhancement—applicable where the maximum term of imprisonment is greater than one year and the term actually served was 13 months or less—therefore applies, and his argument to the contrary is meritless. Moreover, at Mr. Garcia-Ramirez’s plea hearing, the following colloquy took place: -7- THE COURT: Have you previously been in the United States and while here did you commit and were you convicted of an aggravated felony, distribution of a controlled substance? MR. GARCIA-RAMIREZ: Yes. R. Vol. IV, at 24 (emphasis added). Even if, then, he were correct that the classification of his prior offense as a felony should be considered a factual matter, he has admitted it, and that fact was properly used at sentencing.