Opinion ID: 2734266
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Underlying Plea and Sentencing

Text: In June 2007, a federal grand jury indicted Ware for possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A) (Count 1); possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C) (Count 2); and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(D) (Count 3). In October 2007, Ware signed a plea agreement, in which he agreed to plead guilty to Count 1, and the government agreed to seek the dismissal of Counts 2 and 3 at sentencing. The agreement further provided: The United States and the defendant agree that, although not binding on the probation office or the court, they will jointly recommend that the court impose a sentence within the advisory sentencing guideline range produced by application of the Sentencing Guidelines. Although not binding on the probation office or the court, the United States and the defendant further agree that, except as otherwise expressly contemplated in this Plea Agreement, they will jointly recommend that the court neither depart upward nor depart downward under the Sentencing Guidelines when determining the advisory sentencing guideline range in this case. R. at 179. 2 Case: 14-10373 Date Filed: 09/18/2014 Page: 3 of 11 Ware also agreed to cooperate fully with the government, in return for which the government would consider whether his cooperation warranted a motion for a sentence reduction based on substantial assistance, under U.S.S.G. § 5K1.1, Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 35, or both. Ware’s plea agreement contained a sentence appeal waiver, under which Ware agreed to waive his rights (1) to appeal his sentence, unless it exceeded the statutory maximum or the Guidelines range established by the district judge at sentencing, or the government appealed; and (2) to collaterally attack his sentence under 28 U.S.C. § 2255. During Ware’s plea proceeding, he testified he had understood and signed his plea agreement, which he had fully discussed with his attorney. The district judge reviewed the sentence appeal waiver, and Ware similarly testified he understood the appeal waiver and had discussed it with his attorney. The district judge found Ware had “knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily waive[d] his right to appeal either directly or collaterally th[e] court’s sentence.” R. at 371-72. Ware pleaded guilty to, and the district judge adjudged him guilty of, Count 1. Ware’s presentence investigation report (“PSI”), which applied the November 2007 Guidelines Manual, calculated a base offense level of 32, under U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(a)(3), because the offense involved the equivalent of a total of 1,159.07 kilograms of marijuana. The probation officer determined Ware was a career offender, under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1, based on prior Florida convictions for 3 Case: 14-10373 Date Filed: 09/18/2014 Page: 4 of 11 armed robbery, aggravated battery, and escape. Because the statutory maximum penalty for his crime was a life sentence, the PSI assigned an offense level of 37, under § 4B1.1(b). The PSI calculated 11 criminal-history points and a criminal history category of IV, based on his 3 prior convictions, as well as prior Florida convictions for aggravated assault, battery on a law enforcement officer, and resisting an officer with violence. Because Ware was a career offender, the PSI assigned a criminal history category of VI, under § 4B1.1. The PSI also reported unscored prior convictions for cocaine trafficking, carrying a concealed firearm, resisting arrest with violence, and armed robbery, as well as several traffic offenses. Based on an offense level of 37 and a criminal history category of VI, the PSI calculated a Guidelines range of 360 months to life imprisonment. Ware was subject to a statutory term of 10 years to life imprisonment. See 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A). Ware initially objected to the accuracy of his criminal history as reported in the PSI. During his February 2008 sentencing hearing, however, he withdrew those objections and explained, through counsel: “[W]e verified everything and it’s fine.” Sentencing Hr’g at 3 (Feb. 6, 2008). The district judge granted Ware a 2-level acceptance-of-responsibility reduction under U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1 and calculated a total offense level of 35, a criminal history category of 4 Case: 14-10373 Date Filed: 09/18/2014 Page: 5 of 11 VI, and a resulting Guidelines range of 292-365 months of imprisonment. The judge sentenced Ware to 292 months of imprisonment, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, and dismissed Counts 2 and 3. Ware did not appeal his conviction judgment.