Opinion ID: 4503119
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Denial of Downward Variances

Text: All defendants argue that, in denying their motions for a downward variance, the district court erroneously considered that they exercised their right to trial, thereby unconstitutionally penalizing them for exercising this right and violating § 3553(a). The defendants allege that their decision to go to trial was the determining factor in the district court’s decision to impose high sentences. Generally, when a district court recognizes its authority to grant a variance, we review for abuse of discretion its decision not to grant a downward variance. United States v. Cubero, 754 F.3d 888, 897-98 & 897 n.8 (11th Cir. 2014). However, while the defendants moved for downward variances below, none raised any argument regarding the district court’s alleged reliance on their exercise of their right to trial in denying the motions. Thus, their new challenge on appeal is reviewed for plain error. See Ramirez-Flores, 743 F.3d at 822. 76 Case: 17-14294 Date Filed: 01/30/2020 Page: 77 of 97 “[T]he district court has considerable discretion in deciding whether the § 3553(a) factors justify a variance and the extent of such a variance.” United States v. Croteau, 819 F.3d 1293, 1309 (11th Cir. 2016). “We give that decision due deference because the district court has an institutional advantage in making sentencing determinations.” Cubero, 754 F.3d at 892 (quotation marks omitted). Here, the record shows no error regarding the district court’s denial of the defendants’ downward-variance motions, let alone any plain error affecting their substantial rights. Cabezas-Montano and Guagua-Alarcon have not shown any error because, in denying their specific downward-variance motions, the district court never mentioned that they exercised their right to trial. Rather, in denying their motions, the district court: (1) rejected the defendants’ argument that they were just the “little guys” in a larger operation; (2) rejected their argument that they and/or other couriers would be deterred from making future trafficking trips when the possible reward for a successful trip was so high; (3) noted that MDLEA penalties were significant because of the harm drug offenses wreak on society; and (4) found that each defendant was an essential member of the conspiracy. It was not until Palacios-Solis raised his downward-variance argument— several pages of transcript after Cabeza-Montano’s and Guagua-Alarcon’s motions already were denied—that the district court made the complained-of comments. In denying Palacios-Solis’s downward-variance motion, the district court commented: 77 Case: 17-14294 Date Filed: 01/30/2020 Page: 78 of 97 Also, the motion for a downward variance, I think we’re treading on some difficult waters if we come in and say—I mean, I think every defendant has an absolute right to go to trial and exercise it and understand what the consequences are. But what I’m hearing from you and others in these types of cases is that the guideline amount of time is just a lot of time; so why not just give us the mandatory-minimum every time. So let us have two bites at the apple: Let us go to trial and maybe we’ll be acquitted, we can all go home. And sometimes we have acquittals in these cases and sometimes we have mistrials. But if we don’t get acquitted, then at least give us the minimummandatory with a downward departure so that we can kind of hedge our bets. We want our cake and eat it. We don’t want to have to face the guideline sentence. We want to go to trial and hopefully get acquitted. But if we do go to trial and we get convicted, then we want the mandatory-minimum. You know, if we start setting up that precedent, then everybody is going to want to roll the dice with one hand tied behind their back. Anyway, I don’t think a downward departure or variance is justified. In making the comments, the district court made no reference to Cabeza-Montano or Guagua-Alarcon, or their motions. Even if the district court’s comments were made in reference to each of the defendants’ downward-variance motions, the defendants still have not shown error. The defendants describe the district court’s comments as denying their downwardvariance motions solely in an effort to punish them for going to trial. The record does not support such a portrayal. Rather, the district court actually acknowledged the defendants’ “absolute right to go to trial,” and then the remainder of the district 78 Case: 17-14294 Date Filed: 01/30/2020 Page: 79 of 97 court’s comments were its efforts at characterizing the nature of Palacios-Solis’s argument for the statutory mandatory minimum sentence. Notably, the district court characterized Palacios-Solis’s argument as being that, no matter what, a defendant every time should still receive only the mandatory statutory minimum sentence after trial because the length of the guidelines sentences in these types of drug cases is “just a lot of time.” The district court rejected this argument and stated, “Anyway, I don’t think a downward departure or variance is justified,” indicating that it was denying Palacios-Solis’s motion on the merits, just as it had earlier denied Cabeza-Montano’s and Guagua-Alarcon’s motions on the merits. Thus, given the record as a whole, the defendants have not shown that the district court’s denial of their downward-variance motions was an effort to penalize them for going to trial.