Opinion ID: 1040104
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Merits of Dunn’s Appeal

Text: There is no dispute that Dunn was eligible for consideration of a sentence reduction, and that the amended sentencing range for his crack offense was 77 to 96 months. Dunn, however, challenges the district court’s discretionary decision not to grant him a 17-month reduction. Dunn argues that a sentence reduction is warranted by the § 3553(a) factors6—specifically: (1) his acceptance of responsibility, 5 United States v. Bowers, 615 F.3d 715 (6th Cir. 2010), a decision from our sister circuit, is not intervening higher authority, and thus does not control our analysis. Ortega-Mendez v. Gonzales, 450 F.3d 1010, 1019 (9th Cir. 2006). We also note that while the Sixth Circuit identified § 3742(a) as the source of appellate jurisdiction, Bowers, 615 F.3d at 720–22, in Colson, we relied on the broader grant of jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. Thus, Bowers is not relevant to the issue of whether § 3582(c)(2) decisions are reviewable under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. 6 Section 3553(a) factors “include: the nature and circumstances of the offense and the history and characteristics of the defendant; the purposes of sentencing; the kinds of sentences available; the sentences and ranges established by the Sentencing Guidelines; relevant policy statements issued by the Sentencing Commission; the need to avoid unwarranted sentencing disparities among similarly situated defendants; and the need 14 UNITED STATES V. DUNN (2) the relatively small amount of crack cocaine (18 grams) and lack of weaponry and violence involved, and (3) his willingness to donate a kidney to his ailing brother. Dunn contends that the district court erred in relying on his criminal history because it was already fully accounted for by the amended Guidelines calculations. He further maintains that the district court unreasonably ignored his rehabilitation efforts in prison and transfer from a high to medium-security prison, while focusing instead on his two discipline violations. Finally, Dunn argues that his supervised release penalty did not justify denying him a reduced sentence. But Dunn fails to show how the district court applied the wrong law or relied on clearly erroneous findings of material fact. The district court properly cited the factors under § 3553(a), and considered those applicable to Dunn’s case, as well as the facts it relied on in reaching its decision. See Carty, 520 F.3d at 992. An analysis under § 3553(a) involves considering the totality of the circumstances, but “[t]he district court need not tick off each of the § 3553(a) factors to show that it has considered them.” Id. “We assume that district judges know the law and understand their obligation to consider all of the § 3553(a) factors, not just the Guidelines.” Id. No one factor should be given more or less weight than any other. Id. at 991. Here, the district court considered Dunn’s extensive criminal history, “including juvenile convictions for petty theft, possession of a controlled substance, escape from a juvenile facility, and possession or purchase of cocaine for s[ale],” as well as “adult convictions [for] unlawful sexual to provide restitution to victims.” United States v. Trujillo, 713 F.3d 1003, 1008 (9th Cir. 2013). UNITED STATES V. DUNN 15 intercourse with a minor, inflicting corporeal injury on a spouse, escape from jail, and . . . possession of a firearm.” The court also cited the Probation Officer’s assessment of Dunn’s volatile temperament and two disciplinary incidents in prison. The court further took into account Dunn’s numerous certificates of completed courses related to anger management, continuing education, cartoon drawing, drug education, and self-awareness; his transfer from a high to medium-security prison; and his willingness to donate a kidney to his brother. The court observed that Dunn “has a persistent, violent, and lengthy criminal history, including disciplinary incidents within the last year of incarceration,” and while it found Dunn’s work during incarceration commendable, it concluded that “the safety of the community is best protected by the defendant serving the entirety of his original sentence.” The court added that the original sentence was needed “to afford adequate deterrence.” The court explained that “[w]hile the situation with defendant’s brother is sad, at this point, it is not clear that defendant is an acceptable donor or that serving the original 100-month sentence would prevent him from serving as a donor.” The district court thus provided a reasoned explanation as to why it declined to reduce Dunn’s sentence. See Rita v. United States, 551 U.S. 338, 356 (2007) (“The sentencing judge should set forth enough to satisfy the appellate court that he has considered the parties’ arguments and has a reasoned basis for exercising his own legal decisionmaking authority.”); Carty, 520 F.3d at 992. But cf. Trujillo, 713 F.3d at 1010, 1011 (holding the district court’s denial of a § 3582(c)(2) motion was legal error for its “total omission” in addressing defendant’s nonfrivolous arguments under the § 3553(a) factors). 16 UNITED STATES V. DUNN Dunn does not point to any evidence controverting the accuracy of the facts relied on by the district court in reaching its conclusion. Nor is there any indication that the district court gave certain § 3553(a) factors greater consideration than others. Rather, the district court presented a balanced account of both positive and negative factors, and provided sufficient explanation for why it denied Dunn a reduced sentence. While reasonable jurists might disagree as to whether Dunn’s positive factors warranted a reduced sentence, mere disagreement does not amount to an abuse of discretion. The district court further noted that Dunn’s criminal history placed him in category VI, resulting in an advisory Guidelines range of 92 to 115 months and a reduced range of 77 to 96 months. While Dunn is correct that his criminal history is already integrated in the sentencing calculus, there is nothing under § 3553(a), or any other provision, which barred the district court from considering a prisoner’s criminal history in making its decision under § 3582(c)(2). In fact, § 3553 expressly instructs district courts to consider “the nature and circumstances of the offense and the history and characteristics of the defendant,” along with the “the kinds of sentence and sentencing range established.” 18 U.S.C. §§ 3553(a)(1), (4). Section 3553(a)(1) would include a prisoner’s criminal history. There is nothing in the statute to suggest that, in deciding whether to grant or deny a reduced sentence, a district court cannot consider the defendant’s criminal history even though it was reflected in his sentencing range. Rather, it is merely one factor in the totality of the circumstances a district court must consider. The district court also did not abuse its discretion when it took into account Dunn’s supervised release penalty as part of the totality of the circumstances. Dunn’s original 100UNITED STATES V. DUNN 17 month sentence incorporated his 16-month sentence for his supervised release violation. Thus, Dunn’s actual sentence for his crack cocaine offense is 84 months—what the parties agreed upon in the plea agreement, based on the Government’s admitted miscalculation of Dunn’s criminal history category—and already within the amended 72-to-96 month Guidelines range. However, the district court emphasized that “100 months is the overall right total,” in light of the Probation Officer’s proper calculation of Dunn’s criminal history category and consideration of § 3553(a) factors. In declining to reduce Dunn’s sentence, the district court appropriately noted that Dunn had already received the benefit of the Government’s error in miscalculating the Guidelines range based on the mistaken belief that his criminal history category was V, instead of VI. Dunn now requests a 17-month reduction to his combined sentence, or 83 months. To grant Dunn the requested reduction would mean, in actuality, that he would serve a 67-month crack cocaine sentence7—a sentence that would fall below the binding minimum of the amended 77-to-96 month Guidelines range. See Dillon, 130 S. Ct. at 2691; USSG § 1B1.10(b)(2)(A).