Opinion ID: 755643
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Two-Level Enhancement for Abusing Position

Text: 17 Hawkey challenges the district court's imposition of a two-level enhancement for abusing his position of trust as a sheriff under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.3. Hawkey's argument that he did not use his position as sheriff to conceal his activity is unpersuasive because § 3B1.3 is not limited to concealment. Section 3B1.3 provides that if Hawkey abused his position of public trust in a manner that significantly facilitated the commission or concealment of the offense, [the Guidelines mandate an increase of] 2 levels. U.S.S.G. § 3B1.3 (emphasis added). After carefully reviewing the record, we conclude that substantial evidence supports the conclusion that Hawkey abused his position as sheriff in a manner that significantly facilitated the commission of the offense. Consequently, the district court did not commit clear error by imposing a two-level enhancement.