Opinion ID: 696312
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: U.S.S.G. Secs. 4A1.1(c) and (d)

Text: 14 U.S.S.G. Sec. 4A1.1(c) provides that in the calculation of criminal history points, the sentencing court shall add one point for each prior sentence not resulting in a sentence of imprisonment. U.S.S.G. Sec. 4A1.1(d) similarly directs the sentencing court to [a]dd two points if the defendant committed the instant offense while under any criminal justice sentence, including probation, parole, supervised release, imprisonment, work release, or escape status. Maxim argues that the district court erred in assessing him a one-point increase under U.S.S.G. Sec. 4A1.1(c) and a two-point increase under U.S.S.G. Sec. 4A1.1(d) because he committed the instant offenses prior to his 1993 assault conviction its accompanying probation. Because this argument attacks the district court's construction of these Guidelines, our standard of review is de novo. United States v. Rayner, 2 F.3d 286, 287 (8th Cir.1993). 15 As previously observed, 18 U.S.C. Secs. 922(g) and (o) are continuing offenses. Maxim was convicted of a felony in 1984 and claims to have possessed the firearms in question for twelve to fifteen years. As such, he argues that because he had completed every act necessary to commit the instant continuing firearm offenses prior to 1993, he therefore committed the instant offenses before his 1993 assault conviction and its resultant probation. As such, Maxim contends that the district court erroneously assessed him an extra criminal history point under U.S.S.G. Sec. 4A1.1(c) for his prior 1993 assault conviction. Maxim further argues that the district court similarly erred in assessing him an added two criminal history points under U.S.S.G. Sec. 4A1.1(d) because he had already committed the instant offenses prior to being placed on probation in 1993. In essence, Maxim advances the argument that the sentencing court may consider only acts occurring prior to, but not during, a defendant's commission of a continuing offense for purposes of calculating that defendant's criminal history. 16 We reject Maxim's argument. We conclude instead that the sentencing court must consider the entire period during which continuing offense occurred for purposes of applying U.S.S.G. Secs. 4A1.1(c) and (d). We believe this approach is consistent with both Congress's decision to criminalize the unlawful possession of firearms as a continuing offense and our prior decisions holding that a continuing offense, by its very nature, does not terminate until the date of the indictment or the voluntary termination of the illegal activity. See United States v. Reetz, 18 F.3d 595, 598, (8th Cir.1994). See also United States v. Kayfez, 957 F.2d 677, 678 (9th Cir.1992) (considering the entire period of defendant's continuing offense of unlawful possession of counterfeit notes for purposes of applying U.S.S.G. Secs. 4A1.1(d) and (e)). We also believe this approach to be consistent with U.S.S.G. Sec. 4A1.1's avowed purposes of accurately reflecting the defendant's criminal history and adding a measure of recency to the sentencing calculus. U.S.S.G. Sec. 4A1.1, comment. (backg'd.). 17 Applying this approach to the instant case, we conclude that the district court applied the Guidelines correctly. Maxim admitted to continually possessing the firearms in question for twelve to fifteen years, which supports his claim that he had completed every act necessary to commit the instant offenses prior to his 1993 conviction for first-degree assault and its resultant probation. The record is equally clear, however, that Maxim continued to commit these offenses following that conviction and during its accompanying probation by continuing to unlawfully possess the firearms. If Maxim had begun and ended his unlawful acts of possession prior to his 1993 assault conviction and its accompanying probation, the result could be different. But that is not the case before us. The district court properly considered the entire period during which Maxim unlawfully possessed the firearms. As such, the district court accurately assessed Maxim an additional criminal history point under U.S.S.G. Sec. 4A1.1(c) for continuing to commit the instant offenses after his prior 1993 assault conviction. The district court's assessment of an additional two criminal history points pursuant to U.S.S.G. Sec. 4A1.1(d) was also correct because Maxim continued to commit the instant offenses while on probation.