Opinion ID: 161354
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Two-Point Increase for Obstruction of Justice

Text: Mr. Miranda contends the district court erred by imposing a two-level enhancement of his sentence for obstruction of justice pursuant to USSG § 3C1.1 after determining he committed perjury at his and at his codefendant’s sentencing hearing. At his sentencing hearing, Mr. Miranda denied any involvement regarding the solicitation of the murders of two people associated with the conspiracy. An agent and a confidential informant provided testimony to this effect. In response to Mr. Miranda’s objection to the presentence report which cited this testimony in support of an enhancement for obstruction of justice, the district court stated that it was “satisfied from the testimony that has been presented through the agents and through the confidential informant . . . that the obstruction of justice as explained in the presentence report is appropriate and proper.” Aplt’s App. at 183. Based on this evidence and after considering Mr. Miranda’s recantation at Mr. Baeza’s sentencing hearing, the district court determined that Mr. Miranda’s testimony was false. We review for clear error the district court’s factual findings supporting the application of a particular sentencing guidelines provision and its legal conclusions de novo. See United States v. Shumway , 112 F.3d 1413, 1426 (10th Cir. 1997). -3- The sentencing guidelines mandate a two-point upward adjustment if a defendant “willfully obstructed or impeded, or attempted to obstruct or impede, the administration of justice during the course of the investigation, prosecution, or sentencing of the instant offense.” United States v. Chavez , 229 F.3d 929, 955 (10th Cir. 2000) (quoting USSG § 3C1.1). Obstruction of justice includes committing perjury. See USSG § 3C1.1, cmt. n.4(b); United States v. Hargus , 128 F.3d 1358, 1365 (10th Cir. 1997). “To establish a defendant’s perjury, the court must find that he (1) when testifying under oath, gives false testimony; (2) concerning a material matter; (3) with willful intent to provide false testimony, rather than as a result of confusion, mistake, or faulty memory.” United States v. Copus , 110 F.3d 1529, 1536 (10th Cir. 1997) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). First, Mr. Miranda challenges the nature of the trial testimony regarding the murder solicitation as double hearsay. We need not address this matter because we agree with the district court’s conclusion that Mr. Miranda’s perjury at Mr. Baeza’s sentencing hearing was sufficient to support the enhancement for obstruction of justice. Second, Mr. Miranda contends that, even if his testimony at Mr. Baeza’s sentencing hearing was untruthful, it was not material. We disagree. According to the guidelines, “‘[m]aterial’ evidence, fact, statement or information, as used -4- in this section, means evidence, fact, statement, or information that, if believed, would tend to influence or affect the issue under determination.” USSG § 3C1.1, cmt. n.6; see also United States v. Bernaugh , 969 F.2d 858, 860 (10th Cir. 1992) (applying obstruction enhancement where defendant “had provided materially false information at his guilty plea hearing with respect to the roles of his codefendants”). In deciding to impose the two-point increase for obstruction of justice, the district court stated: As far as the Court is concerned, as far as the obstruction of justice is concerned, you don’t even have to rely upon the reliable testimony of the threats of murder. The false testimony given is an obstruction of justice in and of itself, and the Court finds in both instances that it is sufficient to support the presentence report. I therefore overrule the objection, and I accept the presentence report as it is presented to the Court. Aplt’s App. at 190. Here, as in Bernaugh , Mr. Miranda’s “perjury with respect to the actors associated with him in the transaction easily could be an attempt to affect his own sentencing, by impairing the court’s inquiry under Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(f), obfuscating his role in the transaction, and otherwise.” Bernaugh , 969 F.2d at 862. Thus, we conclude the district court did not err by imposing the two-level USSG § 3C1.1 enhancement for perjury.