Opinion ID: 781024
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Martinez's claims

Text: 4 Martinez argues that the court erred in sentencing him as a career offender because (1) the offenses were not separated by an intervening arrest and (2) the offenses were consolidated for sentencing under Florida law. He contends that the fact that he was arrested for the first offense after he committed the second offense requires the court to consider the two offenses as related and treat the offenses as one prior offense in calculating his criminal history. He also asserts that, under Florida law, when sentences are imposed on the same day by the same court, use only one sentencing score sheet, and run concurrently, the offenses are related and should be treated as a single prior offense. 5 In addition, Martinez argues for the first time on appeal that the court erred in imposing restitution because the order of judgment and conviction failed to identify the victim or provide for the manner of repayment. Noting the PSI's indication that he did not have the financial ability to pay a fine, Martinez asserts that the court's failure to specify a payment option for the restitution was improper. Alternatively, he argues that the order to pay restitution immediately failed to consider his inability to pay. 6 A district court's factual determination that a defendant's prior convictions are independent for purposes of determining criminal history will not be disturbed unless clearly erroneous. United States v. Mullens, 65 F.3d 1560, 1565 (11th Cir.1995); see also Buford v. United States, 532 U.S. 59, 64 (2001) (applying deferential review to question of whether cases were consolidated for purposes of career-offender status).
7 Under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1, a defendant is a career offender if (1) the defendant was at least eighteen years old at the time of the instant offense, (2) the instant offense of conviction is a felony that is either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense, and (3) the defendant has at least two prior felony convictions of either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense. U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1; see also United States v. Veteto, 920 F.2d 823, 824 (11th Cir.1991). Martinez does not dispute that he was over eighteen at the time of the instant offense or that his offense was a crime of violence. Thus, the only issue before us is whether Martinez had two or more prior felony convictions. 8 Prior conviction requirements are strictly construed, and a defendant must have been sentenced for two unrelated offenses to be considered a career offender. United States v. Delvecchio, 920 F.3d 810, 812 (11th Cir.1991). Convictions are related for criminal history calculations if, inter alia, they were consolidated for trial or sentencing. Mullens, 65 F.3d at 1565 (citing U.S.S.G. § 4A1.2, comment. (n. 3)). In Veteto, we held that the fact that sentences were to run concurrently did not consolidate the cases for sentencing, but the defendant in that case was sentenced by different judges on different days. Veteto, 920 F.2d at 826. 9 We have not addressed whether cases are consolidated for purposes of the career-offender guideline when the defendant was sentenced by the same judge on the same day for offenses that were docketed separately and that received separate judgments. The Seventh Circuit has held that in order to find that cases were consolidated, cases must be formally consolidated by an order or functionally consolidated, where the convictions were `factually or logically related, and sentencing was joint.' Buford, 201 F.3d 937, 940 (7th Cir.2000), aff'd 532 U.S. 59 (2001). The Seventh Circuit explained that cases are functionally consolidated where the defendant was charged with the offenses in the same indictment and he pleaded guilty at the same time in the same court. Id. Other circuits to address the issue of consolidation have reached similar conclusions. See, e.g.,. United States v. Huskey, 137 F.3d 283, 286-88 (5th Cir.1998) (addressing consolidation and reviewing other circuit court decisions, finding that generally cases are not consolidated when they receive separate docket numbers or separate judgments). 10 Here, Martinez had pleaded guilty to three unrelated state offenses on the same day before the same judge and was sentenced to concurrent sentences. Nevertheless, the cases had been assigned different docket numbers, and Martinez does not dispute that he received separate judgments. Given these factors, the district court did not clearly err in concluding that Martinez's offenses should not be considered consolidated for purposes of his career-offender status. 11 As to Martinez's contention that Florida law requires that his convictions be treated as related, we review this argument for plain error because Martinez did not raise it before the district court. United States v. Jones, 289 F.3d 1260, 1265 (11th Cir.), cert. denied, 123 S.Ct. 661 (2002). To demonstrate plain error, Martinez must show that there is an error, that is plain, that affects substantial rights, and that the error seriously affects the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings. Id. 12 Martinez's reliance on Florida law is misplaced. Florida law indicates that the burden is on the defendant to move the court for consolidation of sentencing. See Clark v. Florida, 572 So.2d 1387, 1391 (Fla. 1991). Martinez had not moved the state court to consolidate his cases, and, therefore, under Florida law, his cases were not consolidated. Thus, there is no plain error in the district court's conclusion.
13 Under the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act (MVRA), the district court must order restitution to each victim in the full amount of each victim's losses for, inter alia, crimes against property. 18 U.S.C. § 3663A(a), (c)(1)(a), 3664(f)(1)(A). Once the amount is determined, the court must specify in the restitution order a schedule for payment after considering the present and future financial circumstances of the defendant, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3572. 18 U.S.C. § 3664(f)(2); Jones, 289 F.3d at 1265. The court may order a single lump-sum payment, periodic payments, or a combination thereof. 18 U.S.C. § 3664(f)(3)(A). If payment is not required immediately, the court must specify the length of time over which the payments are to be made, and it cannot delegate this duty. 18 U.S.C. § 3572(d)(2); United States v. Prouty, 303 F.3d 1249,1254 (11th Cir.2002). When the PSI contains a detailed analysis of the defendant's financial situation, to which the defendant does not object, the district court is not required to make specific findings on the record before ordering a restitution payment schedule. Jones, 289 F.3d at 1265-66. Because, at sentencing, Martinez did not object to the PSI's recommendation for restitution, we review for plain error. 14 Martinez's present objections to the restitution order are without merit. Although the MVRA requires that the court establish the restitution amount for each victim, the First Bank of Miami was the only victim in this case, and, therefore, the court did not err in failing to identify the victim in the restitution order. 18 U.S.C. § 3663A(a), (c)(1)(a), 3664(f)(1)(A). Martinez's contention that the district court improperly delegated the establishment of the payment schedule is without merit because the court established a schedule that required immediate payment. 15 Finally, there is no error, plain or otherwise, in the district court's failure to consider Martinez's ability to pay. The MVRA mandates that the district court consider a defendant's financial condition when setting a restitution payment schedule and grants the court discretion to allow payment over time. Here, although the district court did not expressly adopt the findings of the PSI, it could have reached its conclusion based on the PSI recommendations because no other information was provided. The district court considered Martinez's ability to pay as required under the MVRA and did not need to make detailed findings because Martinez did not object to the findings of the PSI. Consequently, the district court fulfilled its statutory obligation. 16 Accordingly, we AFFIRM the district court.