Opinion ID: 201627
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Pena's Claim of Sentencing Manipulation

Text: 36 Pena's contention in respect to a claim of sentencing manipulation must be addressed, however, as it is external to the district court's determination of his sentence. 37 Pena asserts that he is the victim of sentencing factor manipulation because the Government devised and controlled the performance of the sting operation that snared him. 16 We have said that sentencing factor manipulation occurs when a `defendant, although predisposed to commit a minor or lesser offense, is entrapped in committing a greater offense subject to greater punishment.' United States v. Woods, 210 F.3d 70, 75 (1st Cir.2000) (quoting United States v. Staufer, 38 F.3d 1103, 1106 (9th Cir.1994)). We have very recently limned the nature of conduct necessary to establish sentencing factor manipulation. We said: 38 Sentencing factor manipulation occurs where law enforcement agents venture outside the scope of legitimate investigation and engage in extraordinary misconduct that improperly enlarges the scope or scale of the crime. A manipulation claim can be established by showing that the agents overpowered the free will of the defendant and caused him to commit a more serious offense than he was predisposed to commit. 39 United States v. Barbour, 393 F.3d 82, 86 (1st Cir.2004) (internal citations omitted). We have also acknowledged that a sentencing court can depart from the Guidelines and statutory minimums based on sentencing factor manipulation if the Defendant shows that the Government has engaged in extraordinary misconduct in bringing about the commission of the offense. United States v. Montoya, 62 F.3d 1, 4 (1st Cir.1995); United States v. Gibbens, 25 F.3d 28, 31 (1st Cir.1994). 40 We review for clear error the district court's denial of Pena's objection on this point. Gibbens, 25 F.3d at 30. There is no merit to Pena's claim. The evidence shows that the Government afforded Pena an opportunity to commit the crimes of conviction, and that he, being predisposed to do so, readily entered into the criminal acts proposed by the Government: conspiracy, attempt to distribute cocaine, and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense. The Government did not expose Pena to any lesser offense involving a lesser punishment than that applicable to the offenses of his conviction and then later attempt to entice him into more seriously punishable conduct. The Government's sole effort is shown by the evidence to have been to provide an opportunity to Pena to commit the very offenses of which he stands convicted. Accord Vazquez-Guadalupe, 407 F.3d 492, 499. There is no evidence whatsoever that the Government attempted to escalate the seriousness of the conduct involved in the offense as originally proposed. The Government offered an occasion for a single transaction: a drug transport/escort while armed. Pena committed the crime he was predisposed to commit. The criminal conduct was not exacerbated beyond the elements of the baseline offenses in the course of the execution of the offenses by Ortiz nor was the conduct otherwise prolonged. 17 There was no pressure put on Pena, despite his assertions to the contrary at sentencing, to engage in the conduct of which he stands convicted. Further, there is absolutely no evidence in the record of illegitimate motive on the part of Ortiz as an undercover agent or of misconduct in his relations as a Government agent with Pena. The district court's denial of the objection was properly grounded in the record.