Opinion ID: 775590
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Upward Adjustment of Angwin's Sentence

Text: 84 Finally, Angwin challenges his sentence, in which the district court upwardly adjusted his offense level pursuant to Guidelines section 2L1.1(b)(5) due to the substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another person he created. Consistent with the presentence report, the district court found that the motorhome was dangerously overcrowded and that the aliens were not restrained by seatbelts. A district court's application of the Guidelines to the facts of a case is reviewed for an abuse of discretion. See United States v. Frega, 179 F.3d 793, 811 n. 22 (9th Cir. 1999), cert. denied, 528 U.S. 1191, 146 L. Ed. 2d 105, 120 S. Ct. 1247 (2000). The district court's factual findings are reviewed for clear error. See United States v. Maldonado, 215 F.3d 1046, 1050 (9th Cir. 2000), cert. denied, 148 L. Ed. 2d 1004, 121 S. Ct. 1141 (2001). 85 Angwin argues that he did not create a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury. He contends that the aliens were not confined in any compartments, that he drove carefully, and that the vehicle was not overloaded. In Angwin's view, only extreme indifference to aliens' safety warrants an enhancement. His conduct, he argues, was more akin to United States v. Trinidad De La Rosa, 916 F.2d 27 (1st Cir. 1990), in which the First Circuit found that the district court erred in applying the adjustment even where the defendant had participated in transporting over fifty aliens on a thirty-four foot boat. See 916 F.2d at 30-31 (noting that the adjustment is appropriate for cases involving glaring examples of inhumane and ruthless conduct but reversing the district court's upward adjustment since there was insufficient evidence of inhumane treatment). 7 86 The defendant's argument is not compelling. There was ample evidence in the record from which the district court could conclude that the aliens driven by Angwin were placed at substantial risk of serious injury or death. With fourteen aliens, Khamis and Angwin in the motorhome, the vehicle was carrying sixteen people, even though it was only rated to hold six. The aliens were crowded into the motorhome in small compartments; three of the aliens were hiding in the shower, four were in the bathroom, two were crouching under the table, one was slouched over in a closet, and one was hiding in a small compartment under the bed. None of the aliens was seated, let alone wearing a seatbelt. Angwin even testified that the motorhome was very top-heavy, that he was worried the vehicle could flip over, and that he was concerned about driving on the narrow highway with steep shoulders. Since the district court did not commit clear error in finding those facts, it is difficult to conclude that the court abused its discretion in applying the adjustment. 87 Moreover, it is clear that a district court does not abuse its discretion by applying the upward adjustment in such a factual context. The commentary to Guidelines section 2L1.1 specifically notes that transporting an excessive number of passengers in a vehicle presents a risk of serious bodily injury or death: 88 Reckless conduct to which the adjustment from subsection (b)(5) applies includes a wide variety of conduct (e.g., transporting persons in the trunk or engine compartment of a motor vehicle, carrying substantially more passengers than the rated capacity of a motor vehicle or vessel, or harboring persons in a crowded, dangerous, or inhumane condition). 89 USSG 2L1.1, commentary n. 6 (emphasis added). Angwin's argument is particularly unavailing in light of United States v. Hernandez-Guardado, 228 F.3d 1017 (9th Cir. 2000), in which this Court recognized that overloading a vehicle can place its occupants at risk of serious bodily injury. The risk to Angwin's passengers, with sixteen passengers in a vehicle rated for six, was even more pronounced than the risk present in Hernandez-Guardado, with only two or three extra passengers in each vehicle. The district court therefore did not abuse its discretion in applying the upward adjustment. 8