Opinion ID: 6344850
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Sentencing Enhancements and Departure

Text: Nyah then argues the district court erroneously applied the three sentencing enhancements. We review the district court’s application or interpretation of the Guidelines de novo and its factual findings for clear error. United States v. Belfrey, 928 F.3d 746, 750 (8th Cir. 2019). First, the district court properly applied the stolen firearm enhancement. This enhancement applies if “any firearm was stolen.” U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(b)(4)(A). Whether the defendant knew or had reason to know the firearm was stolen is irrelevant. Id. § 2K2.1 cmt. n.8(B); United States v. Martinez, 339 F.3d 759, 761– 62 (8th Cir. 2003). Nyah does not dispute the firearm here was stolen, so the enhancement applies. Nyah argues the district court should have deviated from the Guidelines because he claims he did not know the firearm was stolen so the enhancement overly punished him. We disagree. While the district court may “‘deviate from the assertion. See United States v. Caldwell, 760 F.3d 267, 276 (3d Cir. 2014) (“The task is not merely ‘to find a pigeonhole in which the proof might fit,’ but to actually demonstrate that the evidence ‘prove[s] something other than propensity.’”) (alteration in original) (quoting 1 Christopher B. Mueller & Laird C. Kirkpatrick, Federal Evidence § 4:28 (4th ed. 2013)). -10- guidelines because of a policy disagreement,’ it is ‘not required to do so.’” United States v. Heim, 941 F.3d 338, 340 (8th Cir. 2019) (quoting United States v. Manning, 738 F.3d 937, 947 (8th Cir. 2014)). We affirm the district court’s refusal to deviate here. Second, the district court properly applied the “in connection with” enhancement. This enhancement applies if the defendant “used or possessed any firearm . . . in connection with another felony offense.” U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(b)(6)(B). We have held that carrying a dangerous weapon in violation of Iowa Code § 724.4(1) qualifies as “another felony offense” for this enhancement. See United States v. Roberts, 958 F.3d 675, 677 (8th Cir. 2020); United States v. Walker, 771 F.3d 449, 453 (8th Cir. 2014). Because Nyah does not dispute the district court’s conclusion that he possessed a firearm in connection with carrying weapons under Iowa Code § 724.4(1), the enhancement applies. Third, the district court properly applied the enhancement for assaulting a police officer. This enhancement applies “[i]f, in a manner creating a substantial risk of serious bodily injury, the defendant . . . knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that a person was a law enforcement officer, assaulted such officer during the course of the offense or immediate flight therefrom.” U.S.S.G. § 3A1.2(c)(1). Here, Nyah undisputedly knew or had reasonable cause to believe Anderson was a law enforcement officer. The district court then found Nyah assaulted Anderson by pointing a loaded gun at him while fleeing from him, thereby creating a substantial risk of serious bodily injury. See United States v. Olson, 646 F.3d 569, 573 (8th Cir. 2011) (stating an assault under this enhancement includes “an act which is intended to, and reasonably does, cause the victim to fear immediate bodily harm . . . even if no physical harm is attempted, achieved, or intended” (quoting United States v. Lee, 199 F.3d 16, 18 (1st Cir. 1999))). Nyah does not show the district court clearly erred in this factual finding, so we affirm the district court’s application of this enhancement. -11- While Nyah does not argue the district court improperly calculated his criminal history, he argues it improperly refused to depart downward as a matter of policy based on his allegedly overstated criminal history under U.S.S.G. § 4A1.3(b)(1). We cannot review the district court’s refusal, however, “because the district court recognized it had the power to depart downward and” Nyah does not argue the district court “had an unconstitutional motive for failing to do so.” See United States v. Carter, 960 F.3d 1007, 1012–13 (8th Cir. 2020), cert. denied, 141 S. Ct. 835 (2020). Nyah’s argument thus lacks merit here.