Opinion ID: 592262
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Casares' Appeal

Text: 16 Casares' arguments relative to his conviction primarily focus on Cundari's credibility. In this respect, they mirror the arguments advanced by his co-defendant, Villasenor; consequently, we reject Casares' challenge for the same reasons we reject Villasenor's. See Part II.A, supra. 17 Casares also contends there was insufficient evidence to prove that he travelled in interstate commerce to facilitate illegal activity. The evidence demonstrating that Casares travelled from Illinois to Wisconsin to collect payments for illegal drugs resolves this issue against Casares. See United States v. Campione, 942 F.2d 429, 434-35 (7th Cir.1991) ([T]he interstate use need not be indispensable to the illegal activity, it is enough that the use facilitates the illegal activity.) (quotation omitted).
18 Casares challenges the district court's decision to add three points to his criminal history score. This addition was made pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 4A1.3, which provides that an upward departure may be justified when reliable information indicates that the criminal history category does not adequately reflect the seriousness of the defendant's past criminal conduct.... This may include information demonstrating that the defendant had previously committed similar adult criminal conduct not resulting in a criminal conviction. Id. § 4A1.3(e). [P]rior criminal conduct need only be proven by a preponderance of the evidence to support a departure. United States v. Terry, 930 F.2d 542, 545 (7th Cir.1991). 19 In awarding the three point increase to Casares' criminal history score, the district court relied on Cundari's trial testimony to the effect that he (Cundari) had first engaged in drug transactions involving Casares in the middle of 1987--several years before the date the conspiracy was alleged to have begun. Casares contends this information is insufficient to support the increase due to both Cundari's memory loss and his prior inconsistent statement to law enforcement officials concerning the date he began buying cocaine from Casares. We reject Casares' position for substantially the same reason we reject his challenge to his conviction--Cundari's testimony is not unreliable simply because Cundari is impeachable. We must accept the district court's findings unless they are clearly erroneous, United States v. Gaddy, 909 F.2d 196, 199 (7th Cir.1990), and there is no clear error simply because the district court believed Cundari in spite of the defense attorneys' attempts to impeach him. 20 Casares also contends his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object to the factual basis for this increase in Casares' criminal history score. 3 Assuming, without deciding, that the trial counsel's representation fell below an objective standard of reasonableness, Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 688, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 2064, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984), we conclude this failing did not affect the district court's judgment and Casares was not prejudiced. The district court based its decision to increase Casares' criminal history score upon information contained in the trial transcript. Having presided at the trial and reviewed the transcript, the district judge was undoubtedly aware of the attacks on Cundari's credibility. At the sentencing hearing, the district court mentioned some of the attacks, but explained he still found Cundari's testimony credible because some of it was corroborated. The district court was aware of the facts that undermined Cundari's credibility, so Casares was not prejudiced by his attorney's failure to bring those facts to the court's attention. This lack of prejudice defeats Casares' claim of ineffective assistance of counsel. Id. at 687, 691-92, 104 S.Ct. at 2065, 2066-67.