Opinion ID: 151297
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Appellant Chad Jones

Text: Jones challenges his 15-year sentence, raising three arguments: (1) a 30-month upward variance was unwarranted under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a); (2) his sentence creates an unwarranted disparity with Hawkins's ten-year sentence; and (3) his sentence was greater than necessary to achieve the goals of § 3553(a). Jones contends that the court abused its discretion by varying upwards solely on his criminal record. [2] But the record does not support Jones's contention. The court did, as Jones suggests, rely on his past criminal conduct. But the court explicitly relied on past unscored criminal history. Under our reasonableness review, which gives due deference to the district court, see United States v. Barrett, 552 F.3d 724, 727 (8th Cir.2009), we cannot say the district court abused its discretion. See id. at 727 (holding a court may consider a defendant's criminal history even if that history is included in the defendant's criminal history category). Given the holding in Barrett, we cannot say the district court abused its discretion in considering criminal history not accounted for in Jones's criminal history category. And in any event, the district court's sentencing memorandum establishes that the court did not vary upwards solely on the basis of Jones's criminal record. The district court relied on the facts that the robbery was premeditated, that Jones spent a great deal of time altering the firearm and otherwise preparing, and that Jones's offense conduct was violent: he awakened his victims in the middle of the night and threatened them with a sawed-off shotgun. Jones next contends that in imposing a sentence approximately five years longer than that of Hawkins, the court violated the mandate in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(6), to avoid unwarranted sentencing disparity. But it is not an abuse of discretion to impose a sentence that results in disparity between co-defendants where there are legitimate distinctions between co-defendants. United States v. Davis-Bey, 605 F.3d 479, 482-83 (8th Cir. 2010) (citing United States v. Watson, 480 F.3d 1175, 1178 (8th Cir.2007)). Here, the district court relied on legitimate distinctions between the conduct of Jones and Hawkins: Jones carried the shotgun, pointed it at the victims, and used it to assault one of the victims. Accordingly, Jones's longer sentence does not result in an unwarranted disparity as compared to Hawkins. Finally, Jones argues that his sentence does not comply with the statutory goal of sentencing defendants no longer than is necessary. See 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). We review this challenge to the substantive reasonableness of his sentence for abuse of discretion. See Feemster, 572 F.3d at 461. The crime here was heinous and called for a lengthy sentence for Jones, in part because of his criminal history, which suggests that incarceration is necessary to protect the public. Although fifteen years is a harsh penalty, given the manner in which Jones behaved and his criminal record, the district court did not abuse its discretion in imposing a 15-year sentence. [3]