Opinion ID: 202030
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Validity of Paragraph 34 as ACCA Predicate

Text: 19 On appeal, Mastera argues that the district court lacked sufficient evidence of the type permitted by Shepard to allow the conclusion that the Paragraph 34 conviction was for a generic burglary. He acknowledges, however, that he forfeited this objection by failing to raise it before the sentencing court. Thus, we review only for plain error. See United States v. Eirby, 262 F.3d 31, 36 (1st Cir.2001). To prevail under this standard, Mastera must make a four-part showing: (1) that an error occurred (2) which was clear or obvious and which not only (3) affected [his] substantial rights, but also (4) seriously impaired the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings. United States v. Luciano, 414 F.3d 174, 177 (1st Cir.2005) (quoting United States v. Duarte, 246 F.3d 56, 60 (1st Cir.2001)). 20 Mastera's argument fails on plain error review, at least under the second prong of the test, which requires that the error be clear or obvious at the time of appellate consideration. United States v. Bradstreet, 135 F.3d 46, 50 (1st Cir.1998) (internal quotation marks omitted) (citing United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 734, 113 S.Ct. 1770, 123 L.Ed.2d 508 (1993); Johnson v. United States, 520 U.S. 461, 467-68, 117 S.Ct. 1544, 137 L.Ed.2d 718 (1997)). Mastera's counsel, in a sentencing memorandum to the district court, more or less conceded that the conviction in Paragraph 34 was for breaking into a home (not a boat or a vehicle), stating that the breaking and entering that occurred September 7, 1997 [the Paragraph 34 offense] appears to be a breaking and entering into his own home. It may be debatable whether the defendant's admission, which was not made during the plea colloquy for the original conviction, falls within the evidence permitted by Taylor and Shepard. But it was not a clear or obvious transgression of the Shepard rule for the sentencing court to consider the admission (which was sufficient to justify a conclusion by the court that the conviction was for generic burglary). Given this uncertainty, we cannot say that the district court's finding of an ACCA predicate in the Paragraph 34 conviction was plainly erroneous. Cf. United States v. Marino, 277 F.3d 11, 32 (1st Cir.2002) (unsettled state of the law precludes finding of plain error). 21 Because Mastera has not shown that any clear or obvious error occurred, we need not address the third and fourth prongs of the plain error test. The convictions in Paragraphs 34 and 35, together with the assault conviction that Mastera has conceded is a valid ACCA predicate, create the three convictions necessary to sustain adjudication as an Armed Career Criminal. 22