Opinion ID: 64501
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Loss Amount for Sentencing and Restitution Purposes

Text: Factual determinations regarding loss amount for guideline calculation purposes are reviewed for clear error. United States v. Bieganowski, 313 F.3d 264, 294 (5th Cir.2002). If a restitution award is legally permitted, it is normally reviewed for abuse of discretion. Norris, 217 F.3d at 271. However, because Ollison did not object to the restitution amount, it is reviewed for plain error. United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 732, 113 S.Ct. 1770, 123 L.Ed.2d 508 (1993).
The district court did not abuse its discretion in calculating the loss amount for sentencing purposes, or commit plain error in calculating the restitution amount. The Government was only required to prove the loss amount by a preponderance of the evidence. See Bieganowski, 313 F.3d at 294. The PSR set the loss amount at $64,633, which increased Ollison's base offense level by six. See U.S. SENTENCING GUIDELINES MANUAL § 2B1.1(b)(1) (2006). This six-level enhancement applies when the loss amount is more than $30,000 but less than $70,000. Ollison challenges the enhancement by making the same sufficiency-of-the-evidence argument that we previously rejected, and she claims that the appropriate loss amount should be $15,000, which is the minimum amount of loss sufficient to sustain her conviction. Generally, a PSR bears sufficient indicia of reliability to permit the sentencing court to rely on it at sentencing. The defendant bears the burden of demonstrating that the PSR is inaccurate; in the absence of rebuttal evidence, the sentencing court may properly rely on the PSR and adopt it. United States v. Ayala, 47 F.3d 688, 690 (5th Cir.1995) (internal citation omitted). According to the PSR, the probation officer calculated the loss amount through review of the indictment, the investigative materials provided by the FBI, and an interview with Sepeda. We find that there is sufficient evidence for the district court to have concluded that the loss amount exceeded $30,000 for sentencing purposes. Sepeda's testimony was credible and supported by documentary evidence and Ollison's own admissions. For similar reasons, the district court did not plainly err in calculating the restitution amount.