Opinion ID: 785438
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Responsibility of Hanhardt and Basinski for the 1995 Armed Robbery of Esagh Kashimallak

Text: 8 Hanhardt and Basinski challenge the court's finding that they were responsible for the 1995 robbery. At the sentencing of both Hanhardt and Basinski, the government presented evidence that the conspiracy charged in the first count of the indictment had included the armed robbery of Esagh Kashimallak in 1995. Based on the facts of that incident, the government sought an enhancement for the physical restraint of a victim (§ 3A1.3) (2 levels) and an upward departure for use of a weapon in the commission of a crime (§ 5K2.6) (6 levels) and bodily injury to a victim (§ 2B3.1) (2 levels). CGV16; Tr4/29/02//60-659;5/2/02//719-21; 9 Tr5/6/02//12.34. After hearing sworn testimony from the victim and FBI Special Agent Edward McNamara, the district court judge found by a preponderance of the evidence that Hanhardt was responsible for the armed robbery. Tr5/1/02//667. However, the court declined to impose either the upward departure or the enhancement and sentenced Hanhardt to the high end of the guideline range (151-188 months). Tr5/2/02//725-26. A week later, the court found Basinski also responsible for the 1995 armed robbery and sentenced him to the high end of the guideline range (87-108 months), declining to impose the upward departure or the enhancement. Tr5/6/02//37, 58-66. The court did not specifically attribute the high end sentence to the finding that Hanhardt and Basinski were responsible for the armed robbery. Id. 10 The district court's findings that Hanhardt and Basinski were responsible for armed robbery of Kashimallak is a factual finding reviewed for clear error. United States v. Ross, 905 F.2d 1050, 1054 (7th Cir.1990). The court's finding that Kashimallak and the FBI agent were credible is entitled to due deference. Id. ; 18 U.S.C. § 3742(d). The court did not increase either defendant's offense level and there is no indication in the record that the court's finding of responsibility had any bearing on its decision to sentence them at the high end of the applicable guideline range. 11 Where a defendant does not request specific findings pursuant to 18 U.S.C § 3553(c) at the time of sentencing, this court has held that the issue is waived. United States v. Caicedo, 937 F.2d 1227, 1236 (7th Cir.1991); United States v. Burns, 128 F.3d 553, 556 (7th Cir.1997). In this case, the defendants had the opportunity to ask the court to make clarifications and did not. Therefore, the district court's ruling on this issue will not be disturbed. 12