Opinion ID: 777130
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Challenge to Offense Level Calculation

Text: 17 In computing Mr. Evans's offense level for conspiracy to violate the Mann Act, the District Court adopted the probation office's presentence report. In doing so, it applied the guideline base for criminal sexual abuse with regard to victim Brenda Schaper. The base offense level for criminal sexual abuse is 27. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 2A3.1 (1998). The Court next determined that the offense was committed by the means set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 2241(a), 2 so it increased the offense level by four. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 2A3.1(b)(1) (1998). The Court then found that a two-level enhancement was proper because Ms. Schaper sustained serious bodily injury. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 2A3.1(b)(4)(B) (1998). Next, the Court determined that because Mr. Evans had a role as an organizer or leader of a criminal activity that involved five or more participants, and was otherwise extensive, a four-level enhancement was appropriate. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 3B1.1(a) (1998). Finally, the Court added one level as part of the multiple-count adjustment. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 3D1.4 (1998). Thus, the Court arrived at a final offense level of 38. 18 Mr. Evans argues that the District Court erred in computing his offense level. He argues, first, that the District Court erred by applying the guideline base for criminal sexual abuse, which is 27, rather than the guideline base for promoting prostitution under section 2G1.1, which is 14. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual §§ 2A3.1, 2G1.1 (1998). He argues that because he was not indicted, tried, or convicted of criminal sexual abuse, the District Court was prohibited from using the guideline base for criminal sexual abuse. Citing Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000), and In re Winship, 397 U.S. 358, 364, 90 S.Ct. 1068, 25 L.Ed.2d 368 (1970), he also argues that the District Court improperly removed the jury from its role as factfinder and erroneously increased his sentence, both in violation of his constitutional rights. Finally, he again argues that the abuse of Ms. Schaper, which he does not appear to contest as a factual matter, was domestic violence, not criminal sexual abuse. 19 The District Court found that there were repeated instances of sexual abuse. Sentencing Transcript at 5. The evidence supports this conclusion. Ms. Schaper testified that following Mr. Evans's abusive attacks on her, he often would attempt to make up by forcing her to have sex with him. Again, whether Mr. Evans's admitted sexual abuse of Ms. Schaper occurred in the context of a domestic relationship or not, it still constitutes criminal sexual abuse. The District Court did not err in applying the base offense level for criminal sexual abuse. 20 Moreover, Apprendi and Winship are inapplicable to Mr. Evans's case. In Apprendi, the Supreme Court held that any fact, other than a prior conviction, that increases a penalty for a crime beyond the prescribed statutory maximum must be charged and proved beyond a reasonable doubt. 530 U.S. at 490, 120 S.Ct. 2348. Apprendi does not apply to sentencing factors that increase a defendant's guideline range but do not increase the statutory maximum. Here, Mr. Evans was charged and convicted by a jury on ten separate counts, and he received a sentence under the cumulative statutory maximum for the crimes of which he was convicted. The District Court's application of the Guidelines was not error. See United States v. Borders, 270 F.3d 1180, 1184 (8th Cir.2001). 21 At sentencing, the District Court enhanced Mr. Evans's offense level as to victim Tanya Rose May by two levels under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual section 3A1.1(b)(1), finding that she was a vulnerable victim. Mr. Evans now argues, as his codefendants Terrance Roberts, Monroe Evans, and Clem Evans did, that this enhancement was clear error. See Evans, 272 F.3d at 1089-90, 1091, 1095. Like them, he argues that Ms. May was not atypically vulnerable. However, the testimony reflects that when Mr. Evans first met Ms. May in 1997, he was forty-eight years old, and she was sixteen. She was also a runaway who had spent time living in juvenile facilities. As the Court noted at sentencing, her age was only one aspect of vulnerability; other factors included her background and lack of parental guidance. Sentencing Transcript at 8. Thus, despite some commonality between Ms. May and the typical underage victim of the Mann Act, given the deference to the District Court's findings of fact, we hold that the District Court did not clearly err in enhancing the sentence under section 3A1.1(b)(1) for targeting vulnerable victims. See Evans, 272 F.3d at 1089-90, 1091, 1095. 22 Mr. Evans next argues, as Derry Evans, Terrance Roberts, and Johnny Lee Evans did, that the District Court erred in determining that he was an organizer or leader of a criminal activity that involved five or more participants or was otherwise extensive, so as to warrant a four-point sentence enhancement under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual section 3B1.1 (1998). Evans, 272 F.3d at 1084-85, 1089, 1097. We review for clear error. Id. at 1097. All five defendants were part of a large-scale criminal activity involving interstate transportation for prostitution. Deanna Kirkman, one of Terrance Roberts's prostitutes, testified that, following the arrest of Julia Wilson on state charges of prostitution, she witnessed a meeting involving Mr. Evans and the other defendants concerning a police statement that Ms. Wilson had made implicating the defendants. Ms. May testified that Mr. Evans provided money, as did his brothers, to fund their mother's purchase of a house. She also testified that she wired proceeds from prostitution for Mr. Evans on many occasions. Ms. May also testified that Mr. Evans instructed her to drive Eleana Garcia, one of Derry Evans's prostitutes, on prostitution calls, and Jessica Richardson testified that Mr. Evans hired her to drive Ms. May on prostitution calls. This testimony satisfies the requirement that Mr. Evans be the organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor of one or more other participants. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 3B1.1, cmt. n. 2 (1998). Finally, Annikki Davis testified that Mr. Evans found and recruited her to be a prostitute for his nephew. The District Court did not commit clear error in finding that he was a leader or organizer. Evans, 272 F.3d at 1084-85, 1089, 1097. 23 Mr. Evans next contests the District Court's finding that a two-level enhancement was proper due to serious bodily injury to Ms. Schaper. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 2A3.1(b)(4)(B) (1998). He argues both that the Court erroneously considered injuries to other victims in enhancing the offense level for injuries to Ms. Schaper, and that the evidence does not support a finding of serious bodily injury. Mr. Evans is correct that the District Court seems to have considered injuries suffered by all of Mr. Evans's victims, Sentencing Transcript at 6-7, and that the injuries suffered by the other three victims (for which no enhancement was sought) were not relevant to the finding of serious bodily injury to Ms. Schaper. 24 Nevertheless, we review the Court's determination that Ms. Schaper suffered serious bodily injury for clear error, looking only to the injuries suffered by her. There is no error. Serious bodily injury is defined as injury involving extreme physical pain or the protracted impairment of a function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty; or requiring medical intervention such as surgery, hospitalization, or physical rehabilitation. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 1B1.1, cmt. n. 1(j) (1998). Some of the injuries suffered by Ms. Schaper have already been mentioned in the discussion of Mr. Evans's violent behavior. These injuries include his breaking her wrist with a boot, dislocating her shoulder, and a bloody attack on her head with an object, for which she was taken to a hospital, that left her with cuts and bruises. The District Court did not err in enhancing the offense level under section 2A3.1(b)(4)(B). 25 Mr. Evans contends that the District Court erred by determining that Mr. Evans qualified for four-level enhancements for the use of physical force or coercion against Ms. Frazier and Ms. May. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 2G1.1 (1998) (If the offense involved the use of physical force, or coercion by threats or drugs or in any manner, increase by 4 levels.). He argues that because these women had intimate relationships with him and because they worked as prostitutes before they met him and after they left him, any force and coercion was not a part of the criminal violations. This contention is without merit. As discussed above, the existence of an intimate relationship between Mr. Evans and his prostitutes hardly serves to mitigate the culpable conduct in which he engaged. As long as the use of physical force was relevant and probative of the Mann Act violations (and it was, as means of controlling and disciplining prostitutes), it can properly be considered as an enhancing factor. Evans, 272 F.3d at 1096-97. Moreover, evidence of the use of physical force and coercion is manifold. The selection of acts discussed ante at 670 suffices. (It should be noted that the offense level with regard to Ms. Frazier was too low to have had any effect on the ultimate guideline range, so reversal with respect to her would not have affected Mr. Evans's sentence.) The District Court did not clearly err. 26