Opinion ID: 592297
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: REDUCTION UNDER GUIDELINES SECTION 2X1.1(b)(1)

Text: 46 The government cross-appeals the district court's granting of a three level sentence reduction under Guidelines § 2X1.1(b)(1) and its application Note 4 which control attempts. Tr. Vol. II, p. 8-9. The trial court based that reduction on the fact that, because the police intervened to prevent Santiago's attempted fraud, it could not have reached fruition. Id. 47 The government argues that this sentence reduction was unwarranted because Santiago had completed all the acts he believed necessary to complete the crime charged. It maintains that the fact that the police interrupted the fraud should not diminish the extent or seriousness of the defendant's culpability for purposes of sentencing. See Westmoreland, 911 F.2d at 399 (sentencing reduction for incomplete attempt unwarranted where good police work interrupted attempted theft). Santiago responds that § 2X1.1(b)(1) was applied correctly. 10 48 Guidelines § 2X1.1(b)(1) provides, in pertinent part, that: 49 If an attempt, decrease by 3 levels, unless the defendant completed all the acts the defendant believed necessary for successful completion of the offense or the circumstances demonstrate that the defendant was about to complete all such acts but for apprehension or interruption by some similar event beyond the defendant's control. 50 Application Note 4, guidelines § 2X1.1, explains a circumstance in which a reduction is warranted: 51 In certain cases, the participants may have completed (or have been about to complete but for apprehension or interruption) all of the acts necessary for the successful completion of part, but not all, of the intended offense. In such cases, the offense level for the count ... is whichever of the following is greater: the offense level for the intended offense minus 3 levels ... or the offense level for the part of the offense for which the necessary acts were completed (or about to be completed but for apprehension or interruption). For example, where the intended offense was a theft of $800,000 [but only $30,000 is stolen], the offense level is the offense level for the theft of $800,000 minus 3 levels, or the offense level for the theft of $30,000, whichever is greater. (emphasis added). 52 We conclude that the district court misapplied the Guidelines when it granted a sentence reduction. It is evident that Santiago had completed all the acts he believed necessary to carry out the fraud and therefore, under the plain language of Guidelines § 2X1.1(b)(1), he was not entitled to a reduction. 53 Application Note 4, Guidelines § 2X1.1, does not require or authorize a different result. It contemplates a reduction where all the acts necessary to part of the offense are completed, but the entire scheme is not successful. Thus, using the Guidelines example provided, where a theft of $800,000 is partially completed by theft of $30,000 of that sum, the greater of: (1) the offense level for the $800,000 (minus three levels), or (2) the offense level for $30,000 is used. Although Santiago had performed all acts he believed necessary, his fraud was not partially successful in the sense of obtaining part of the intended proceeds of fraud. Application Note 4 is thus inapplicable. Accordingly, we reverse the district court's sentence reduction under Guidelines § 2X1.1(b)(1) and remand for sentencing consistent with this opinion. 54