Opinion ID: 4164855
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: McFadden’s Due Process Challenge

Text: McFadden failed below to raise his due process challenge with respect to the government’s use of co-conspirator testimony. We therefore review it for plain error under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 52(b). See United States v. Rossomando, 144 F.3d 197, 200 (2d Cir. 1998). There was none. 6 16-264-cr (L) United States v. McFadden, Brown, & Germany We have held that the government’s use of cooperating witnesses does not violate the anti-gratuity statute. United States v. Stephenson, 183 F.3d 110, 118 (2d Cir. 1999) (holding that the statute “does not apply to the United States or to any Assistant United States Attorney acting within his or her official capacity”). There is no basis to revisit that holding. McFadden had the opportunity to, and did in fact, cross-examine the witnesses and argue bias to the jury. Further, the district court issued a clear instruction that accomplice testimony “must be scrutinized by [the jury] with great care and particular caution.” J. App’x at 1082. On this record, we discern no error, much less error that is plain. IV. “Intended Loss” Calculation under U.S.S.G. § 2B1.1 As for McFadden’s sentencing challenge, we “adopt[] a de novo standard of review when the district court’s application determination was primarily legal in nature, and adopt[] a clear error approach when the determination was primarily factual.” United States v. Hsu, 669 F.3d 112, 120 (2d Cir. 2012). Loss amount must be established by a preponderance of the evidence and is subject to clear error review. United States v. Brennan, 395 F.3d 59, 74 (2d Cir. 2005). District courts “may presume that the defendant intended the victims to lose the entire face value” of the claim. United States v. Confredo, 528 F.3d 143, 152 (2d Cir. 2008). The defendant may then rebut the presumption with evidence that he actually intended to cause a lesser loss. Id. 7 16-264-cr (L) United States v. McFadden, Brown, & Germany Here, despite the opportunity to do so at sentencing, McFadden presented no such evidence. McFadden failed to rebut the district court’s reasonable presumption, and the district court did not err in its intended loss calculation. Accord United States v. Jean, 647 F. App’x 1, 3 (2d Cir. 2016).