Opinion ID: 611597
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Denial of Reduction for Acceptance of Responsibility

Text: 110 Arias-Villanueva argues that the district court erred in denying him a reduction for acceptance of responsibility. The version of U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1(a) in effect at the time of his sentencing 7 provided a two level reduction in the offense level if the defendant clearly demonstrates a recognition and affirmative acceptance of personal responsibility for his criminal conduct. The district court found that Arias-Villanueva did not demonstrate the degree of acceptance necessary to qualify for this reduction. This finding is not clearly erroneous: Arias-Villanueva, while admitting to some involvement in the conspiracy, did not admit that his role was of the magnitude proved at trial, i.e., that he was involved in the plan to murder Elias and in the Texas heroin distribution or that he was Orantes-Arriaga's close advisor. Such a limited acceptance of responsibility is not sufficient to qualify for the reduction. See United States v. Morales, 972 F.2d 1007, 1010 (9th Cir.1992) (denying a reduction to a defendant who pled guilty but denied knowledge of methamphetamine).