Opinion ID: 155802
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Enhancement for the Role of Organizer

Text: Pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 3B1.1(c), the district court added two levels to Mr. Jones’s base offense level for his leadership role in the offense. According to § 3B1.1(c), the sentencing court may increase the base offense level by two levels “[i]f the defendant was an organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor in any criminal activity” that did not involve five or more people or was not otherwise extensive. U.S.S.G. Manual § 3B1.1(c) (1997). “We have held that section 3B1.1(c) is satisfied upon a mere showing that the defendant exercised any degree of direction or control over someone subordinate to him in the distribution scheme.” United States v. Baez-Acuna, 54 F.3d 634, 639 (10th Cir. 1995) (internal quotation marks omitted). As already discussed, Ms. Hilliard stated that Mr. Jones directed her to travel with the suitcase from California to Oklahoma and to deliver it to him there. Mr. Jones argues the district court erred when it relied on this uncorroborated hearsay statement of Ms. Hilliard to conclude that Mr. Jones played a leadership role in the offense. For the reasons stated above, we find that Ms. Hilliard’s statement was, indeed, corroborated, and therefore it contained sufficient indicia of reliability. See Beaulieu, 893 F.2d at 1181 (stating that reliable hearsay may be used at sentencing to determine appropriate punishment). 8 Thus, we conclude the district court did not err when it enhanced Mr. Jones’s sentence for his role as organizer of the criminal enterprise at issue. Accordingly, we AFFIRM the district court’s decision. The mandate shall issue forthwith. Entered for the Court, Robert H. Henry