Opinion ID: 528510
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Upward Adjustment for Possession of a Firearm

Text: 31 Government agents found two pistols during their search of defendant's residence. The agents discovered one pistol in a briefcase containing defendant's papers and drug paraphenalia. The other pistol was located elsewhere in defendant's apartment. Based upon these discoveries, the district court properly adjusted defendant's base offense level upward by two levels in accordance with Sec. 2D1.1 of the Sentencing Guidelines. Defendant does not dispute the allegation that the weapons were in his residence when agents conducted the search. Neither does he dispute his ownership of the weapons, nor his simple possession of them. Rather, he challenges the weapons' connection with the substantive crimes for which he was convicted. The argument is not persuasive. The fact that one of the pistols was contained in a briefcase also containing drug paraphenalia belies defendant's position. The possession of the firearms under the circumstances of this case is sufficient to support the upward calculation. Either use or possession is sufficient, and the firearm need not have had a prominent role in the case. United States v. Otero, 868 F.2d at 1414. 32