Opinion ID: 71125
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Pre-Sentencing Investigation Report

Text: 9 Arguedas pleaded guilty to the scheme discussed above. A Pre-Sentencing Investigation Report was prepared. Both the government and Arguedas filed objections to the PSI. Arguedas objected that he was entitled to a reduction in offense level based upon his acceptance of responsibility, because he had made a written statement of contrition to the probation officer (after the PSI had been prepared). 10 The government objected that Arguedas should receive a two-level upward adjustment, under the United States Sentencing Guidelines § 3A1.1 for targeting an unusually vulnerable or susceptible victim. The government also objected that Arguedas should receive a two-level upward adjustment for obstruction of justice, pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1 (1994). Finally, the government objected that Arguedas was not entitled to a three-level reduction for acceptance of responsibility, under U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1 (1994), because, although Arguedas pleaded guilty, he never fully admitted his culpability and also had obstructed justice. 11 In response to Arguedas's objection, the probation officer decided that his initial position had been correct: Arguedas was not entitled to an acceptance of responsibility reduction. In response to the government's objections, the probation officer changed some of the initial PSI recommendations. He agreed that the victims were unusually vulnerable or susceptible so that Arguedas's offense level should be enhanced by two levels for that reason. The probation officer also agreed with the government that Arguedas had obstructed justice by providing numerous written proffers after his plea directed at falsely exculpating his codefendants. As a result, he determined that Arguedas's offense level should be enhanced by two levels for obstruction of justice.