Opinion ID: 205607
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The sentence enhancement was properly applied based on the photograph depicting sadistic or masochistic conduct.

Text: Defendant contends that the district court erred in applying the U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2(b)(4) sentencing enhancement for portrayal of sadistic or masochistic conduct. Under U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2(b)(4), [i]f the offense involved material that portrays sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence, a defendant's offense level is increased by four levels. U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2(b)(4). Hotaling asserts that the sentence enhancement was improperly applied because a panel of this court previously held that a qualifying image needs to depict a minor engaged in sexual activity that would cause the minor pain. [5] See United States v. Freeman, 578 F.3d 142, 148 (2d Cir.2009). He contends that the restraints in the photograph are an insufficient basis on which to impose the sentence enhancement. We disagree. In Freeman, the defendant was convicted of receipt of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(2) and the district court applied a four-level enhancement to Freeman's sentence pursuant to § 2G2.2(b)(4) for his possession of sadistic or masochistic images. Freeman, 578 F.3d at 145. On appeal, a panel of this court held that, 1) the determination of whether an image is sadistic under § 2G2.2(b)(4) is an objective one, and, 2) if a sentencing court finds that . . . an image depicts sexual activity involving a minor and . . . the depicted activity would have caused pain to the minor, that court need not make any additional findings in order to impose a four-level enhancement. Id. at 146; United States v. Delmarle, 99 F.3d 80, 83 (2d Cir.1996) (concluding that the subjection of a young child to a sexual act that would have to be painful is excessively cruel and hence is sadistic within the meaning of [the sentencing guidelines]). Furthermore, [a]n image of an identifiable, real child involving sadistic conducteven if manipulated to portray conduct that was not actually inflicted on that childis still harmful, and the amount of emotional harm inflicted will likely correspond to the severity of the conduct depicted. United States v. Hoey, 508 F.3d 687, 693 (1st Cir.2007). We hold that § 2G2.2(b)(4) applies in cases of morphed child pornography where a sentencing court, applying an objective standard, finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the morphed image portrays both sexual activity involving a minor and sadistic conduct which includes the likely infliction of pain, delight in physical or mental cruelty, the use of excessive cruelty, or other depictions of violence. [6] See Freeman, 578 F.3d at 146; Delmarle, 99 F.3d at 83 (internal quotation marks omitted); Hoey, 508 F.3d at 691 (internal quotation marks omitted); U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2(b)(4). Applying this standard, we find there is no clear error in the district court's determination that the image portrayed a minor engaged in sadistic conduct. The image made it appear that a minor was partially nude, handcuffed, shackled, wearing a collar and leash, and tied to a dresser. Not only does this image portray the minor in a situation that would have caused at least some level of pain, it meets the broader definition of sadistic conduct because it portrays a situation that involves physical and mental cruelty, here in the form of forcible restraint. See Freeman, 578 F.3d at 145; U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2(b)(4). Accordingly, the district court properly applied the sentence enhancement.