Opinion ID: 2995646
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Enhancement for Possession of a

Text: Firearm Johnson contends that the two-point enhancement for possession of a firearm during the commission of a drug offense was error. Johnson admits that the search of his residence unearthed both drugs and a firearm; however, he submits that there was no evidence to show that he actually possessed the gun, or that he used it in the commission of the drug offense. Johnson’s purported explanation regarding the presence of the gun in his home was that the firearm belonged to his wife’s friend, who asked the Johnsons to store the gun while she traveled to Georgia. U.S.S.G. sec. 2D1.1(b)(1) provides for a two-point enhancement if the defendant possessed a dangerous weapon (including a firearm) during the commission of a drug offense. The enhancement applies if the weapon was present, unless it is clearly improbable that the weapon was connected with the offense. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual sec. 2D1.1 application note 3. As an example, the Guidelines describe an unloaded hunting rifle in the closet. Id. In applying sec. 2D1.1 (b)(1), we have emphasized repeatedly that the government bears the initial burden of proving that the defendant possessed a firearm. United States v. Bjorkman, 270 F.3d 482, 492 (7th Cir. 2001). The government adequately met that burden in this case. Law enforcement officers discovered a loaded semi-automatic pistol in the top shelf of a utility closet in Johnson’s home, the same location where officers also found 544 grams of cocaine and 164 grams of crack cocaine. In addition, at the plea colloquy, Johnson admitted as true certain facts recited by the prosecutor, including the fact that the Ruger 9 mm handgun with attached laser sighting device was located next to the narcotics. Johnson also responded to an inquiry from the district court by stating, Yes, there was a gun there. Tr. of Proceed., Mar. 30, 2001 at 16. We have recognized consistently that the proximity of a weapon to narcotics provides the necessary factual support to warrant the enhancement. See United States v. Zehm, 217 F.3d 506, 517 (7th Cir. 2000); United States v. McClinton, 135 F.3d 1178, 1193 (7th Cir. 1998). Once the government meets its initial burden, the defendant must demonstrate that it is clearly improbable that the weapon was connected with the drug offense. Bjorkman, 270 F.3d at 492. The relationship (or lack of one) between the weapon and the underlying offense amounts to a factual assessment, so our review of the district court’s determination is for clear error. See United States v. Vargas, 116 F.3d 195, 197 (7th Cir. 1997). In this case, Johnson asserted that the firearm belonged to his wife’s friend. However, we are unable to conclude that the district court erred by not affording Johnson’s self-serving assertion presumptive weight. See United States v. Chandler, 12 F.3d 1427, 1435 (7th Cir. 1994) (enhancement for possession of firearm was proper where the evidence contradicted defendant’s assertions). In short, Johnson’s evidence fails to meet the clearly improbable standard set forth in the Guidelines, and we affirm the district court’s application of sec. 2D1.1(b)(1).