Opinion ID: 677062
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Paz's Sentence

Text: 22 Finally, Paz challenges his sentence of 192 months imprisonment on the conspiracy count, which was based on a quantity of 50 to 150 kilograms of cocaine. Paz specifically contends that the district court erred in failing to make an express finding that such quantity of cocaine was reasonably foreseeable to him. We are not persuaded. 23 Pursuant to the relevant conduct provision of the United States Sentencing Guidelines, a sentencing court shall determine the appropriate offense level by considering all acts and omissions committed or aided and abetted by the defendant, or for which the defendant would be otherwise accountable, that occurred during the commission of the offense of conviction. Guidelines Sec. 1B1.3. 2 The commentary to Sec. 1B1.3 provides that, in cases of jointly undertaken criminal activity, conduct that is neither within the scope of the defendant's agreement, nor ... reasonably foreseeable in connection with the criminal activity that the defendant agreed to jointly undertake should not be considered in calculating the offense level. Guidelines Sec. 1B1.3, comment. (n. 1). The district court's findings of foreseeability are reviewed only for clear error. United States v. Goines, 988 F.2d 750, 775 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 114 S.Ct. 241, 126 L.Ed.2d 195 (1993), and cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 114 S.Ct. 483, 126 L.Ed.2d 433 (1993), and cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 114 S.Ct. 558, 126 L.Ed.2d 458 (1993). 24 Here, the district court found that a quantity of 50 to 150 kilograms of cocaine was reasonably foreseeable to Paz and assigned the appropriate offense level of 36. Guidelines Secs. 2D1.4, 2D1.1(c)(4). The district court made this determination after conservative[ly] estimating, on the basis of the evidence, that the conspiracy had involved 70 kilograms of cocaine in 1989 and 90 kilograms in 1990, for a total of 160 kilograms. Because the district court then found that Paz had not himself supplied all of that cocaine, it concluded that Paz could reasonably have foreseen 50 to 150 kilograms. 25 Our review of the record reveals that the district court's finding is amply supported, and it is of no consequence that the district court did not expressly refer to particular witnesses' testimony in making the finding. Among the pieces of evidence supporting the district court's finding is Pluff's testimony that, during the spring, summer and fall of 1989, she sold an average of three to four kilograms of cocaine each week and made at least twenty trips to Chicago to pick up the cocaine for distribution. There was also testimony that Pluff had distributed an average of two to three kilograms of cocaine per week during the summer and fall of 1990, as well as additional amounts during other parts of the year. 26 Moreover, the government adduced sufficient evidence that Paz was a primary supplier of cocaine during the spring, summer and fall of 1989 and during part of 1990. For example, there was evidence that Martinez had stated that Paz was his supplier, that Pluff had seen Paz deliver cocaine to Martinez and obtain payment from Martinez on many occasions, and that Martinez had called Pluff on almost a weekly basis to tell her of Paz's desire to be paid quickly. 27 In light of all of the evidence, the district court did not commit clear error in finding that Paz was a primary supplier of the cocaine distribution conspiracy and that he could reasonably have foreseen that the conspiracy involved approximately half the amount of cocaine that it in fact involved. Sentencing Paz on the basis of 50 to 150 kilograms of cocaine was thus proper.CONCLUSION 28 The judgments are affirmed.