Opinion ID: 3161534
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Reasonableness of the Upward Variance

Text: Finally, Moralez argues the court's upward variance from the Guidelines range was unreasonable. We consider the substantive reasonableness of the sentence -9- imposed under an abuse-of-discretion standard. Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38, 51 (2007). [I]f the sentence is outside the Guidelines range, the court may not apply a presumption of unreasonableness. It may consider the extent of the deviation, but must give due deference to the district court's decision that the § 3553(a) factors, on a whole, justify the extent of the variance. Id. Moralez argues the court erred in failing to consider certain favorable factors he identified in his sentencing memorandum, such as his ailing health and his aged parents, who likely will not survive his sentence. Moralez also points to the fact that he was given a sentence seven and one-half years longer than the coconspirator with the next longest sentence. The upward variance here is an increase of 25% to 56% over the Guidelines range, but the district court noted the breadth of this criminal enterprise in making its determination. The transcript of the sentencing hearing demonstrates the district court was aware and took account of the factors listed in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). This is all it is required to do. See United States v. Thunder, 553 F.3d 605, 608 (8th Cir. 2009). Moreover, Moralez was the primary distributor in the conspiracy and so it was not substantively unreasonable to impose a greater sentence on him than the other coconspirators. The court gave a reasoned explanation under the § 3553(a) factors and therefore we find it did not abuse its discretion.