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

Heading: The Obstruction of Justice Adjustment

Text: 28 Section 3C1.1 of the Sentencing Guidelines provides for a two-level upward adjustment to a defendant's offense level [i]f the defendant willfully obstructed or impeded, or attempted to obstruct or impede, the administration of justice during the investigation, prosecution, or sentencing of the instant offense.... U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1 (1994). Examples of such conduct include providing materially false statements to a judge, or to a law enforcement officer, that significantly obstruct or impede the official investigation or prosecution of the offense. U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1 (1994), comment. (n. 3(f), (g), (h)). 29 This Court reviews the district court's factual finding that a defendant obstructed justice only for clear error. United States v. Bagwell, 30 F.3d 1454, 1458 (11th Cir.1994). We review the district court's application of the Guidelines to that factual finding de novo. Id. Although it is preferable that the district court make specific findings as to each alleged instance of obstruction by identifying the materially false statements individually, United States v. Dunnigan, 507 U.S. 87, 95, 113 S.Ct. 1111, 1117, 122 L.Ed.2d 445 (1993), it is sufficient if the court makes a general finding of obstruction of justice that encompasses all of the factual predicates of perjury, id.; see also United States v. Dobbs, 11 F.3d 152, 154-55 (11th Cir.1994). 30 In Dunnigan, the district court had not identified specific instances of obstruction. The court had, however, stated that: 31 the defendant was untruthful at trial with respect to material matters in this case. [B]y virtue of her failure to give truthful testimony on material matters that were designed to substantially affect the outcome of the case, the court concludes that the false testimony at trial warrants an upward adjustment.... 32 507 U.S. at 95, 113 S.Ct. at 1117 (alteration in original). The Supreme Court upheld the district court's sentence because the record amply demonstrated that the defendant's testimony was materially false, and therefore supported the court's general finding. Id. 33 In this case, the district court's statements were at least as specific as those in Dunnigan. The district court here stated: 34 I am quite convinced that [Arguedas] provided materially false statements to law enforcement agents. I am convinced that it impeded their inquiry. I am convinced it impeded their investigation. Beyond that, I am convinced that he lied to me in this courtroom and that he provided materially false information to a judge or magistrate.... I believe there was not only an obstruction, but there was plainly a repeated attempt to obstruct both the investigation and prosecution of this case. 35 The record reflects that Arguedas made contradictory statements regarding the identity and whereabouts of his codefendants, and his role and the role of his codefendants in the fraud scheme. For example, at his plea hearing, Arguedas agreed that the government accurately stated that his codefendant Estrada assisted in the scheme. However, in an interview with a federal agent immediately after his plea hearing, Arguedas stated that he himself played the role of Estrada. Arguedas also stated in that interview that his codefendant Smith had no knowledge of the fraud scheme. Yet in his proffer, Arguedas stated that he paid Smith $1,000 for his part in the scheme. The record supports the district court's finding that Arguedas obstructed justice by making materially false statements during the course of his investigation and prosecution. 36