Opinion ID: 784977
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Mandatory Restitution to Identified Victims

Text: 13 The Mandatory Victims Restitution Act of 1996, as codified at 18 U.S.C. § 3663A and the post-1996 version of 18 U.S.C. § 3664, requires a court to order full restitution to the identifiable victims of certain crimes, including fraud, without regard to a defendant's economic circumstances. Id. §§ 3663A(c)(1), 3664(f)(1)(A); 2 see United States v. Lucien, 347 F.3d 45, 53 (2d Cir.2003) (comparing mandatory restitution under § 3663A and discretionary restitution under § 3663). But, as this court recently made plain in United States v. Catoggio — a case decided after Zakhary's sentence — such mandatory restitution can only be imposed to the extent that the victims of a crime are actually identified, 326 F.3d at 328 (citing § 3663A(c)(1)(B)). 3 A lump sum restitution order entered without any identification of victims and their actual losses is not permissible. Id.; see also United States v. Grimes, 173 F.3d 634 (7th Cir.1999) (vacating $500,000 restitution order entered without identification of victims or determination of their particular losses). 14 The procedures for identifying victims and the losses they sustained as a result of a defendant's criminal conduct are set forth in § 3664. The sentencing court may direct a probation officer to prepare a report providing a complete accounting of the losses to each victim. 18 U.S.C. § 3664(a). To facilitate the preparation of this report, § 3664(d)(1) provides for the prosecutor, upon request of the probation officer, to consult with victims and, not later than sixty days before the sentencing date, to detail any losses subject to restitution. Section 3664(d)(2) further provides that the probation officer, prior to submitting a report to the court, shall, to the extent practicable, provide notice of the court proceedings to all victims and afford them the opportunity to submit an affidavit detailing any losses subject to restitution. A victim's receipt of or entitlement to insurance compensation for a crime loss may not be considered in determining the amount of restitution. Id. § 3664(f)(1)(B). In such a case, the court shall order that restitution be paid to the person who provided or is obligated to provide the compensation. Id. § 3664(j)(1). 15 Where victims' losses are not ascertainable by a date ten days prior to sentencing, the prosecutor or the probation officer shall so inform the court, and the court shall set a date for the final determination of the victim's losses, not to exceed 90 days after sentencing. Id. § 3664(d)(5). If a victim thereafter discovers losses that could not reasonably have been included in his initial claim for restitution, that victim may, within sixty days of discovering the loss, petition the court for an amended restitution order. Id. 16 In this case, Zakhary submits, and the government concedes, that the district court ordered mandatory restitution of $67,000 pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3663A without identifying the victims of Zakhary's fraudulent conduct or determining the amount of their individual losses. The omission apparently had its origins in the prosecution's failure to provide information sought by Probation pursuant to § 3664(d)(1), which, in turn, resulted in Probation's failure to contact victims or afford them the opportunity to be heard contemplated by § 3664(d)(2). The parties further agree that no subsequent identification of victims or determination of their losses was made within ninety days of sentencing. 17 Under these circumstances, we are obliged to vacate that part of the judgment of conviction ordering restitution and to remand for resentencing on this point. See United States v. Catoggio, 326 F.3d at 328. 18