Opinion ID: 197719
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Sentence Reduction Under U.S.S.G. 5G1.32

Text: Senior contends that, pursuant to U.S.S.G. 5G1.3(b), the district court should have reduced his sentence to account for time served in Massachusetts prison beginning September 28, 1995. He observes that application note two of U.S.S.G. 5G1.3(b) requires courts to reduce a sentence by the period of imprisonment already served as a result of conduct taken into account in the sentence. He further asserts that his case fits within this proviso because his time served since September 28, 1995 resulted from a state conviction that the district court used to enhance his base offense level from 8 to 24. At the outset, Senior faces an uphill climb because this argument is raised for the first time on appeal. We therefore review only for plain error. See United States v. Taylor, 54 F.3d 967, 972 (1st Cir. 1995). We may find plain error only if the error skewed the fundamental fairness or basic integrity of the proceeding below in some major respect. Id. at 973. And we may correct such an error only if a miscarriage of justice would otherwise result. Id. 2. All references are to the 1995 version of the sentencing guidelines, which indisputably apply here. -5- 5 (citing United States v. Frady, 456 U.S. 152, 163 n.14 (1982)). Senior's argument overlooks the fact that application note 2 of U.S.S.G 5G1.3(b) is triggered only by a district court determination that the Bureau of Prisons will not credit a federal sentence with time already served for conduct taken into account in determining the guidelines range. See U.S.S.G. 5G1.3, comment. (n. 2). Here, the presentence report indicates that the Bureau of Prisons will reduce Senior's sentence for his time served beginning on September 28, 1995. The district court, by implication, adopted this conclusion, and Senior does not contest it.3 Rather, Senior does not allege that his time served will not properly be credited by the Bureau of Prisons; he merely seeks, by another means, what he is already destined to receive. Thus, we find no error, let alone plain error.