Opinion ID: 74370
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Application of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines

Text: Each defendant individually appeals his sentence, challenging the district court’s application of the United States Sentencing Guidelines (the “Guidelines”). We consider each appeal in turn, reviewing the district court’s factual findings for clear error and it application of the Guidelines to those facts de novo. See United States v. Trujillo, 146 F.3d 838, 847 (11th Cir. 1998).
Pursuant to section 2D1.1(b)(1) of the Guidelines, Cooper was assessed a two-level enhancement in his base offense level for the possession of a firearm during a narcotics-related offense. Cooper objected to the enhancement on the grounds that the Government did not demonstrate at trial that the revolver found in of a key to a hotel room, without more, does not establish a reasonable expectation of privacy in the room. See, e.g., United States v. Conway, 73 F.3d 975, 980 (10th Cir. 1995). 13 the hotel room belonged to him or, in the alternative, that the revolver was actually connected to the underlying offense. Cooper’s first argument fails because, even if the firearm actually belonged to Urbina rather than Cooper, the adjustment was nonetheless proper because the two were co-conspirators with equal dominion over the room where the gun was found. See United States v. Matthews, 168 F.3d 1234, 1248 (11th Cir. 1999).8 Cooper’s alternate argument likewise fails because the Guidelines state “[the enhancement] should be applied if the weapon was present, unless it is clearly improbable that the weapon was connected with the offense.” U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 2D1.1 cmt. 3 (1997) (emphasis added). The revolver was found in the hotel room directly under packaged bricks of marijuana, suggesting an active connection with the narcotics enterprise that Cooper does not credibly rebut. The district court therefore correctly assessed the two-level enhancement against Cooper. 8 As Matthews explains: A defendant’s sentence may also be enhanced for possession [of a firearm] by a co-conspirator if (1) the actual possessor is charged as a co-conspirator; (2) the co-conspirator possessed the firearm in furtherance of the conspiracy; and (3) the defendant who receives the enhancement [(in this case, Cooper)] was involved in the conspiracy at the time of the possession. 168 F.3d at 1248. 14
Pursuant to section 4A1.1(c) of the Guidelines, Urbina was assessed one criminal history point for a two-count conviction in 1996 for driving with a suspended license and possessing marijuana, both misdemeanors. Urbina, unrepresented by counsel, pleaded guilty to both counts and served one day in jail. Urbina was also assessed three other criminal history points, which, without the additional point for the 1996 conviction, would have placed him in criminal history category II, rather than in category III. See U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual ch. 5, pt. A (1997) (Sentencing Table). Urbina objected to the assessment of this additional point for the 1996 conviction, arguing the Government had not alleged in his pre-sentence investigative report that Urbina had waived his right to counsel in pleading guilty to the 1996 changes, thus rendering this conviction “presumptively invalid” and unable to be considered in a sentencing proceeding. Cf. Burgett v. Texas, 389 U.S. 109, 115, 88 S. Ct. 258, 262 (1967) (“To permit a conviction obtained in violation of Gideon v. Wainwright to be used against a person either to support guilt or enhance punishment for another offense is to erode the principle of that case.”) (emphasis added) (internal citation omitted). Generally, this court does not allow a defendant to collaterally attack the constitutionality of a conviction for the first time in a sentencing proceeding. See 15 United States v. Jackson, 57 F.3d 1012, 1018 (11th Cir. 1995); see also U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 4A1.2 cmt. 6 (1997) (“[T]his guideline and commentary do not confer upon the defendant any right to attack collaterally a prior conviction or sentence beyond any such rights otherwise recognized in law . . . .”). “[W]hen a defendant, facing sentencing, [however,] sufficiently asserts facts that show that an earlier conviction is ‘presumptively void,’ the Constitution requires the sentencing court to review this earlier conviction before taking it into account.” United States v. Roman, 989 F.2d 1117, 1120 (11th Cir. 1993) (en banc) (per curiam). This court has suggested that “presumptively void” convictions “are small in number and are perhaps limited to uncounseled convictions.” Id. Although Urbina’s 1996 conviction was indeed uncounseled, the burden was on Urbina “to lay a factual foundation for collateral review on the grounds that the state conviction was ‘presumptively void.’” Id. As the district court remarked, Urbina did not make this threshold showing, thereby precluding collateral review of the 1996 conviction. Consequently, the district court did not err in assessing Urbina the additional criminal history point and placing him in criminal history category III.