Opinion ID: 183984
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 19

Heading: B. Sentencing

Text: Stabile also claims that his sentence is unreasonable. Because Stabile knowingly and voluntarily waived his right to appeal, and because nothing compels us to disregard this waiver, we decline to exercise our jurisdiction to review the merits of this claim. [24] Prior to sentencing, Stabile agreed to a set of non-jury trial stipulations, which included a waiver of the right to challenge [on appeal] the sentence imposed... if that sentence falls within or below the Guidelines range that results from the agreed total Guidelines offense level of 26. [25] Appx. at A-74. Stabile was sentenced to 78 months' imprisonment, the bottom of the applicable Guidelines range. Moreover, our review of the record provides no indication that Stabile's waiver was anything less than knowing and voluntary. Waivers of appellate rights, if entered into knowingly and voluntarily, are valid. See United States v. Khattak, 273 F.3d 557, 562 (3d Cir.2001). Nonetheless, Stabile urges us to reach his claims by arguing that a constitutional concern and a procedural defect allegedly committed by the District Court amount to a miscarriage of justice. In rare circumstances, we will exercise our jurisdiction irrespective of a waiver where an error amount[s] to a miscarriage of justice. Khattak, 273 F.3d at 562; see United States v. Gwinnett, 483 F.3d 200, 203 (3d Cir.2007). This exception will be applied sparingly and without undue generosity. United States v. Wilson, 429 F.3d 455, 458 (3d Cir.2005) (quoting United States v. Teeter, 257 F.3d 14, 26 (1st Cir.2001)). Stabile first argues that his sentence raises a constitutional concern because U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2, as amended, imposes increased punishment on individuals who merely possess child pornography based on congressional concerns relating solely to offenders who actually engage in pedophilia. Appx. at A-945-46. As acknowledged by the District Court, no evidence indicated that Stabile ever engaged in pedophilia. He thus argues that his sentence, imposed pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2, punishes him for acts for which he has never been convicted, contrary to the tenets of Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000). Stabile additionally argues that the District Court should have departed from the child pornography Guidelines because they are neither the product of empirical research nor consistent with the Sentencing Commission's characteristic institutional role, as recently acknowledged by the Third Circuit in United States v. Grober, 624 F.3d 592, 608 (3d Cir.2010). Neither of these claims compel us to set aside Stabile's waiver. Even if preceding amendments to U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2 were motivated by concerns pertaining specifically to acts of pedophilia rather than possession of child pornography alone, we do not believe this to be a sufficient reason to justify disregarding Stabile's waiver. See United States v. Lockett, 406 F.3d 207, 212-14 (3d Cir.2005) (upholding a valid waiver of appellate rights even in light of a subsequent holding by the Supreme Court that the pre- Booker regime under which appellant was sentenced was unconstitutional); United States v. Rubbo, 396 F.3d 1330, 1335 (11th Cir.2005) ([T]he right to appeal a sentence based on Apprendi/Booker grounds can be waived in a plea agreement.). Moreover, while the District Court was entitled to depart from the child pornography Guidelines for the reasons cited by Stabile, neither Kimbrough v. United States, 552 U.S. 85, 128 S.Ct. 558, 169 L.Ed.2d 481 (2007) nor our recent decision in Grober, 624 F.3d 592, required the District Court to take this course when sentencing Stabile. Similarly, Stabile's reliance on United States v. Olhovsky, 562 F.3d 530 (3d Cir.2009) is misplaced. In Olhovsky, the District Court made critical procedural errors and ignored expert testimony pertaining to the youthful offender's unique potential for rehabilitationfactors that are absent from the case before us. Id. at 551. We similarly conclude that the procedural defects alleged by Stabile are insufficient to merit setting aside his appellate waiver. Stabile argues that the District Court committed a procedural error by failing to sentence him at the higher end of the recommended Guidelines range in accordance with the Guidelines provision applicable to combined offenses. U.S.S.G. § 3D1.4. Stabile also contends that the District Court erred by failing to adequately explain its rejection of his arguments in favor of a non-Guidelines sentence. Neither of these purported errors justify disregarding Stabile's waiver as we do not believe that they amount to a miscarriage of justice. See United States v. Jackson, 523 F.3d 234, 244 (3d Cir.2008) ([I]t will be a rare and unusual situation when claims of an unreasonable sentence, standing alone, will be sufficient to invalidate a waiver because of a miscarriage of justice.). Because we conclude that the sentence imposed by the District Court does not amount to a miscarriage of justice, we will not set aside Stabile's waiver and reach the sentencing challenges he presents on appeal.