Opinion ID: 151648
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: facts

Text: Rosas became involved in the drug transaction, for which he was convicted, when he accepted the offer of his coworker, Donald Simms, to transport a load of marijuana for $10 per pound. On January 15, 2002, Rosas, Simms, and another participant, Jessie Tatum, drove together to a Tucson UNITED STATES v. ROSAS 10801 restaurant to meet two potential buyers to arrange for the sale of 250 pounds of marijuana; the buyers were an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) agent and a confidential source. At the meeting, Simms provided the agent a “sample” of marijuana, and the parties agreed to a purchase of 250 pounds of marijuana at a price of $500 per pound, totaling $125,000. The next day, Rosas, Simms, and Tatum again drove together to meet the buyers. Simms then went with the DEA agent to a separate location to make sure that the buyers had the money. Once Simms was presented with a bag containing $100,000 in cash, he called Tatum and instructed him to have Rosas deliver the drugs to a predetermined drop-off point. Rosas drove a truck to Simms’ house, where he helped load it with the marijuana. Rosas then drove it to the drop off point, while Tatum and Simms followed in a separate vehicle. Upon arrival at the drop location, DEA agents attempted to arrest the group; Simms and Rosas fled on foot and escaped. Rosas was not arrested until May 29, 2002. At that time, Rosas was indicted for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). Although Rosas did not enter into a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty and cooperated with the authorities. Rosas was released on $15,000 bond on June 17, 2002. On March 19, 2003, the day before a state court sentencing for possession of a narcotic drug for sale (and two weeks before federal sentencing on these charges), Rosas fled to Mexico. At some later point in time, Rosas returned to the United States. On December 3, 2007, he was again arrested for possession of marijuana for sale. A federal grand jury indicted Rosas for failure to appear in violation of U.S.C. § 3146. He pleaded guilty. The failure to appear conviction and the underlying 2002 drug conviction cases were consolidated for sentencing. 10802 UNITED STATES v. ROSAS This appeal arises out the sentencing hearing conducted in that consolidated case. Before Rosas fled the country, a Presentence Investigation Report (“PSR”) had been completed in anticipation of his upcoming sentencing. That PSR made findings and recommendations regarding Rosas’s sentencing on the two drug convictions, 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846, which carried a statutory maximum of 40 years on each count. The Guidelines base offense level for a violation of these statutes involving 100 kilograms of marijuana is 26. The PSR found Rosas eligible for a two level “safety valve” reduction, Guidelines § 5C1.2, and a three level reduction for acceptance of responsibility, Guidelines § 3E1.1. This resulted in a total offense level of 21. After calculating the total offense level and Rosas’s Criminal History Category, the PSR arrived at a Guidelines range of imprisonment from 37 to 46 months. After Rosas’s arrest in December of 2007, a second PSR was prepared for his sentencing (the “2008 PSR”). The 2008 PSR reflects the significant consequences for Rosas’s failure to appear and flight from the jurisdiction. The PSR calculated a base offense level of 24 for the 2002 drug charges,1 and again found him eligible for a two level “safety valve” reduction pursuant to Guidelines § 5C1.2. However, because of Rosas’s flight from custody, the PSR calculated (1) a two level enhancement for obstruction of justice, pursuant to Guidelines § 3C1.1; (2) a three level enhancement for commission of an offense while on release, pursuant to Guidelines § 3C1.3 and 18 U.S.C. § 3147; and (3) no reduction for acceptance of responsibility, pursuant to Guidelines § 3E1.1. The 1 The 2008 PSR calculated the base offense level for a drug transaction involving 80 to 100 kilograms of marijuana. The PSR provides no explanation for this change from the 2002 PSR—which calculated the base offense level for a drug transaction involving over 100 kilograms of marijuana. However, as no objection was raised to this discrepancy and as it favors the Defendant, we see no reason to address it. UNITED STATES v. ROSAS 10803 2008 PSR recommended no reduction for acceptance of responsibility, because Rosas’s “failure to appear outweigh[ed] his guilty plea and [was] inconsistent with affirmative acceptance of responsibility and genuine remorse.” The 2008 PSR calculated his total offense level to be 27, resulting in a Guidelines range of 70 to 87 months imprisonment. The 2008 PSR recommended a punishment of 70 months imprisonment, a $300 special assessment, a $15,000 fine, and 5 years supervised release. Of that total term, 60 months were attributable to the 2002 drug conviction and another 10 months to the failure to appear conviction. Rosas lodged numerous objections to the PSR. Relevant to this appeal, Rosas argued that (1) he should not have received an enhancement for both obstruction of justice, Guidelines § 3C1.1, and commission of an offense while on release, Guidelines § 3C1.3, as those two enhancements punish the same behavior and enhancing for both constitutes double counting; (2) even if that does not constitute double counting, a statutory sentencing enhancement under 18 U.S.C. § 3147 does not apply—rather, the statute under which he was convicted, § 3146, encompasses the field—and, therefore, he should not have received an enhancement under Guidelines § 3C1.3; (3) he should have received an acceptance of responsibility reduction, Guidelines § 3E1.1; and (4) he should have received a mitigating role reduction, Guidelines § 3B1.2. The Probation Office declined to amend the PSR as to these issues. At the sentencing hearing, the district court agreed with most of the PSR. The court did grant Rosas’s request for a 1 level downward departure based on 18 U.S.C. § 3553 factors. The court then sentenced Rosas to 53 months for the 2002 drug crimes and a consecutive 10 months for the failure to appear, for a total of 63 months in prison. The court ordered that Rosas pay the $300 special assessment, but waived the $15,000 fine. 10804 UNITED STATES v. ROSAS