Opinion ID: 78565
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Phillips's 1989 Original Sentence

Text: Following a jury trial in 1989, Ronald Reginald Phillips was convicted of six drug-related offenses involving more than 50 grams of crack cocaine and a firearms offense in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Applying the 1988 sentencing guidelines, the presentence report (PSR) concluded that Phillips was accountable for: 1,651.9 grams of crack, 198.3 grams of cocaine powder, and 42 grams of marijuana. Using the equivalency and the doubling rules in the 1988 sentencing guidelines, the drugs were treated as 33,077.7 grams of heroin. [1] Phillips's base offense level was 36, which was the highest base level in the drug quantity table of the 1988 guidelines. U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1 (1988). A three point enhancement for a leadership role and two more points for obstruction resulted in a total offense level of 41. With a criminal history category of III, Phillips's guidelines range was 360 months to life, with a consecutive term of 60 months' imprisonment under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) for possessing and using firearms in relation to a drug trafficking crime. At sentencing the district court adopted the PSR's findings but reduced Phillips's criminal history category to II. That reduction, however, had no effect on the guidelines range. The district court sentenced Phillips to concurrent terms of 360 months' imprisonment on five drug-related counts and a consecutive term of 60 months on the firearms count. We affirmed Phillips's convictions and sentence. See United States v. Clavis, 956 F.2d 1079 (11th Cir.1992), modified in part on reh'g, 977 F.2d 538 (11th Cir.1992). In 1995 Phillips filed a motion to vacate his sentence under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, which was denied. The next year he filed multiple § 2255 petitions, all of which the district court denied. That court and this one denied his motions for certificates of appealability.