Opinion ID: 707133
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: government's cross appeal-sentencing guidelines departure

Text: 19 The government argues the district court erred by departing from the guidelines without stating its reasons for the downward departure. The application of the guidelines to a particular set of facts is a question of law reviewed de novo. United States v. Wilson, 920 F.2d 1290 (6th Cir.1990). The findings of fact concerning sentencing issues are left undisturbed unless clearly erroneous. United States v. Walton, 908 F.2d 1289 (6th Cir.), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 906 (1990). 20 In the instant case, the pre-sentence report established the adjusted offense level of 40. Given the defendant's criminal history category I and offense level of 40, the guideline range for the defendant is 292-365 months. The court sentenced the defendant to 240 months imprisonment without explaining its reasons for the downward departure. The government failed, however, to object to the sentence at the sentencing hearing. The government argues that it did not have a meaningful opportunity to object because the court immediately left the bench after advising the defendant of his rights. This court has determined that absent plain error it will not address erroneous departures from the sentencing guidelines if the matter was not raised below. United States v. Nagi, 947 F.2d 211, 213 (6th Cir.1991), cert. denied, 112 S.Ct. 2309 (1992). 21 In the case at bar, the district court failed to state on the record its reasons for departure. A statement of reasons for a downward departure must be given at time of sentencing. United States v. Kincaid, 959 F.2d 54 (6th Cir.1992). Failure to provide reasons for departure constitutes plain error. See United States v. Thomas, 24 F.3d 829, 833-34 (6th Cir.1994).