Opinion ID: 771369
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sentencing Enhancement Under Sentencing Guideline 2K2.1(b)(4)

Text: 14 The district court properly divided Seesing's offenses into three Groups. Group I contained: Count 1 (conspiracy to manufacture, distribute or dispense, or possess with intent to manufacture, distribute or dispense methamphetamine, a violation of 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1) and 846 and 18 U.S.C. 2); Count 3 (use of a communication facility in causing, aiding, or facilitating the distribution with intent to distribute methamphetamine, a violation of 18 U.S.C. 834(b)); and Count 4 (laundering of monetary instruments, a violation of 18 U.S.C. 2 and 1956(a)(1)(A)(1)). Group II contained Count 5 (possession of an unregistered firearm, a violation of 26 U.S.C. 5841 and 5861(d)) and Count 6 (possession of a (homemade) silencer not identified by a serial number, a violation of 26 U.S.C. 5861(i)). Count 2 (use or possession of a firearm during or in relation to a drug trafficking offense, a violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(1)), was treated separately because Sentencing Guideline 2K2.4 provides that a mandatory five year sentence runs consecutive to any other sentence for a violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(1). 15 Sentencing Guidelines 2K2.1(b)(4) provides that the base offense level should be increased two levels if a firearm used in the offense was stolen, or had an altered or obliterated serial number . . . . Seesing contends that the district court erred in applying the two-level adjustment to both Groups I and II because his silencer was homemade and thus never had a serial number that could be altered or obliterated. Because Seesing failed to object to the enhancement in the district court, we review for plain error. United States v. Randall, 162 F.3d 557, 561 (9th Cir. 1998). 16 While we understand the district court's desire to respect the underlying purpose of Guidelines 2K2.1(b)(4), discouraging the use of untraceable weaponry, and agree that this purpose is frustrated by the use of homemade silencers without serial numbers, the plain language of the Guideline is clear. The government does not argue that Seesing's silencer had any serial number, much less one that was altered or obliterated. Thus, applying the Guideline was plain error. See United States v. Bakhtiari, 913 F.2d 1053, 1063 (2d Cir. 1990). While we are concerned about this apparent loophole in the Guidelines, repair is the job of the Sentencing Commission, not this court. At resentencing, the two-level enhancement found at Guidelines 2K2.1(b)(4) should not be applied to Group I or Group II. 2 17