Opinion ID: 791729
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Booker Errors

Text: 33 Following oral argument, Ehrmann submitted a Rule 28(j) letter citing Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. 296, 124 S.Ct. 2531, 159 L.Ed.2d 403 (2004), contending he is entitled to resentencing because he received an enhanced sentence based on the district court's drug quantity determination and its application of the obstruction of justice enhancement, without affording Ehrmann his Sixth Amendment right to a jury's determination of disputed facts, beyond a reasonable doubt. More recently, the Supreme Court held the mandatory application of the Guidelines is unconstitutional, but the Guidelines pass constitutional muster if applied in an advisory fashion. United States v. Booker, ___ U.S. ___, ___, ___ - ___, 125 S.Ct. 738, 756, 764-66, 160 L.Ed.2d 621 (2005). Although Ehrmann objected to the obstruction of justice enhancement and drug quantity at sentencing, his objections were not based on a Sixth Amendment challenge. Therefore, we review Ehrmann's Booker challenges only for plain error. United States v. Pirani, 406 F.3d 543, 550 (8th Cir.2005) (en banc). Plain error is error that is `plain' (that is, clear or obvious), `affects substantial rights' (that is, prejudicial) and `seriously affects the fairness, integrity or public reputation of judicial proceedings.' United States v. Rashid, 383 F.3d 769, 775 (8th Cir.2004) (citing United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 732-37, 113 S.Ct. 1770, 123 L.Ed.2d 508 (1993)). 34 The jury found Ehrmann conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The PSR found Ehrmann responsible for 386.56 grams of actual methamphetamine, 7,821.50 grams of methamphetamine mixture, 1,199.75 grams of ecstasy, and 1,360.80 grams of pseudoephedrine. Converting these drug amounts into their marijuana equivalent, the cumulative drug quantity totaled 37,582.08 kilograms of marijuana, resulting in a base offense level of 38. At sentencing, the district court adopted the PSR's drug quantity and also found Ehrmann had obstructed justice based on evidence that Ehrmann made threats in jail against a trial witness and the prosecutor. The district court then sentenced Ehrmann to 360 months. 35 Applying the test for plain error, Ehrmann satisfies the first two factors. Pirani, 406 F.3d at 550. Having carefully reviewed the sentencing transcript, we glean nothing in the record to suggest the district court would have applied a more favorable sentence under an advisory sentencing regime. Thus, Ehrmann has not established the error affected his substantial rights, because he cannot demonstrate a reasonable probability that the district court would have imposed a more favorable sentence under an advisory sentencing guidelines regime mandated by Booker. Id. at 553. Moreover, because the jury found beyond a reasonable doubt Ehrmann conspired to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine, which is punishable by ten years to life, 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A)(viii), his 360-month sentence does not exceed the statutory maximum life sentence. Consequently, we conclude there are no Blakely/Booker plain errors in this case.