Opinion ID: 76239
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: registration as a sex offender

Text: 17 Taylor pleaded guilty to violating 18 U.S.C. § 2425, which is codified in chapter 117 of title 18. The sentencing guidelines mandate that individuals convicted under that chapter register as sex offenders. U.S.S.G. § 5D1.3(a) (requiring, in pertinent part, individuals described by 18 U.S.C. § 4042(c)(4) to register as sex offenders); 18 U.S.C. § 4042(c)(4) (describing individuals convicted under chapter 117 of title 18 as among those subject to the sex offender registration requirement). Accordingly, the district court required Taylor to register as a sex offender. Taylor challenges this special condition. 18 Taylor argues that he has a procedural due process right to a hearing before being stigmatized as a sex offender. A panel of this Court recently rejected this precise argument under indistinguishable circumstances. See United States v. Veal, 322 F.3d 1275 (11th Cir.2003). Taylor first relies on Kirby v. Siegelman, 195 F.3d 1285 (11th Cir.1999), which is inapplicable because the defendant in Kirby, unlike Taylor, was never convicted of a sex crime. See Veal, 322 F.3d at 1277. Taylor next relies on Doe v. Dep't of Public Safety, 271 F.3d 38 (2d Cir.2001), reversed, ___ U.S. ___, 123 S.Ct. 1160, 155 L.Ed.2d 98 (2003). Doe was never binding precedent on this Court, see Veal, 322 F.3d at 1278 (citing United States v. Rosenthal, 763 F.2d 1291, 1294 n. 4 (11th Cir.1985)), and has recently been reversed, see Connecticut Department of Safety v. Doe, ___ U.S. ___, 123 S.Ct. 1160, 155 L.Ed.2d 98 (2003). As Taylor cannot present binding precedent to support a convicted sex offender's due process right to a hearing prior to imposing the special condition mandated by the sentencing guidelines, the district court did not abuse its discretion by not conducting a hearing. See Veal, 322 F.3d at 1278-79. 19