Opinion ID: 76338
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Attempted Sexual Abuse Versus Attempted Sexual Contact

Text: 8 Section 2A3.2 applies to offenses involving the criminal sexual abuse of an individual who had not attained the age of 16 years. U.S.S.G. § 2A3.2, cmt. background (emphasis added). Section 2A3.2 refers to 18 U.S.C. § 2243(a) as the statutory provision covered. 4 U.S.S.G. § 2A3.2, cmt. Furthermore, § 2A3.2(c)(1) directs courts to 18 U.S.C. § 2241 or § 2242 in order to determine the definition of criminal sexual abuse or attempt to commit criminal sexual abuse. U.S.S.G. § 2A3.1(c)(1). According to 18 U.S.C. §§ 2241, 2242, and 2243, the term sexual abuse includes offenses that involve a sexual act. See 18 U.S.C. § 2241, et seq. In turn, the term sexual act is defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2246 as: 9 (A) contact between the penis and the vulva or the penis and the anus, and for purposes of this subparagraph contact involving the penis occurs upon penetration, however, slight; 10 (B) contact between the mouth and the penis, the mouth and the vulva, or the mouth and the anus; 11 (C) the penetration, however slight, of the anal or genital opening of another by a hand or finger or by any object, with an intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, or arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person; or 12 (D) the intentional touching, not through the clothing, of the genitalia of another person who has not attained the age of 16 years with an intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, or arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person. 13 18 U.S.C. § 2246(2). Therefore, if Miranda's conduct consisted of an attempted sexual act, as defined above, with either of his intended victims, § 2A3.2 would apply. 14 Section 2A3.4 applies to offenses constituting  sexual contact not amounting to criminal sexual abuse. U.S.S.G. § 2A3.4, cmt. background (emphasis added). Like § 2A3.2, section 2A3.4 refers to statutory provisions. Specifically, § 2A3.4 defines a defendant's base offense level by reference to 18 U.S.C. § 2241(a) or (b) or 18 U.S.C. § 2242. The terms found in §§ 2241 and 2242 are defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2246. Therefore, we look to § 2246 to determine what constitutes sexual contact. The term sexual contact is defined in § 2246 as 15 the intentional touching, either directly or through the clothing, of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks of any person with an intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, or arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person. 16 18 U.S.C. § 2246(3). 17 As stated above, § 2A3.4 narrows sexual contact to sexual contact not amounting to criminal sexual abuse, and thereby excludes any sexual conduct that constitutes a sexual act. U.S.S.G. § 2A3.4, cmt. background. Therefore, if Miranda's conduct did not constitute an attempted sexual act with either of his intended victims, but merely consisted of an attempted sexual contact, § 2A3.4 would apply. 18 Thus, the decision to sentence Miranda under § 2A3.2 or § 2A3.4 rests on this determination: if Miranda's conduct consisted of an attempted sexual act with his intended victims, then the district court should have applied § 2A3.2. If, however, Miranda's conduct consisted of attempted sexual conduct with his intended victims, the district court correctly applied § 2A3.4. As the following evidence readily demonstrates, Miranda's conduct clearly consisted of an attempted sexual act with his intended victims, and, therefore, the district court should have applied § 2A3.2.