Opinion ID: 219851
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Application of the enhancement in this case

Text: Maestas challenges the district court's findings that the gold posed a health risk and that Maestas was aware of this risk. We affirm the district court's findings because they are supported by sufficient evidence. Further, we note that the district court's findings would be sufficient to support application of the enhancement even under Maestas's proposed construction because the district court found that Maestas was subjectively aware that the gold was radioactive and dangerous. As a preliminary matter, Maestas argues that the district court was required to find extraordinary circumstances in order to apply the enhancement. Aplt. Opening Br. at 7-8. Maestas confuses an offense level enhancement with an upward variance. [7] The government must prove the facts necessary to support a guideline enhancement by a preponderance of the evidence. United States v. Tindall, 519 F.3d 1057, 1063 (10th Cir.2008). Maestas concedes in his opening brief that [t]here can be no question but [sic] that the substance stolen posed some kind of risk ... and that it is fortunate that the stolen substance did not leave the laboratory for it might, then, have done some harm. Aplt. Opening Br. at 10, 8. He thus appears to concede that, if he had succeeded in taking the gold out of LANL, it would have posed a health risk. However, he also contends that the government's evidence at best was equivocal as to the danger posed by the stolen item and the manner in which it might pose a threat. Id. at 12. The district court's finding that the radioactive gold posed a danger of serious bodily injury or death was not clearly erroneous. The gold was contaminated with a significant amount of plutonium. The removable contamination on just the surface of the gold piece far exceeded the federal Annual Limit on Intake for plutonium exposure for both the general public and nuclear workers. ROA, Vol. 3 at 53; ROA, Vol. 1 at 80. The government presented evidencein the form of an article in LANL's science journal and the opinions of persons knowledgeable in nuclear safetythat the plutonium contained in the stolen gold piece could be extremely harmful if it entered a person's body. Contrary to Maestas's suggestion, the government was not required to prove that the gold would certainly be incorporated into a person's body in order to prove that it posed a risk of bodily harm. The government need not show that serious bodily injury was certain or even highly likely to occur; it must only show that there was a risk it would occur. Cf. United States v. Babul, 476 F.3d 498, 503 (7th Cir.2007) (noting that the guideline speaks of risk rather than substantial or material risk, and concluding that the defendant's crime created  some risk). The district court concluded that an inherent risk of stealing radioactive material was that you can't determine how it's going to be used. ROA, Vol. 3 at 68. Without any knowledge of the source of the gold, any person who came into contact with it would have no reason to know or suspect that it was radioactive. See id. at 28-29. One significant risk was that the gold would be melted down, which might cause the plutonium to come to the gold's surface or to be aerosolized. Maestas also argues that the district court erred in finding that he was aware that the gold he took was dangerous. The district court could reasonably infer from Maestas's employment history that he was aware of the dangers of radiation. See id. at 68 (He knew from his experience of 12 years working in this area and with these materials that radioactivity contained in the materials was dangerous. As a matter of fact, it was so dangerous that they handled the material through these glove boxes which protected the operators from the radioactivity.). One of Maestas's supervisors, Thomas Ricketts, reported to investigators that Maestas was extremely inquisitive and cautious about the handling of radioactive materials. As a result, Ricketts would have to explain a procedure in detail to Maestas before Maestas would be satisfied that it was safe to perform. ROA, Vol. 1 at 65. At the sentencing hearing, Maestas admitted that he kn[e]w something about radioactivity. ROA, Vol. 3 at 25. The district court could also reasonably infer that Maestas was aware that the gold he removed from Room 401 was radioactive. The gold was taken from a boat used to melt plutonium. It was stored in a sealed glove box. The gold was wrapped in yellow tape, which Maestas knew signified radioactive contamination. There was evidence that Maestas attempted to decontaminate the gold. Maestas argues that he could not have known that the gold was radioactive because the HFM-8 did not detect radiation when he scanned it. However, the district court drew a different inference from Maestas's use of the HFM-8, concluding that Maestas used the monitor in an attempt to determine whether or not he would be caught. Id. at 69. This finding is supported by the evidence and is not clearly erroneous. The evidence presented at sentencing is sufficient to support the district court's findings that Maestas knew the gold was contaminated with plutonium and that he knew of the health risks his conduct created. These findings are sufficient to support the district court's application of the U.S.S.G. § 2B1.1(b)(13) enhancement. The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.