Opinion ID: 3063459
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Reasonableness of Wilcox’s Sentences

Text: Wilcox next contends that his sentences were both procedurally and substantively unreasonable. According to Wilcox, the district court committed procedural error by relying on the pre-sentence report’s statements that he committed sexual acts during the commission of his child pornography offenses, even though the district court sustained his earlier objection to a sentencing enhancement based on that allegation. Wilcox asserts that the government presented no evidence of sexual acts. Wilcox also submits that the district court procedurally erred by not considering his mitigation evidence. With respect to substantive unreasonableness, Wilcox cites statistics that the median sentence given to pornography/prostitution defendants nationally is seventy-eight months whereas the median sentence in our circuit is ninety-eight months. Moreover, Wilcox disputes the district court’s finding that he was a danger to the public. He concludes that his forty-five-year total sentence is plainly unreasonable for a firsttime offender who is fifty years old. We review a sentence for reasonableness “‘under a deferential abuse-ofdiscretion standard.’” Pugh, 515 F.3d at 1189 (quoting Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. ___,128 S. Ct. 586, 591 (2007)). A sentence is procedurally unreasonable if the district court failed to calculate or incorrectly calculated the guidelines, treated 8 the guidelines as mandatory, failed to consider the § 3553(a) factors, selected a sentence based on clearly erroneous facts, or failed adequately to explain the chosen sentence. See id. at 1190. A sentence is substantively unreasonable if it fails to achieve the sentencing goals set forth in § 3553(a).2 See id. at 1191. “The weight to be accorded any given § 3553(a) factor is a matter committed to the sound discretion of the district court, and we will not substitute our judgment in weighing the relevant factors.” United States v. Amedeo, 487 F.3d 823, 832 (11th Cir. 2007) (quotations marks, alterations, and citation omitted). Furthermore, the party challenging the sentence must demonstrate the unreasonableness of the sentence based on the record and the § 3553(a) factors. See id. We find no procedural error here. Contrary to Wilcox’s assertion, the government presented evidence of chat logs, admitted without objection, establishing that Wilcox had engaged in sexual relations with a victim in this case. The district court correctly considered this evidence in sentencing Wilcox. See United States v. Smith, 480 F.3d 1277, 1281 (11th Cir. 2007) (noting that a district court’s sentence may be based on evidence presented during the sentencing 2 Section 3553(a) provides that district courts must consider, among other factors, the following: (1) the nature and circumstances of the offense; (2) the defendant’s history and characteristics; (3) the need for the sentence imposed to reflect the seriousness of the offense, to promote respect for the law, and to provide just punishment for the offense; (4) adequate deterrence of criminal conduct; (5) protection of the public from further crimes of the defendant; (6) the applicable guideline range; and (7) avoidance of unwarranted sentencing disparities. See 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). 9 hearing). The record also refutes Wilcox’s suggestion that the district court did not adequately consider his mitigation evidence. Without this evidence, the district court would not have granted him a fifteen-year downward variance. Wilcox’s arguments as to substantive reasonableness are equally meritless. Because Wilcox was sentenced within a properly calculated guideline range, his sentence may be presumed reasonable. See Pugh, 515 F.3d at 1190. Wilcox’s recitation of statistics concerning other pornography convictions does little to overcome this presumption. Without discussion of the factual circumstances of these other convictions, such “bare numbers” provide little insight into the reasonableness of his own sentence. United States v. Campbell, 491 F.3d 1306, 1317 (11th Cir. 2007) (finding unpersuasive the defendant’s proffered statistics of average sentences imposed for tax crimes). We also reject Wilcox’s challenge to the district court’s finding that he is “a danger to young people.” R4 at 60. We have recognized that the possession and distribution of child pornography “undeniably create[s] the demand for more” pornography, thereby “increasing the victimization of still more children.” Pugh, 515 F.3d at 1196. The district court correctly acknowledged this fact in sentencing Wilcox. Thus, notwithstanding Wilcox’s age and lack of criminal history, the seriousness of his crimes amply justified a forty-five-year sentence. See id. at 1202 (reviewing cases upholding 10 severe sentences for child sex offenses). Accordingly, the district court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Wilcox.