Opinion ID: 710261
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Van Pelt's Role in the Offense

Text: 114 In order to find that the defendant is an organizer or leader for purposes of guideline section 3B1.1(a), we have held that certain threshold elements of control or organization must be present. United States v. Roach, 978 F.2d 573, 576 (10th Cir.1992). Specifically, the defendant must have exercised some degree of control over others involved in the commission of the offense or he must have been responsible for organizing others for the purpose of carrying out the crime. United States v. Reid, 911 F.2d 1456, 1464 (10th Cir.1990), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 1097, 111 S.Ct. 990, 112 L.Ed.2d 1074 (1991). Van Pelt argues that the district court's findings of fact were not specific enough to support the enhancement. We disagree. As to the first requirement under section 3B1.1(a), the court carefully enumerated the organizer or leader factors and made an explicit finding on the record that the evidence adduced at trial and outlined in the presentence report satisfied those factors. Moreover, our review of the record convinces us that the district court's finding was supported by substantial evidence and thus was not clearly erroneous. Although it would have been helpful for the district court to have been more precise in articulating the reasons for the enhancement and to have identified which of the organizer or leader factors supported its finding, we conclude the district court's findings as to Van Pelt's organizer or leader status were specific enough to justify the enhancement. 115 As to the second requirement--that the criminal activity either contain five or more participants or be otherwise extensive--the district court specifically found that Van Pelt's drug ring was extensive and that it did involve more than five conspirators. Indeed, all seven defendants named in the superseding indictment (including Edith Wacker, who pleaded guilty) were convicted of the conspiracy charge. We find no clear error in the district court's findings and affirm the imposition of a four-level enhancement under U.S.S.G. Sec. 3B1.1(a).