Opinion ID: 778021
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Enhancement for Offenses Occurring Outside the United States

Text: The defendant contends that the district court improperly increased the offense level based on the assertion that part of the offenses was committed outside of the United States. In support of this contention, the defendant maintains that evidence offered at trial and sentencing was insufficient to establish that he had knowledge of the origin of the counterfeit currency. This argument is without merit. The Guideline in question, U.S.S.G. § 2B5.1(b)(5), states: If any part of the offense was committed outside the United States, increase [the base offense level] by 2 levels. The plain language of the provision does not require that a defendant possess express knowledge of any acts occurring outside of the United States. Instead, it provides for a two-level enhancement based solely on the fact that any part of the act occurred outside of the United States. There is no basis for a knowledge requirement to be read into the Guideline. Even if the Guideline were so construed, however, the district court found — and the record reflects — that the defendant possessed such knowledge. For example, Wated testified that the counterfeit money originated in Cali, Columbia from an individual referred to as Juancho. Wated also testified on both direct and cross-examination that on at least two occasions the defendant wired payments for the counterfeit money directly to Colombia. In addition, Agent Sweeney of the United States Secret Service testified at the sentencing hearing that, following his arrest, Wated informed the Secret Service that the defendant had twice wired money through Western Union from Detroit, Michigan to Cali, Colombia. There was no evidence, whatsoever, offered to refute the testimony of either witness. Based on this undisputed testimony — and on the absence of any evidence in rebuttal — the district court found U.S.S.G. § 2B5.1 to be applicable. In conclusion, a plain reading of U.S.S.G. § 2B5.1 does not suggest a knowledge requirement. Even if knowledge were required, however, the record contains ample facts to impute knowledge of the counterfeit currency's origin to the defendant. Such a factual finding by a lower court will only be overturned when found to be clearly erroneous, and a finding of fact will be deemed clearly erroneous only where there is a definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed, based on a review of the record as a whole. Raleigh, 278 at 566. Based on the record here, no such mistake can be said to have occurred. The defendant's argument is without merit.