Opinion ID: 42585
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: “Safety Valve” Adjustment

Text: We review a district court’s findings of fact regarding U.S.S.G. § 5C1.2 for clear error and its legal interpretation of that section de novo. United States v. Miller, 179 F.3d 961, 963-64 9 (5th Cir. 1999). U.S.S.G. § 5C1.2, also known as the “safety valve” provision, limits the applicability of statutory minimum sentences in certain cases, specifically, those involving less culpable defendants who fully assist the Government. U.S.S.G. § 5C1.2, cmt. (“Background”) (2003); Miller, 179 F.3d at 964. To receive safety valve protection, a defendant must satisfy the five criteria listed in § 5C1.2; if he does so, the court will “impose a sentence in accordance with the applicable guidelines without regard to any statutory minimum sentence.” U.S.S.G. § 5C1.2(a). Furthermore, under § 2D1.1(b)(6), the court will decrease the defendant’s base offense level by two levels once the safety valve is triggered. U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(b)(6). The district court in this case rejected Treft’s request for a two-level safety valve adjustment, finding that he had not satisfied the fifth criterion of the safety valve provision.6 Treft argues on appeal that the district court erred because it based its decision to reject his request on his failure to plead guilty. According to Treft, the district court determined that Treft had not satisfied § 5C1.2(a)(5) because he insisted on going to trial. Section 5C1.2(a)(5) requires that “not later than the time of the sentencing hearing, the defendant . . . truthfully provide[] to the Government all information and evidence the defendant has 6 The parties do not dispute whether Treft satisfied the first four criteria in § 5C1.2. 10 concerning the offense or offenses that were part of the same course of conduct or of a common scheme or plan.” U.S.S.G. § 5C1.2(a)(5). Although it may be the case, as Treft contends, that a court may not deny safety valve relief simply because a defendant pleads not guilty, that is not what the district court did in this case. First, the record demonstrates that the district court went to great lengths to determine whether Treft had provided the information and evidence required by § 5C1.2(a)(5), even continuing sentencing to November 5, 2004 to gather more information.7 And, more importantly, the parties stipulated on the second day of sentencing that Treft had not provided the Government with “all information or evidence regarding Treft’s methamphetamine production/distribution.” (R. at 103.) Accordingly, Treft was not eligible for a safety valve adjustment regardless of whether he plead guilty or went to trial. The district court did not err in denying Treft’s request for safety valve relief.