Opinion ID: 2800488
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Sentence Explanation

Text: Lastly, Torrez argues that the district court procedurally erred by failing to adequately explain its reasoning for sentencing him to a total of 150 months’ imprisonment. He contends that the court’s “routine statement” that it had considered the parties’ arguments and the factors listed under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), without any further explanation, falls short of ensuring that his sentence within the guideline range was “sufficient, but not greater than necessary.” Torrez also 10 Case: 14-11512 Date Filed: 05/13/2015 Page: 11 of 12 asserts that the court failed to explain why it sentenced him above the minimum required sentence of ten years’ imprisonment. We review the reasonableness of a sentence using a deferential abuse of discretion standard. Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38, 41, 128 S. Ct. 586, 591 (2007). Since Torrez is challenging the sentence, he bears the burden of establishing unreasonableness. See United States v. Tome, 611 F.3d 1371, 1378 (11th Cir. 2010). Because Torrez did not object to the procedural reasonableness of his sentence before the district court, we review for plain error. See United States v. Vandergrift, 754 F.3d 1303, 1307 (11th Cir. 2014). The sentencing court is not required to “incant the specific language used in the guidelines” or “articulate its consideration of each individual § 3553(a) factor,” so long as the record reflects that the court considered many of those factors. United States v. Bonilla, 463 F.3d 1176, 1182 (11th Cir. 2006) (internal quotation marks omitted). Here, the district court sufficiently satisfied the requirements for a procedurally reasonable sentence. After holding a comprehensive sentencing hearing, the court stated that it had considered the parties’ arguments and the § 3553(a) factors. United States v. Amedeo, 487 F.3d 823, 832 (11th Cir. 2007) (“[A]n acknowledgment by the district judge that he or she has considered the § 3553(a) factors will suffice.” (internal quotation marks omitted)). 11 Case: 14-11512 Date Filed: 05/13/2015 Page: 12 of 12 Furthermore, although the court did not explicitly articulate the reasons for its choice of sentence, the context of the entire sentencing hearing indicates that the court did consider several of the § 3553(a) factors. See United States v. Parrado, 911 F.2d 1567, 1573 (11th Cir. 1990) (finding that the transcript of a sentencing hearing and sentencing court’s closing remarks sufficiently supported the sentence imposed). Namely, the court reviewed the nature, circumstances, and seriousness of Torrez’s involvement in the underlying drug conspiracy. See 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(1), (2). The court also reviewed Torrez’s history and characteristics, including his lack of a criminal record. See id. § 3553(a)(1). Thus, Torrez has not met his burden to show that his 150-month sentence was procedurally unreasonable.