Opinion ID: 777130
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Challenge to Upward Departure

Text: 37 Like Terrance Roberts, Monroe Evans, Clem Evans, and Johnny Lee Evans, Levorn Evans argues that the District Court acted unreasonably, abused its discretion, and violated the Double Jeopardy Clause by granting the government's motion for an upward departure of 135 months based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual sections 5K2.2 (significant physical injury), 5K2.6 (use of a weapon), and 5K2.8 (extreme conduct). The Court explained that each of these bases applied. Sentencing Transcript at 11-13. Moreover, as long as the departure is warranted by any one of these sections, we can sustain the District Court's upward departure. United States v. Johnson, 56 F.3d 947, 958 (8th Cir.1995). Mr. Evans contends that his case does not fall outside of the heartland of the applicable Guidelines because the Court used section 2A3.1 (criminal sexual abuse) as the base offense and enhanced that base by four levels pursuant to section 2A3.1(b)(1). Citing the application notes to the section, he argues that use of force against the victim, threatening or placing the victim in fear of death or serious bodily injury, rendering the victim unconscious, administering intoxicants or drugs, and using or brandishing a weapon are incorporated into his enhanced offense level, so further departure is impermissible. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 2A3.1, cmt. n. 1 (1998). However, the question is whether the factors were present to an exceptional degree beyond what the Guidelines contemplate. Koon v. United States, 518 U.S. 81, 96, 116 S.Ct. 2035, 135 L.Ed.2d 392 (1996); Evans, 272 F.3d at 1089. 38 Regarding significant physical injury, Mr. Evans argues that among his victims Brenda Schaper, Tanya May, Bonnie Frazier, and Sandra Welch, there were no hospital stays or permanent disability, so there were no serious injuries. This argument is without merit. There is sufficient testimonial evidence of significant injury to Ms. Schaper (broken wrist, dislocated shoulder, head trauma), Ms. May (temporary hearing loss, cuts and contusions), and Ms. Frazier (a broken rib, facial trauma, and blackened and swollen eyes) as a result of Mr. Evans's physical abuse to satisfy us that the District Court did not abuse its discretion. Regarding use of a weapon, Ms. Schaper testified that Mr. Evans put a gun to her head, and Ms. Frazier testified that Mr. Evans threatened her by putting a hot steam iron to her face. Again, the Court did not abuse its discretion. 39 Finally, regarding extreme conduct, in addition to the various assaults, assaults with weapons, and sexual assaults described previously, Ms. Schaper testified that Mr. Evans forced her to work as a prostitute up to the seventh month of her pregnancies. He also forced Ms. May to work after being released from the hospital with pneumonia. Lastly, there was testimony regarding Mr. Evans's providing his victims with powder and crack cocaine. We conclude that the District Court did not abuse its discretion in departing upward.