Opinion ID: 781787
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Application to Rojas

Text: 53 We decide that the language of the statute, our case law, and the case law of other circuits support the conclusion that based on the particular circumstances of this case, the continued sentencing hearing does not deprive the district court of jurisdiction to grant safety valve relief, and the imposition of Rojas' sentence was not an abuse of discretion. 54 The district court acknowledged that the average defendant would not be entitled to a continuance. However, Rojas was not the average defendant. The court emphasized that Rojas' lack of understanding of the English language played an important role in its determination. Rojas' experience and familiarity of a different culture and government produced a mistrust of governmental authority. The court weighed this factor in its determination. The record also demonstrates that Rojas' counsel believed in good faith that the defendant could wait until sentencing to address the safety valve issue. 55 The district court determined in the interest of fairness and justice, that the sentencing hearing should be continued to allow all parties an opportunity to further review the circumstances of the case. In the interim, the government chose to further debrief Rojas. 9 After the debriefing, the government had ample time to check Rojas' story out, and prepare an argument, both factually and legally, against allowing Rojas safety valve relief. Finally, when the district court sentenced Rojas, it explained that a sentence at the upper end of the sentencing range was justified based on Rojas' delay in providing the testimony. This case is distinguishable from the cases cited by the government because Rojas did not mislead, stall and delay, nor did the district court coax the defendant into cooperation with the government. Instead, Rojas and his counsel mistakenly believed that the law allowed the proper disclosure to be made at the time of the sentencing hearing.