Opinion ID: 747578
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Appellant Gamboa

Text: 132 Gamboa raises four assertions of error relating to his 200 month sentence for his participation in this conspiracy. 133
134 Gamboa first contends that he was erroneously held responsible for all 503 kilograms of cocaine brought in on the second voyage of the What's Up rather than only the seventy kilograms which the evidence showed he allowed to be stored at his residence after its off loading. This, he claims, represented his only contact with the cocaine as he was not shown to be present on the voyages or at the off loadings. While he now admits that his van was used to transport the cocaine, he denies that he knew that it was being used for that purpose at the time. The government argues that the district court properly rejected Gamboa's argument in this regard and found that, although Gamboa had personal contact with only seventy kilograms, he had committed acts in furtherance of the conspiracy and, therefore, was liable for the full amount. We review the district court's determination as to the quantity of drugs attributable to a defendant under the clearly erroneous standard. United States v. Beasley, 2 F.3d 1551, 1561 (11th Cir.1993). We find that the district judge's quantity determination was not clearly erroneous. 135 For sentencing purposes, a member of a drug conspiracy is liable for all acts and omissions committed or aided and abetted by [him], or for which [he] would be otherwise accountable, that occurred during the commission of the offense of conviction.... U.S.S.G. § 1B1.3(a)(1)(B) (Nov. 1990). Application Note 1 to that section states: 136 In the case of criminal activity undertaken in concert with others, whether or not charged as a conspiracy, the conduct for which the defendant would be otherwise accountable also includes conduct of others in furtherance of the execution of the jointly-undertaken criminal activity that was reasonably foreseeable by the defendant. 137 Also instructive to this case is Illustration (a) to that note. It provides the following example: 138 Defendant A, one of ten off-loaders hired by Defendant B, was convicted of importation of marihuana, as a result of his assistance in off-loading a boat containing a one-ton shipment of marihuana. Regardless of the number of bales of marihuana that he actually unloaded, and notwithstanding any claim on his part that he was neither aware of, nor could reasonably foresee, that the boat contained this quantity of marihuana. Defendant A is held accountable for the entire one-ton quantity of marihuana on the boat because he aided and abetted the unloading and hence the importation, of the entire shipment. 139 (emphasis added). 140 Gamboa was convicted of possession with intent to distribute and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. The evidence showed that his van was used to transport most of the 503 kilograms of cocaine that arrived on the second voyage of the What's Up away from the off-loading site. Most of this 503 kilograms of cocaine was stored at Blas Duran's house, but seventy kilograms would not fit. Those seventy kilograms were taken to Gamboa's house where Gamboa was at home and where he helped carry it to his bedroom for counting. The evidence further showed that Duran showed up a short time later with his log book to take an official count of the cocaine and add that number to that which was stored at Duran's house. Gamboa assisted with this counting. Gamboa then helped load the cocaine into the trunk of a car for storage and allowed that car to remain in his driveway for several days. Finally, Gamboa allowed the owner of the car in which the cocaine was stored to continue to use Gamboa's van during the time the cocaine remained in the car. 141 After carefully considering this evidence, we cannot say that the district judge's determination that Gamboa was accountable for the entire 503 kilograms of cocaine was clearly erroneous. It is clear that Gamboa joined this conspiracy while it was already in progress. That, however, does not change the fact that by doing so he became responsible for all conduct associated with that shipment of cocaine that was reasonably foreseeable. The government showed by a preponderance of the evidence that Gamboa knew or reasonably could have foreseen that much more cocaine was involved than the seventy kilograms stored at this house. As we have noted, Gamboa assisted Duran with the counting and knew that Duran was recording that number in his log in order to arrive at a grand total for the second shipment. As in the example noted above, the fact that Gamboa had personal contact with only seventy kilograms does nothing to change the fact that through his actions he aided and abetted in the conspiracy's efforts to possess and distribute the cocaine as well as conceal it. There was no clear error here.
142 Gamboa next asserts that he was entitled to a four-level reduction in his offense level because he played only a minimal role in the conspiracy. The government counters that the district judge properly concluded that Gamboa's role was a necessary one and it was not minimal. Supp.R. 1-6-7. Again, we review the district judge's factual determination for clear error. United States v. Freyre-Lazaro, 3 F.3d 1496, 1506 (11th Cir.1993), cert. denied sub nom. Llerena-Acosta v. United States, 511 U.S. 1011, 114 S.Ct. 1385, 128 L.Ed.2d 59 (1994). In doing so, we realize that [t]he district court's decision to apply [or not apply] an adjustment 'involves a determination that is heavily dependent upon the facts of the particular case.'  Id. (quoting U.S.S.G. § 3B1.2 (Nov. 1990)). 143 Section 3B1.2(a) provides that [i]f the defendant was a minimal participant in any criminal activity, decrease by 4 levels. U.S.S.G. § 3B1.2(a) (Nov. 1990). The Application Notes to that section state that [i]t is intended that the downward adjustment for a minimal participant will be used infrequently. Id. at Application Note 2; See also United States v. Taxacher, 902 F.2d 867, 873 n. 7 (11th Cir.1990), cert. denied, 499 U.S. 919, 111 S.Ct. 1307, 113 L.Ed.2d 242 (1991). The commission contemplated that this reduction will be applied only to a participant who is substantially less culpable than the other participants. 144 We have already recounted the evidence of Gamboa's conduct with regard to the second load of cocaine and, thus, there is no need to do so again. After careful consideration, we agree with the district judge that Gamboa's role was not minimal as contemplated by section 3B1.2(a). Appellant's provision of the van for the transport of the cocaine and his willingness to allow his property to be used to store it, greatly contributed to the success, albeit short-term, of the conspiracy's plan to distribute large quantities of cocaine within the United States. While Gamboa's efforts may not have been enough to make him the linchpin of the operation, neither can his contribution be labeled as minimal. Thus, we find no clear error in the district judge's refusal to reduce Gamboa's sentence pursuant to section 3B1.2(a).
145 Gamboa next contends that the district judge should have departed downward from the sentencing guidelines based on various factors he characterizes as mitigating circumstances. Those factors include: 1) It was not shown that Gamboa received profit from the cocaine, nor any renumeration for his participation; 2) There was no evidence that he had prior knowledge of the cocaine's arrival or that his van was to be used to transport it; and 3) His nine years of service in the United States Army and ten year service with the Metro Dade Fire Department. Gamboa's Brief at 33. Regardless of whether or not we find these factors compelling, however, we have held, and appellant himself recognizes, that under the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, downward departure is a matter of discretion that rests with the district judge and is ordinarily not appealable. As we have stated: 146 To permit a defendant to appeal a sentence which falls below the guideline range would make meaningless the specificity of 18 U.S.C. § 3742, which permits a defendant to raise on appeal [only] the district court's upward departure from the guideline range. Nonetheless, review is available for a sentencing challenge based upon the district court's belief that it had no authority to depart from the sentencing guideline range. Thus this court had jurisdiction to review [appellant's] appeal only if the sentencing court denied downward departure based upon a misapprehension of its own discretionary authority to depart downward. 147 United States v. Patterson, 15 F.3d 169, 171 (11th Cir.1994) (internal quotation marks and citations omitted). Thus, we simply have no jurisdiction to review the district judge's discretionary decision unless it was made based upon the belief that he did not possess such discretion. Id. 148 Our review of the sentencing transcript does not lead us to believe that the district judge's decision was based on any such misapprehension of the scope of his authority. While it is true that his denial of the motion was somewhat cursory, 9 it in no way appears that he did not believe he could depart downward if he found that it was warranted. Thus, we find that Gamboa's claim in this regard is not cognizable.
149 Finally, Gamboa asserts that the district judge's refusal to allow Gamboa's attorney to withdraw from the case prior to sentencing warrants reversal of his sentence. Counsel made the motion following a series of pro se letters sent by appellant after his conviction to the district judge in which he asserted that counsel was derelict in filing proper motions, biased, inexperienced, and generally unenthusiastic about representing him. R. 3-283-284. At Gamboa's sentencing hearing, counsel argued that continuing with the representation would be unethical and run contrary to his clients wishes. Supp.R. 1-20-21. During argument on the motion, on which the government apparently took no position, counsel conceded that he did not take the allegations personally and that he could effectively argue any legal points on behalf of Gamboa that related to the sentencing. Id. Accordingly, the district judge denied the motion. Subsequently, counsel was allowed to withdraw and Gamboa's current counsel was appointed for purposes of appeal. Based upon what Gamboa claims were traumatic and irreconcilable differences between himself and trial counsel, he seeks reversal of his sentence. 150 Where, as here, a district court conducts an inquiry into the merits of a criminal defendant's motion for new counsel, we review the district judge's ruling for abuse of discretion. United States v. Brown, 79 F.3d 1499, 1505 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 117 S.Ct. 196, 136 L.Ed.2d 133 (1996); United States v. Durman, 30 F.3d 803, 812-13 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 513 U.S. 1120, 115 S.Ct. 921, 130 L.Ed.2d 801 (1995); United States v. Allen, 789 F.2d 90, 92 (1st Cir.), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 846, 107 S.Ct. 164, 93 L.Ed.2d 103 (1986). In making this determination, several factors that should be considered by a reviewing court have been identified, the most relevant of which include: 1) the timeliness of the motion; 2) the adequacy of the court's inquiry into merits of the motion; and 3) whether the conflict was so great that it resulted in a total lack of communication between the defendant and his counsel thereby preventing an adequate defense. Brown, 79 F.3d at 1505. In addition, while the right to select and be represented by one's preferred attorney is comprehended by the Sixth Amendment, the essential aim of the Amendment is to guarantee an effective advocate for each criminal defendant rather than to ensure that a defendant will inexorably be represented by the lawyer whom he prefers. Wheat v. United States, 486 U.S. 153, 108 S.Ct. 1692, 100 L.Ed.2d 140 (1988). 151 First, there is no argument that the motion was untimely. Second, the district judge heard the reasons for appellant's dissatisfaction with trial counsel before ruling on the motion. Supp.R. 1-19-22. Thus, our inquiry is limited to the third consideration listed above. Durman, 30 F.3d at 813. After careful consideration, we do not find that such a total breakdown in communications existed between Gamboa and his trial counsel. 152 The record indicates that trial counsel had been in contact with his client in order to prepare for the sentencing hearing. Nothing in Gamboa's pro se motions indicate that, although Gamboa was displeased with his trial counsel's performance, they were unable to communicate in manner that would allow for effective representation at the sentencing hearing. Our review of the case law convinces us that a much more serious breakdown in communications is required before a reviewing court should say that a district judge abused his discretion in refusing to allow counsel to withdraw. See, e.g. Brown, 79 F.3d at 1506 (counsel's accusation in open court that his client was a liar and subsequent argumentative relationship held insufficient to indicate breakdown in communication). 153 Moreover, even were we to find that the district judge abused his discretion, appellant must still demonstrate that, in the context of the sentencing hearing, he was somehow prejudiced by trial counsel continuing to represent him. Durman, 30 F.3d at 813; United States v. Zillges, 978 F.2d 369, 372-73 (7th Cir.1992). If he cannot show such prejudice, then the error was harmless. To successfully demonstrate prejudice, appellant must show that counsel's performance was not within the range of competence demanded of attorneys in criminal cases and that but for counsel's continued representation at the sentencing hearing, the result of the proceeding would have been different. Zillges, 978 F.2d at 372-73 (quoting Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984)) (internal quotation marks omitted). Our review of the record convinces us that Gamboa received adequate, albeit unsuccessful, representation at his sentencing hearing. Trial counsel vigorously argued Gamboa's position on a variety of issues at the hearing. Appellant makes no specific assertions of prejudice in his brief and we refuse to imply any from the simple fact that the outcome of sentencing hearing was not to his liking. There is nothing in the record or cited in Gamboa's brief that leads us to believe that the outcome of sentencing hearing would have been different had different counsel represented him. Thus, even if the district judge abused his discretion, no demonstrable prejudice resulted.