Opinion ID: 2754485
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Factual Findings Supported by the Record

Text: Montgomery first argues that his sentence was unreasonable because the district court relied on history and characteristics that are unsupported by the record and do not meet the preponderance standard. Montgomery faults the district court for finding that he was dangerous, but in reaching this conclusion the court correctly relied on Montgomery's recent history of possession of high caliber weapons and ammunition, his illegal possession of silencers and body armor, and his prior convictions for assault and obstructing a police officer. Nor did the district court clearly err in characterizing Montgomery’s criminal history as “lengthy” — he had accrued four convictions and a probation violation in a six-year period, two of which, despite Montgomery’s assertions to the contrary, were for fraud. Finally, we find no error in the district court’s finding that Montgomery’s history and characteristics included his deplorable treatment of women. Although Montgomery is correct that there was no evidence of physical abuse of women, there was ample evidence of “lies, deceit and abuse,” some of which amounted to psychological warfare. The court cited Montgomery’s targeted abuse toward his ex-wife: after a two-week courtship and one-month marriage, he sued for custody of her children from a prior relationship as well as an unborn baby he knew was not biologically his and appealed the denial all the way to the Michigan Supreme Court “for no other reason than to abuse and terrorize” her. Accordingly, this argument is without merit. - 15 - Case No. 13-2596 United States v. Montgomery