Opinion ID: 567475
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Offense Severity Level

Text: 5 Malik first argues that the Commission had no rational basis for concluding that his offense severity level was seven. Relying on information contained in the presentence report, the Commission determined that Malik's offense behavior involved a conspiracy to import and distribute 3.8 kilograms of heroin of unknown purity, and the equivalent of 381.15 grams of pure heroin. The Commission's regulations provide that very large scale operations, which are graded as category seven, must involve at least one kilogram but less than three kilograms of 100% pure heroin or an equivalent amount. 28 C.F.R. § 2.20, Chapter 9, Subchapter A. Note 4 to Chapter 9 states that if weight, but not purity is available, between 2 and 5.99 kilograms of heroin is considered to be very large scale. Applying these directives, the Commission concluded that Malik's offense behavior warranted an offense severity level of seven. 6 Malik contends that the Commission's finding that he possessed 381.15 grams of pure heroin is the only finding as to the amount of drugs involved which is supported by the record, and this amount only warrants a grade of category six. The Commission based their finding that Malik's offense history involved 3.8 kilograms of unknown purity heroin upon several of his co-defendants' statements, which were detailed in the presentence report. Its conclusion that Malik also conspired to import and distribute an additional 381.15 grams of 100% pure heroin is based on the presentence report and the probation officer's letter to the Commission. 2 7 Malik argues that the Commission cannot rely on the presentence report's references to his co-defendant's testimony because there is no support in the record for such testimony. In support of his contention, Malik asserts that the statements to which the presentence report refers do not exist in the trial transcript. Malik also points out that some of his co-defendants' statements discuss the importation of heroin in 1984, but, according to the indictment, the conspiracy ended in 1983. Therefore, Malik contends that the only amount of heroin that can be documented and relied upon by the Commission is the amount stated in Mishlove's letter (381.15 grams of pure heroin). 8 The Commission's authority to consider information contained in the presentence report is well established. Levesque v. Brennan, 864 F.2d 515, 519 (7th Cir.1988); Kramer, 803 F.2d at 900; Solomon, 676 F.2d at 288. To prevail on his claim, Malik must show that the statements contained in the presentence report are false or unreliable. This Malik has not done. Initially, we note that Malik, who apparently possesses a copy of the trial transcript, has not included it in the record. This failure makes it difficult for us to review Malik's contention that the trial transcripts do not include the testimony referenced in the presentence report. See Fischer v. Krajewski, 873 F.2d 1057, 1061 (7th Cir.1989) ([i]t is obvious that an appellate court has no alternative but to dismiss an appeal if the absence of the transcript prevents meaningful review). 9 However, even if the trial transcript does not contain the testimony detailed in the presentence report, the Commission was still entitled to rely on it. Solomon, 676 F.2d at 288. The Commission may rely on information in the presentence report even though the accuracy of the information has not been tested in an adversarial setting. Kramer, 803 F.2d at 901; Solomon, 676 F.2d at 288. Malik offers no other evidence to challenge the reliability of the testimony. Nor does he allege that the Commission deprived him of the opportunity to challenge the statements contained in the presentence report. See Phillips v. Brennan, 912 F.2d 189, 192 (7th Cir.1990) (due process requires that the Commission give the inmate sufficient notice of the materials to be used against him and an opportunity to respond to such materials). Furthermore, Malik's contention that the Commission could not rely on the testimony because it involved events that occurred after the conspiracy ended is meritless. [T]he Commission bases parole decisions on the entire offense behavior, and not just the offenses charged in the indictment. Kramer, 803 F.2d at 900. Thus, some evidence exists to support the Commission's conclusion that Malik's offense behavior involved 3.8 Kilograms of heroin, purity unknown. Id. at 901, citing Superintendent v. Hill, 472 U.S. 445 (1985) (Commission's decisions must be supported by some evidence).