Opinion ID: 619765
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: The Restitution Calculation and the Sentencing Hearing

Text: Defendant Brown's Presentence Investigation Report (PSI) recommended restitution of $120,421.59. The PSI arrived at this figure by combining four figures: $12,671.32 in checks forged from Winnick's account; $77,799.04 from a U.S. Treasury refund check payable to the Cassidys; $9,841.00 from a U.S. Treasury refund check payable to Anthony Stringer; and $20,110.03 from a U.S. Treasury refund check payable to Weinstein, which was a third tax refund check sent to Weinstein. The indictment mentioned none of these checks. Brown objected to the PSI's restitution calculation. He conceded that the Stringer and Weinstein check amounts, respectively $9,841.00 and $20,110.03, were correctly included in the calculation. However, Brown argued that the Winnick and Cassidy check amounts, respectively $12,671.32 and $77,799.04, were improperly included because those losses fell outside of the discrete scheme charged in the indictment. At the sentencing hearing, Brown reiterated his arguments on the restitution calculation. The government responded that the Cassidy and Winnick transactions were not included in the indictment because they were outside the statute of limitations. Nonetheless, the government argued restitution for these accounts was due under this Court's precedent. The district court overruled Brown's objection. The court found that the evidence shows that the scheme included the Cassidy and Win[n]ick checks, the way of accomplishing that was the same. Concluding that the applicable law holds that you can award restitution for other victims of the same scheme, even though it wasn't the scheme that was the subject of the indictment, the district court found the restitution owed was $120,421.59. After hearing the parties' arguments on the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors, the district court sentenced Brown to 30 months' imprisonment on both counts, to be served concurrently. The district court imposed a restitution order of $120,421.59. This appeal followed.