Opinion ID: 755794
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: the panel's proposed solution

Text: 32 Based upon the circumstances described, the panel opinion recognized that Coscarelli's conviction for the money laundering object would justify a significantly higher sentence, but also held that his plea on the money laundering object was not secured in compliance with the principles of Rule 11. Rather than simply deny the government the higher sentence that would be justified by the money laundering object, the panel vacated Coscarelli's conviction and remanded to permit Coscarelli to replead or be tried on that object, which would determine the appropriate sentence. 33 In addition to affording just relief, the panel opinion attempted to alert district courts to the inherent pitfalls when a money laundering object is included in a multiple count conspiracy. I still believe that was a correct approach, and notwithstanding the en banc majority's holding on the cross-appeal question, the substantive issue of how to deal with these troublesome counts is likely to recur. I hope that the district court bench will therefore take note of the following principles. When a defendant pleads guilty to a multiple object conspiracy, the district court should carefully separate the multiple objects for purposes of the Rule 11 hearing, and treat each object as if it were a separate offense for the purpose of establishing (1) the defendant's understanding of the nature of the charge, (2) the potential consequences of the plea, and (3) the facts supporting the plea. 34 Such an approach comports with the applicable guideline principles. Conspiracy convictions are sentenced using the guideline for the underlying substantive offense. U.S.S.G. § 2X1.1. Multiple object conspiracy convictions are treated as though the defendant was convicted on a separate count for each underlying object. U.S.S.G. § 1B1.2. If our district courts will draw upon the plainly applicable sentencing guidelines by separately addressing each object, we can be sure that the defendants charged with multiple count conspiracies that include a money laundering object are apprised of the unique consequences of their pleas as required by Rule 11 and the Constitution. 35 This approach is not unprecedented. In Watch there was ambiguity created by the parties themselves as to the substance of the charge and the potential penalties. We concluded that a prudent district judge should avoid any ambiguity by simply walk[ing] a defendant through the potential penalties. 7 F.3d at 429. Had the district court in this case likewise separated out the individual objects of the multiple object conspiracy, and walked Coscarelli through the maximum statutory penalties for each of the underlying substantive offenses, Coscarelli would have been advised that there was a money laundering object. Coscarelli would have been advised that conspiracy to commit money laundering was punishable with a maximum sentence of twenty years. Moreover, the district court would have been much more likely, having mentioned the money laundering object and its maximum statutory punishment, to have required a factual basis to support that object. This is why we alerted district courts to potential pitfalls with respect to certain drug convictions in Watch and proposed a remedy to prevent Rule 11 error. A similarly straightforward exercise of our supervisory power in this case would go a long way towards disarming artful charging techniques, improving Rule 11 compliance, and reducing subsequent litigation relating the adequacy of Rule 11 pleas to multiple object conspiracy counts.