Opinion ID: 3049934
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Restitution for Victim’s Loss

Text: The VWPA, 18 U.S.C. § 3663, provides that: The court, when sentencing a defendant convicted of an offense under [Title 18] . . . other than an offense described in section 3663A(c),[ 107] may order . . . that the defendant make restitution to any victim of such offense, . . . (B)(i) The court, in determining whether to order restitution under this section, shall consider– (I) the amount of the loss sustained by each victim as a result of the offense; and 106 We reject the government’s argument that the district court imposed restitution under the MVRA. The PSI recommended the district court order restitution under “18 U.S.C. § 3663A(a)(1),” which is the MVRA. Although referring to the MVRA, McNair’s attorney (in the sentencing hearing) cited sections in the VWPA and made arguments premised on the substance of the VWPA (§ 3663). And the district court’s judgment references the “Victim & Witness Restitution Act.” Although this reference used “Restitution” instead of Victim & Witness Protection Act, it more closely resembles the VWPA than the MVRA. The government never objected to that reference and never moved to correct it. Thus, we conclude the district court imposed restitution under the VWPA. 107 The VWPA, under which restitution is discretionary, excepts offenses in § 3663A(c), which is the MVRA, under which restitution is mandatory. We sua sponte note there is a potential issue of whether bribery is “an offense against property” covered by § 3663A(c) and whether the MVRA applies to bribery crimes. 18 U.S.C. § 3663A(c). Nothing herein should be read as implying the answer to that question. We review the VWPA only because that is the only thing the district court referenced in McNair’s sentence. 128 (II) the financial resources of the defendant, the financial needs and earning ability of the defendant and the defendant’s dependents, and such other factors as the court deems appropriate. . . . (2) For the purposes of this section, the term “victim” means a person directly and proximately harmed as a result of the commission of an offense for which restitution may be ordered including, in the case of an offense that involves as an element a scheme, conspiracy, or pattern of criminal activity, any person directly harmed by the defendant’s criminal conduct in the course of the scheme, conspiracy, or pattern. 18 U.S.C. § 3663. “The government bears the burden of demonstrating the amount of the victim’s loss by a preponderance of the evidence.” United States v. Futrell, 209 F.3d 1286, 1290 (11th Cir. 2000) (citing 18 U.S.C. § 3664(e), which states, “Any dispute as to the proper amount or type of restitution shall be resolved by the court by the preponderance of the evidence.”). However, “[t]he burden of demonstrating the financial resources of the defendant and the financial needs of the defendant’s dependents shall be on the defendant.” 18 U.S.C. § 3664(e); see United States v. Twitty, 107 F.3d 1482, 1494 n.14 (11th Cir. 1997) (stating the burden rests on the defendant to demonstrate lack of financial resources by a preponderance of the evidence).