Opinion ID: 710067
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Relevant Conduct Determinations Under Sec. 1B1.3

Text: 38 Section 1B1.3 of the Sentencing Guidelines requires the district court to consider relevant conduct when calculating a defendant's base offense level. U.S.S.G. Sec. 1B1.3. The court must consider, not just the criminal conduct with which the defendant was charged, but all acts and omissions ... that were part of the same course of conduct or common scheme or plan as the offense of conviction. U.S.S.G. Sec. 1B1.3(a)(2). [I]n a drug distribution case, according to the Guidelines Commentary, 12 quantities and types of drugs not specified in the count of conviction are to be included in determining the offense level if they were part of the same course of conduct or part of a common scheme or plan as the count of conviction. U.S.S.G. Sec. 1B1.3 cmt. 10. Thus, for example, the district court in this case was required to consider, not just the approximately 100 grams of cocaine involved in Demski's offense of conviction (attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine on February 13, 1993), but the entire amount of cocaine involved during the period in which the Taylor conspiracy was active. One who participates in jointly undertaken criminal activity, whether or not charged as conspiracy, may be held accountable for the reasonably foreseeable acts of his co-conspirators if those acts were committed in furtherance of the conspiracy. U.S.S.G. Sec. 1B1.3, Application Note 2; United States v. Savage, 891 F.2d 145, 151 (7th Cir.1989). 39 As noted above, the district court adopted the probation office's calculations with respect to the appellants' relevant conduct. The pertinent section of the PSR (identical for each of the appellants) concluded that the Taylor conspiracy had been quite industrious between the Spring of 1992 and February of 1993: 40 [W]e believe it is fair to say that trips to Illinois occurred on the average of six times per month. (By some accounts, the trips occurred every other week to once per week, by others they occurred every other day.) Clearly there was not a set amount of cocaine brought back on each occasion; it appears the amounts ranged from about two ounces to as much as eight ounces. It also appears that the frequency of the trips and the quantity brought back may have increased during the fall months of 1992. We believe an average of 4 ounces per trip is representative. Six trips per month X 4 ounces per trip = 24 ounces per month. 41 For Charles Taylor, Cathy Demski, and Gary Taylor, Sr., the computations are based on 9 months: May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 1992 and January 1993, plus approximately 7 ounces obtained in Arizona and the 4 ounces obtained on or about February 12, 1993. Nine months X 24 ounces per month = 216 ounces. 216 ounces + 11 ounces = 227 ounces. 227 ounces X 28.35 grams per ounce = 6435 grams = 6.435 kilograms. 42 For Harley Pryne, the computations are based on 4 months: September, October and November 1992, and part of December 1992 and January 1993; plus approximately 7 ounces obtained in Arizona and the 4 ounces obtained on or about February 12, 1993. Pryne was hospitalized as a result of a drinking related crash on December 15, 1992 after which he entered inpatient AODA 13 treatment. He was released on January 20, 1993. Therefore, he is not credited for the entire months of December and January. Four months X 24 ounces per month = 96 ounces. 96 ounces + 11 ounces = 107 ounces. 107 ounces X 28.35 grams per ounce = 3303 grams = 3.033 kilograms. 43 A district court's calculation of the quantity of narcotics attributable to a defendant under Sec. 1B1.3 is a factual determination that we review deferentially: 44 The government must prove the sentencing factors under the Guidelines [including relevant conduct] by a preponderance of the evidence. The factual findings of the district court will not be overturned unless they are clearly erroneous.... Thus, we will reverse the district court's conclusion as to the quantity of cocaine attributed to [a] defendant[ ] only if we have a definite and firm conviction that the district court made a clear mistake in sentencing. The district court is to base its determinations upon the evidence in the record and upon its own credibility evaluations. These credibility evaluations will be given utmost deference. 45 United States v. Mumford, 25 F.3d 461, 465 (7th Cir.1994) (citations omitted); see also United States v. Garcia, 66 F.3d 851, 856 (7th Cir.1995) (and cases cited therein); 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3742(e) (the court of appeals ... shall accept the findings of fact of the district court unless they are clearly erroneous). 46 The Government notes that while clear error is the standard of review to be applied to Demski and Gary Taylor, Sr., plain error is the standard with respect to Pryne because he waived the relevant conduct issue during sentencing. At the sentencing hearing, Pryne's attorney conceded the equation of the pretrial services people with respect to the monthly amounts of cocaine distributed by the Taylor conspiracy (i.e., 6 trips per month X 4 ounces per trip = 24 ounces per month). He nevertheless argued that the evidence demonstrated that Pryne had only been involved in the conspiracy during October, November, and arguably one half of December. Therefore, only slightly more than two kilograms could be attributed to Pryne as relevant conduct. 14 However, Pryne's attorney admitted that two kilograms still ... puts us in the same guideline [range] of 70 months to 87 months. By making these concessions on the relevant conduct issue, the Government argues, Pryne waived this issue on appeal and cannot have his sentence overturned unless the district court's findings were plainly erroneous. United States v. Zarnes, 33 F.3d 1454, 1474 (7th Cir.1994), cert. denied --- U.S. ----, 115 S.Ct. 2286, 132 L.Ed.2d 288 (1995). We agree with this analysis and also with the Government's ultimate conclusion that the differing standards of review are merely academic because ... there was no error, clear, plain, or otherwise. 47