Opinion ID: 2994844
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Carter’s Objection to Being Sentenced to 66

Text: Months of Imprisonment Carter argues, the government concedes, and we agree that the district court erred in sentencing him to concurrent terms of 66 months when the statutory maximum term of imprisonment was limited to 60 months on each of the four counts of his conviction. See United States v. Joetski, 952 F.2d 1090, 1098 (9th Cir. 1991). While the trial judge obviously could have sentenced Carter to 66 months (and a great deal more) if he would have imposed consecutive sentences, his order specifically directs that Carter’s sentences are to run concurrently with one another. The procedure for sentencing on multiple counts of conviction is set forth at U.S.S.G. sec. 5G1.2. Section 5G1.2(d) states: If the sentence imposed on the count carrying the highest statutory maximum is less than the total punishment, then the sentence imposed on one or more of the other counts shall run consecutively, but only to the extent necessary to produce a combined sentence equal to the total punishment. In all other respects, sentences on all counts shall run concurrently, except to the extent otherwise required by law. We remand Carter’s case to the district court for re-sentencing, requesting that the sentencing court make clear whether it intended to either: (1) sentence Carter utilizing consecutive sentences under U.S.S.G. sec. 5G1.2(d); or (2) sentence him to 60 months imprisonment on all four counts, with each sentence to run concurrent with each other. Id.