Opinion ID: 674373
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Term of Imprisonment

Text: 12 Powers argues that the district court failed to follow U.S.S.G. Sec. 7B1.4(a), which provided a sentencing range of 3-9 months, and instead imposed sentence under Sec. 2J1.3, which provided a range of 6-12 months. Although the policy statements in chapter 7 of the Sentencing Guidelines are not binding on the district court, the court must consider them. See United States v. Forrester, 19 F.3d 483, 484-85 (9th Cir.1994). 13 The district court did not identify which guideline it applied. It imposed a sentence of 12 months imprisonment, with credit for six months previously served in a community correction center. That sentence is consistent with the midpoint in the 3-9 month range suggested by Sec. 7B1.4(a), together with the increase for the six months served as required by U.S.S.G. Sec. 7B1.3(e). See also id. comment. (n. 4). It is also consistent with the top of the sentencing range under Sec. 2J1.3. Although Powers insists that the district court should have applied chapter 7, factoring in the six months already served, the sentencing range under chapter 7 was 9-15 months, whereas the sentencing range under chapter 2 was 6-12 months. Thus, Powers was potentially subject to a longer term of imprisonment under chapter 7. There is no reason to think that the district court would, under either circumstance, have meted out a lesser sentence than it gave here. Even if there were an error, it was harmless.