Opinion ID: 2784705
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Ismael’s Sentence

Text: Ismael finally contends the district court erred in denying his request for a fourlevel sentence reduction under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.2(a), which provides a four-level reduction in the offense level “[i]f the defendant was a minimal participant in any criminal activity.” According to Ismael, he was entitled to a reduction because “his conduct was less culpable than” Jose’s and the balance of the evidence, in his view, suggested Ismael “was only along to assist Jose in his operation.” In denying Ismael a sentence reduction, the district court found the “degree of sophistication involved in this offense,” the large quantity of drugs recovered, and “the elaborate nature in which the drugs were hidden and protected” indicated “both defendants [Jose and Ismael] were deeply involved” in criminal activity. We detect no clear error in the district court’s findings regarding Ismael’s substantial role in his crimes and conclude the district court properly denied Ismael’s request for a sentence reduction. See United States v. Martinez, 168 F.3d 1043, 1048 (8th Cir. 1999) (standard of review).