Opinion ID: 164559
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Aberrant Behavior Departure

Text: 21 The district court also erred in departing downward on Mrs. Lang's sentence based on the allegedly aberrant nature of her criminal behavior. The district court specifically based its aberrant behavior departure on the fact that Mrs. Lang has gone to school, she's graduated from high school, she's trained herself through college, [and] she's up until the recent period [had] a very good work ethic. 22 These factors do not justify an aberrant behavior departure. Application Note 1 to § 5k2.20 of the Guidelines states that an aberrant behavior departure is only permissible if the defendant's crime (A) was committed without significant planning; (B) was of limited duration; and (C) represents a marked deviation ... from an otherwise law-abiding life. U.S.S.G. § 5k2.20, Application Note 1. Even if Mrs. Lang satisfied points (A) and (B), she failed to meet the requirements of point (C). As the district court states, there was a history and is a history of drug use [by Mrs. Lang]. Moreover, Mrs. Lang's Presentence Investigation Report contains additional information that counsels against a finding that her behavior here represents a marked deviation ... from an otherwise law-abiding life. U.S.S.G. § 5k2.20, Application Note 1. 23 Furthermore, Mrs. Lang's education and work history, on which the district court based its aberrant behavior departure, are discouraged factors that a district court should only consider in cases where the surrounding circumstances render the educational and employment accomplishments extraordinary. U.S.S.G. § 5H1.2; see also United States v. Alvarez-Pineda, 258 F.3d 1230, 1240 (10th Cir.2001). Neither the district court nor Mrs. Lang have provided any persuasive evidence that her education or employment history are exceptional. Therefore, given the overwhelming evidence that Mrs. Lang's behavior was not aberrant, we find that the district court erred in granting Mrs. Lang an aberrant behavior departure.