Opinion ID: 611597
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Sentence Enhancement Based on Firearms

Text: 111 Arias-Villanueva argues that the district court erred in increasing his offense level pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(b)(1) because there is no evidence that he owned, controlled or was aware of any of the guns used during the conspiracy. The district court increased Arias-Villanueva's offense level because of conduct of others in furtherance of the jointly-undertaken criminal activity that was reasonably foreseeable to the defendant. See U.S.S.G. § 1B1.3, note 1. The court found that Valencia-Mazariegos' possession of the firearm during the plan to kill Elias was reasonably foreseeable to all of the defendants. Cf. United States v. Kelso, 942 F.2d 680, 682 n. 3 (9th Cir.1991) (noting that foreseeability of the use of a gun by a coconspirator would be sufficient basis for application of the enhancement). This is especially true in Arias-Villanueva's case because he was in the room when the plan to kill Elias was discussed between Orantes-Arriaga and Boyer. The district court's enhancement was justified. 112