Opinion ID: 779593
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Presence of a firearm in connection with the offense.

Text: 78 Lowe argues that the district court erred when it imposed a 2-level enhancement for possession of a firearm in connection with the crime of conviction. See U.S.S.G. § 2D.1(b)(1). The possession of a firearm for sentencing purposes is a question of fact reviewed for clear error. See Nance, 236 F.3d at 826; United States v. Berthiaume, 233 F.3d 1000, 1002 (7th Cir.2000). Further, one of the application notes to § 2D1.1 states that an enhancement for a firearm  should be applied if the weapon was present, unless it is clearly improbable that the weapon was connected with the offense. § 2D1.1, cmt. n. 3 (emphasis added) (giving example of a hunting rifle as an unrelated firearm). Once the government proves that a gun was present in the commission of an offense, the burden shifts to the defendant to show that it was clearly improbable that the gun was connected with the offense. See Berthiaume, 233 F.3d at 1004. 79 Here, a judge could reasonably conclude that several of the firearms confiscated by police were connected with the drug conspiracy. Police found several firearms at Lowe's residence, where he kept more than $100,000, which was likely the product of the illegal drug trade. When police executed the search warrant for Lowe's used car lot, which was used as the drop-off location for a van filled with approximately 115 pounds of marijuana, they found a loaded shotgun in the bathroom of the garage. Lowe testified at trial that the shotgun belonged to his mechanic and that he was unaware it was on the premises. However, this assertion does not demonstrate a sufficient improbability that the gun was connected to drug trafficking. In any event, Lowe's testimony does not establish an innocent explanation for the presence of the guns found at his residence, where he kept more than $100,000 in cash, presumably derived, at least in part, from drug trafficking. The district court's ruling on the § 2D1.1(b)(1) enhancement was not clearly erroneous. 80