Opinion ID: 2995295
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The District Court’s Application of

Text: the Sentencing Guidelines Garcia’s final contention is that the sentencing judge misconstrued the breadth of his downward departure authority under U.S.S.G sec. 2L1.2, and Application Note 5 to that section. The Guideline provides a base offense level of 8 for a conviction of illegal re-entry after deportation. U.S.S.G sec. 2L1.2(a). An upward adjustment of 16 levels is mandated where the deportation was subsequent to a conviction for an aggravated felony. U.S.S.G. sec. 2L1.2(b)(1)(A). Application Note 5 to the Sentencing Guideline states that a downward departure from the 16 level adjustment may be warranted if the defendant’s aggravated felony conviction meets each of three enumerated criteria. The note provides as follows: Aggravated felonies that trigger the adjustment from subsection (b)(1)(A) vary widely. If subsection (b)(1)(A) applies, and (A) the defendant has previously been convicted of only one felony offense; (B) such offense was not a crime of violence or firearms offense; and (C) the term of imprisonment imposed for such offense did not exceed one year, a downward departure may be warranted based on the seriousness of the aggravated felony. U.S.S.G. sec. 2L1.2, Application Note 5. At sentencing, Garcia requested a downward departure based upon Application Note 5. The judge denied his request, holding that Garcia failed to meet each of the three criteria delineated in Application Note 5 because his 1988 conviction resulted in a term of imprisonment in excess of one year when his probation was revoked and he received a three year sentence. On appeal, Garcia contends that the judge erred in his determination that each of the criteria referred to in Application Note 5 must be satisfied in order for a downward departure to be authorized. Garcia’s argument is precluded by our recent decision in United States v. Palomino-Rivera, 258 F.3d 656, 660 (7th Cir. 2001). In promulgating Application Note 5, the [Sentencing] Commission defined the heartland of sec. 2L1.2 by exclusion; a downward departure from the sixteen-point enhancement is authorized only if the defendant satisfies all three criteria enumerated in Application Note 5 . . . Any other interpretation would render the application note effectively meaningless. [United States v. Tappin, 205 F.3d 536, 541 (2d Cir. 2000).]. We shall not second-guess the conscious policy choices of Congress and the Sentencing Commission, an activity in which we are not at liberty to engage. [United States v. Marquez-Gallegos, 217 F.3d 1267, 1271 (10th Cir. 2000)]. Palomino-Rivera, 2001 WL 818791 at -4 (emphasis added). The holding quoted above is dispositive of Garcia’s argument on appeal. Because his 1988 conviction resulted in imposition of a prison term in excess of one year, his conviction did not meet each of the criteria enumerated in Application Note 5, and the district court did not err in determining that a downward departure from the prescribed sentencing range would be improper.