Opinion ID: 3002512
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: analysis

Text: Hall’s sole argument in this successive appeal is that he was sentenced not only for his gun possession, but also for his trade of crack cocaine for a car, and therefore the trial court should have granted his motion for sentence reduction. We review a district court’s application of the sentencing guidelines de novo. United States v. Rollins, 544 F.3d 820, 837 (7th Cir. 2008). Under § 3582(c)(2), a district court may reduce a previously imposed term of imprisonment when it is based on a sentencing range that has subsequently been lowered by an amendment to the Sentencing Guidelines, if such a reduction is consistent with the policy statements issued by the United States Sentencing Commission. United States v. Lawrence, 535 F.3d 631, 637 (7th Cir. 2008). On November 1, 2007, the Sentencing Commission promulgated Amendment 706, which amended the Drug Quantity Table in U.S.S.G. § 2D 1.1(c). U.S.S.G. App. C, Amend. 706 (2007). Amendment 706 provided a two-level reduction in base offense levels for most crack cocaine offenses. On December 11, 2007, the Sentencing Commission also promulgated Amendments 712 and 713, which made Amendment 706 retroactive. The purpose of the amendments was to address the 100 to 1 sentencing disparity for crack cocaine and powder cocaine offenses. United States v. Padilla, 520 F.3d 766, 773-74 n.2 (7th Cir. 2008). It is clear to us that the district court properly calculated Hall’s sentence for his unlawful possession of a firearm under U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1. The district court also properly enhanced Hall’s sentence by four levels under U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(b) because he possessed the gun when he traded the crack for the car. The fatal flaw in Hall’s argument is that his sentence was not calculated under U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1 for any crack cocaine transaction. Instead, he was convicted for his unlawful possession of a firearm, which is not within the purview of sentences reduced by Amendment 706. His sentencing range was not subsequently lowered by Amendment 706, as required for a modification of his sentence under § 3582(c)(2).