Opinion ID: 703903
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Minimal Participant Adjustment under U.S.S.G. Sec. 3B1.2

Text: 20 Finally, the defendant argues that he was entitled to between a two and four point reduction in his offense level because of his minor or minimal participation in the offense. 12 The defendant raised this issue at the sentencing and it was rejected by the district court. 13 21 U.S.S.G. Sec. 3B1.2 is designed to reduce a defendant's sentence when he is substantially less culpable than the average participant. 14 This section does not apply whenever a defendant is, to a lesser degree, less culpable than his co-conspirators. 15 Rather, as noted in the comments to Sec. 3B1.2, a downward adjustment for a minimal participant will be used infrequently. 16 Also, this Court has held previously that defendants like Edwards, whose participation is limited to holding or delivering drugs, may not, despite their more limited role in the conspiracy, be eligible for a reduction of their offense level under Sec. 3B1.2. 17 22 According to admissions he made to the probation officer in preparation of the PSI, Edwards helped weigh the drugs, hid them on behalf of the conspiracy, and on several occasions accompanied a co-conspirator making deliveries. 18 Furthermore, the defendant admitted to making several sales on his own. 19 In these circumstances, the district court did not clearly err when it determined that Edwards was not entitled to a reduction in his offense level because he was a minor or minimal participant. We, therefore, affirm this aspect of Edwards's sentence.