Opinion ID: 548727
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Requisite Intent under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1542

Text: 20 Liss' final claim is that the government misled the district court concerning the requisite intent under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1542, causing the district court to erroneously accept the plea. Because this is a matter which Liss could have raised on direct appeal, review is barred unless he can demonstrate cause for his failure to appeal as well as actual prejudice resulting from the errors alleged. Norris v. United States, 687 F.2d 899, 901 (7th Cir.1985). This court has applied this standard to guilty pleas in fact situations similar to Liss'. Nevarez-Diaz v. United States, 870 F.2d 417, 422 (7th Cir.1989). Liss had not offered any reason for raising this issue for the first time collaterally instead of on direct appeal. Thus, he has failed to satisfy the cause requirement of Norris. 21 Furthermore, it does not appear that Liss was prejudiced because the record is clear that the prosecutor did not mislead the court as to the intent required to establish an offense under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1542. The following colloquy occurred between the court, the prosecution and defense counsel prior to the court's acceptance of Liss' plea: 22 THE COURT: All right. Let me ask Miss Uhlarik. I don't have my Criminal Code out here with me. Is intent, a specific intent to defraud, an element of this offense? 23 ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY: I don't believe it is, your Honor. The count of the indictment that's 24 . . . . . 25 THE COURT: I think that is a critical factor in this case. If the specific intent to defraud is not an element of the case, I don't have a problem accepting the plea. I do if it is ... 26 ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY: Your Honor, based on my understanding of this-- ... 27 THE COURT: All right. Could you loan me your Title 18. 28 ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY: Sure. 29 MR. DAVIS: I have the Code also, your Honor. 30 (Defense Counsel) I can. 31 THE COURT: Thank you. What specific provision? 32 ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY: Your Honor, it's Title 18, Sec. 1542. 33 THE COURT: Well, knowingly and willfully, but I don't see any specific intent other than to induce or secure the issuance of a passport. All right. Well, I don't see that intent to defraud is an element. You might take a look at the case law Mr. Davis. 34 MR. DAVIS: I have, your Honor. 35 THE COURT: All right. 36 The district court heard and accepted Liss' plea of guilty, and neither the defense counsel nor the defendant made any objections. As is evident from the record, the prosecutor in no way misled the district court as to intent required to establish an offense under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1542. Furthermore, the record indicates that the court reached its own conclusion regarding the intent required to establish an offense. 37 Finally, Liss was not prejudiced by the district court's decision which was based on its own independent reading and interpretation of the statute, 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1542, and this determination was proper. 3 For a violation of Sec. 1542 to occur, an individual must have specific intent to misstate information on a passport application: The crime is complete when one makes a statement one knows is untrue to procure a passport. United States v. O'Bryant, 775 F.2d 1528, 1535 (11th Cir.1985); (Good or bad motives are irrelevant.); O'Bryant at 1535 (citing Browder v. United States, 312 U.S. 335, 337-38, 61 S.Ct. 599, 601-02, 85 L.Ed. 862 (1941)). The district court properly concluded that Liss simply had to know for the purposes of the statute that the information he submitted was false. Liss admitted during plea proceedings that he knew his name was not Gerald Lew Drazin and his date of birth was not July 19, 1944, at the time he completed the application for the passport. He stated that he assumed the false identity in order that he might avoid being arrested on outstanding warrants. There is no question, based on these admissions, that Liss made false statements willfully and knowingly ... with intent to secure the issuance of a passport. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1542.