Opinion ID: 203288
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 16

Heading: Consecutive Sentences on Section 924(c) Counts

Text: Feliciano points out that his convictions for Count Four and Count Six arise from the same predicate offense, namely, possession or use of a firearm in relation to the same drug conspiracy, in violation of section 924(c). The only difference between the two counts is that one incident of gun possession occurred on April 10, 2003 and the second incident occurred on April 19, 2003. Feliciano argues that the dual section 924(c) convictions, arising as they do from the same underlying drug conspiracy, violated the prohibition against double jeopardy, and that this was plain error. Thus, Feliciano claims, his sentence on Count Six should be vacated and he should be sentenced only for his conviction on Count Four. The Government agrees that Counts Four and Six are based on a single predicate drug offense and concedes that it was improper for the trial court to impose two consecutive sentences for section 924(c) violations arising from the same drug conspiracy. In United States v. Pena-Lora, we adopted the position taken by the majority of our sister circuits and held that the imposition of multiple consecutive sentences under subsection 924(c) for using multiple weapons during a single predicate crime would impinge upon fundamental `double jeopardy' principles. 225 F.3d 17, 32 (1st Cir.2000); see also United States v. Anderson, 59 F.3d 1323, 1334 (D.C.Cir. 1995); United States v. Lindsay, 985 F.2d 666, 674 (2d Cir. 1993); United States v. Privette, 947 F.2d 1259, 1262-63 (5th Cir. 1991); United States v. Taylor, 13 F.3d 986, 994 (6th Cir.1994); United States v. Cappas, 29 F.3d 1187, 1191 (7th Cir.1994); United States v. Fontanilla, 849 F.2d 1257, 1258-59 (9th Cir.1988); United States v. Moore, 958 F.2d 310, 312 (10th Cir.1992); United States v. Hamilton, 953 F.2d 1344, 1346 (11th Cir.1992). Accordingly, in Pena-Lora, we found that the district court had committed plain error in imposing consecutive sentences for the appellant's two acts of firearm possession that had taken place during a single underlying act of hostage-taking. Here, too, the district court plainly erred in imposing multiple consecutive sentences for two acts of firearm possession arising from the same predicate drug conspiracy. Thus, we must vacate one of the two section 924(c) convictions and remand for re-sentencing on the remaining count. Having determined that the district court erred in finding that Appellant brandished a firearm in imposing sentence on Count Four, it now makes no difference under § 924(c) whether [Feliciano] is convicted and sentenced for Count [4] or Count [6], since both carry five-year mandatory minimum penalties and both are supported by sufficient evidence. Taylor, 13 F.3d at 994. Thus, we vacate Appellant's conviction and sentence on Count Four, affirm Appellant's conviction on Count Six, and remand to the district court for re-sentencing on Count Six to the statutory minimum term of five years, to run consecutively to the sentences imposed on Counts One and Two.