Opinion ID: 167108
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Mr. Weidner's Defense

Text: 27 Mr. Weidner pleaded guilty to counts 3 and 4 (making false entries on the May 14, 2001 questionnaire responses and the May 31, 2001 financial statement), but he defended the remaining counts at trial. His defense as to the conspiracy count, the allegedly false statements on the April 27, 2001 loan proposal, and the money laundering charge (counts 1, 2, and 6) was that he had not intended for the $1.5 million increase in Mr. Wittig's line of credit to be used for the Arizona venture. He testified that, although he did intend to borrow money from Mr. Wittig, his understanding was that the money would come from a source outside Capital City Bank. As to Mr. Wittig's January 8, 2002 financial statement (the subject of count 5), Mr. Weidner maintained that the statement was submitted by Mr. Wittig acting alone. E. The Judge's Findings at Sentencing 28 After the jury convicted Mr. Wittig and Mr. Weidner, the district court applied the 2001 version of the United States Sentencing Guidelines (USSG) (those in effect at the time of the offense conduct). The sentencing proceedings focused on the determination of the offense level based on the amount of loss. 29 The court determined the amount of loss in two ways. Applying USSG § 2B1.1(b)(12), the court considered the gross receipts that the defendants had obtained from the offenses of conviction. The court also determined the amount of intended loss. The court found that both Mr. Wittig and Mr. Weidner had received $1.5 million in gross receipts and that they had each intended a loss of that amount. As to Mr. Weidner, the court further found that he had obstructed justice and that he had abused a position of trust. Applying USSG §§ 3C1.1 and 3B1.3, the court increased Mr. Weidner's offense level by two points for each of those findings. 30 As to Mr. Wittig, the court imposed concurrent sentences of fifty-one months' incarceration, a fine of $1 million, and a three-year term of supervised release. The court sentenced Mr. Weidner to concurrent terms of seventy-eight months' incarceration and three years' supervised release.