Opinion ID: 595542
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: enhancement of offense level for obstruction of justice

Text: 58 Section 3C1.1 of the United States Sentencing Commission Guidelines provides that: 59 If the defendant willfully obstructed or impeded, or attempted to obstruct or impede, the administration of justice during the investigation, prosecution, or sentencing of the instant offense, increase the level by two levels. 60 U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1. The sentencing court applied the two point enhancement to the appellants, both of whom objected and both of whom now challenge that application on appeal. Determination of whether U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1 applies to appellants' conduct is an interpretation of the scope of the Guidelines and is reviewed de novo. United States v. Werlinger, 894 F.2d 1015 (8th Cir.1990). 61 While both appellants challenge the district court's application of the two point enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1, they do so on slightly different grounds. Accordingly, we shall consider appellants' arguments separately.
62 Mark John Lamere was convicted solely on the basis of Count III of the indictment, which charged him with passing or attempting to pass a counterfeit one hundred dollar bill, with intent to defraud, on May 19, 1990. The district court applied the obstruction enhancement for Mark John Lamere's role in directing his brother to conceal the $39,600 in counterfeit currency found in the attic. Mr. Lamere contends that the obstruction enhancement was applied based on the concealment of the $39,600 in the attic, and that he was convicted of passing a single, and different, counterfeit one hundred dollar bill, an offense separate from and unrelated to the money found in the attic. U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1 directs that the obstruction must be related to the instant offense for the enhancement to apply. Under his interpretation, concealment of the $39,600 was unrelated to the offense for which he was convicted. He argues the concealed counterfeit notes were not material to the investigation, prosecution or sentencing on the single count of passing a counterfeit one hundred dollar, therefore, the district court's consideration of concealment of the $39,600, for obstruction purposes, amounted to an incorrect application of the Guidelines. We disagree. 63 Mark John Lamere contends that the $39,600 in counterfeit bills was not material to the investigation, prosecution or sentencing on the count of his conviction. The official investigation, in this case, began when Mark John Lamere was interviewed by the police on May 19, 1990, at the bar where he attempted to pass a counterfeit one hundred dollar bill. An increase for obstruction is properly applied for conduct that occurs during the investigation, prosecution or sentencing phases of the instant offense. See, e.g., United States v. Patterson, 890 F.2d 69 (8th Cir.1989) (giving false name to officer); United States v. Roberson, 872 F.2d 597 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 493 U.S. 861, 110 S.Ct. 175, 107 L.Ed.2d 131 (1989) (hiding stolen credit card under seat of police car). 6 64 This Court has interpreted the phrase instant offense in U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1 to mean the offense of conviction. United States v. Dortch, 923 F.2d 629, 632 (8th Cir.1991). In Mark John Lamere's case, the offense of conviction was passing or attempting to pass a counterfeit one hundred dollar bill, with intent to defraud. Accordingly, we must determine if, by concealing the $39,600 in counterfeit currency, appellant obstructed or impeded, or attempted to obstruct or impede, the administration of justice with regard to the investigation, prosecution or sentencing on his conviction for passing the counterfeit one hundred dollar bill. The Application Notes to U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1 define obstructing conduct to include destroying or concealing or directing or procuring another person to destroy or conceal evidence that is material to an official investigation or judicial proceeding ..., or attempting to do so. U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1, comment. (n. 3(d)) (emphasis added). 65 As our discussion in part II. of this opinion, supra, demonstrates, the $39,600 in counterfeit currency, which appellant sought to conceal, was particularly relevant to the sentencing proceedings in this matter. Additionally, on the single count of passing counterfeit, the government carried the burden of proving appellant's knowledge of the counterfeit character of the bill he attempted to pass, and that he had a general intent to defraud a third party or parties with the bill. United States v. Baker, 650 F.2d 936, 937 (8th Cir.1981). At the time of his arrest, Mark John Lamere claimed that his possession of the counterfeit bills was innocent; he asserted that he had received them in consideration for a Rolex watch he had sold the previous evening. Clearly, the $39,600, which appellant sought to conceal, was material to disproving his claim of innocent possession, as well as proving his intent to defraud by passing the bill at the Perimeter Bar. 7 66 We hold that the district did not err in its application of the two point obstruction of justice enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1 to the sentence of Mark John Lamere. Accordingly, we AFFIRM that portion of the district court's decision.
67 Count V, the count of Jean-Paul Lamere's conviction, was drawn under 18 U.S.C. § 472, which makes it a crime to, inter alia, possess or conceal counterfeit currency. 8 Count V charges that: 68 On or about the 20th day of May, 1990, in the State and District of Minnesota, the defendant JEAN-PAUL ALLEN LAMERE 69 with intent to defraud, did possess or conceal falsely made, forged, counterfeit obligations or securities of the United States, to wit: counterfeit $20 face value and $100 face value Federal Reserve Notes in the total approximate amount of $40,000; in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 472. 70 (Emphasis added). As noted above, pursuant to a written plea agreement, Jean-Paul Lamere pled guilty to Count V of the indictment charging him with possessing or concealing falsely made counterfeit obligation of the United States. Plea Agreement and Sentencing Stipulations, United States v. Jean-Paul Lamere, Cr. No. 3-91-73(02), Minn.D. Aug. 20, 1991. (Emphasis added). 71 Appellant argues that the offense to which he pled guilty included the elements of possession and concealment of the counterfeit currency in question. This possession and concealment was at the direction of his brother and was one and the same with conduct upon which the district court supported its two point enhancement for obstruction of justice. Appellant urges that basing an obstruction enhancement upon the same conduct for which he was convicted amounts to double counting and is violative of the intention of the Sentencing Commission that Guideline sections should not be construed in a manner that would result in cumulative punishment for the same conduct. See United States v. Werlinger, 894 F.2d 1015, 1017-18 (8th Cir.1990). 72 In Werlinger, this Court stated its opinion that the Guideline Commission did not intend for the obstruction adjustment to apply cumulatively to the same conduct. Id. at 1017. This Court applies the presumption that sentence enhancement provisions will not be applied cumulatively, in the absence of a clear expression of legislative intent to the contrary. Id. (citations omitted). Put another way, Congress does not intend to impose multiple punishments for one offense unless it clearly expresses an intent to do so. Id. (citations omitted). The Court reasoned that there is nothing in the Guidelines or its commentary to indicate a clear intention to impose cumulative punishments. Id. at 1018. On the contrary, the Guidelines Commission has recognized that 'double-counting' conduct in applying the Guidelines is inconsistent with the congressional goal of proportionality in sentencing and should be avoided. Id.; see also the commentary to various Chapter Three adjustments, which explain application so as to prevent double-counting. This recognition, and resultant policy of mutual exclusivity indicates that the Sentencing Commission did not intend for multiple Guidelines sections to be construed so as to impose cumulative punishment for the same conduct. Werlinger, 894 F.2d at 1018. 73 In United States v. Lloyd, this Court followed Werlinger. 947 F.2d 339 (8th Cir.1990). Lloyd involved a defendant convicted for bankruptcy fraud. Id. The district court enhanced his offense level for obstruction of justice under U.S.S.G. § 3C.1 based on his conduct in concealing assets from bankruptcy court officers and for committing perjury. Id. This Court found the conduct supporting the enhancement to be coterminous with the conduct that was the basis for criminal charges. Id. Citing Werlinger, this Court held that U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1 (obstruction enhancement) does not apply to conduct that is part of the crime itself and remanded the case to the district court to resentence Lloyd. Id. 74 Here, the two level obstruction enhancement, as applied against Appellant Jean-Paul Lamere, was based upon conduct that was coterminous with the conduct for which he was convicted. Under Werlinger and Lloyd, supra, such enhancement would amount to double-counting. Accordingly, we hold that the district court erred in applying U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1 obstruction enhancement to Appellant Jean-Paul Lamere. We therefore REVERSE that portion of the district court's decision.