Opinion ID: 608921
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Amount Used to Establish Base Offense Level

Text: 9 All four defendants objected at sentencing to calculating their offense levels based on a finding that the conspiracy participants had 150 pounds of marijuana available to distribute. 10 The court relied on U.S.S.G. § 2D1.4 to reach the final figure of 150 pounds. This section states that the offense level shall be the same as if the object of the conspiracy ... had been completed. U.S.S.G. § 2D1.4. 3 When calculating that the object of the conspiracy involved 150 pounds, the court included the 31.6 pounds seized at Thrifty Inn and the 43.05 pounds seized from Carlos' house. Thus, the 150-pound estimate assumes that the conspiracy involved the marijuana seized at both locations and also involved 75.35 additional pounds of marijuana which was not seized. 11 We review factual findings by a sentencing court for clear error. United States v. Balfany, 965 F.2d 575, 584 (8th Cir.1992). We reverse if we are left with the definite and firm conviction that the sentencing court erred. See United States v. Lawrence, 915 F.2d 402, 406 (8th Cir.1990). We have reviewed the evidence before the district court from which it made the finding that the object of the conspiracy involved 150 pounds, and have found only the following: (1) At trial, Detective Pauley was asked how much marijuana he originally was looking to buy. He answered approximately a hundred to 150 pounds. Trial Tr. 2-4. Pauley also testified that when he and Valenzuela discussed the purchase, Valenzuela stated that he did not have the 150 pounds, he had 30 pounds left for sale. Trial Tr. 2-6; and (2) the presentence report for all four defendants contained a statement indicating the confidential informant had told an agent that 150 pounds were available. 12 However, a presentence report is not evidence, United States v. Wise, 976 F.2d 393, 404 (8th Cir.1992) (en banc), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 113 S.Ct. 1592, 123 L.Ed.2d 157 (1993), the confidential informant did not testify at trial that the conspiracy involved 150 pounds, and the government introduced no evidence to support the statement in the presentence report. Pauley's trial testimony does not establish that Valenzuela ever had 150 pounds for sale. It merely establishes that Pauley wanted to buy up to that amount. This is insufficient evidence for the court to have found the object of the conspiracy was the sale of 150 pounds. Compare United State v. Burks, 934 F.2d 148, 152 (8th Cir.1991) (holding clearly erroneous a finding that the defendant intended to manufacture seven pounds of amphetamine when the government produced no evidence of a lab, equipment, or drugs; government agent never saw drugs or smelled distinctive odor from manufacturing; and defendant's course of conduct did not indicate he owned a lab) with United States v. Mason, 982 F.2d 325, 328 (8th Cir.1993) (holding not clearly erroneous a conservative estimate based on number of plastic bags recovered after defendants were seen emptying bags of cocaine during car chase); United States v. Stephenson, 924 F.2d 753, 764 (8th Cir.) (approving use of cash seized and testimony of price for which drug routinely is sold to estimate quantity involved in conspiracy), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 112 S.Ct. 63, 116 L.Ed.2d 39 (1991). 13 Additionally, the government produced evidence which established only that Carlos possessed the marijuana seized from his house. It failed to produce sufficient evidence at trial or at sentencing to establish that the object of the conspiracy included the marijuana seized at Carlos' house. The only reliable evidence produced linking the two quantities of marijuana was the similar packaging. Without more, this is insufficient to establish the object of the conspiracy included the marijuana seized at Carlos' house. Accordingly, the district court's findings that the object of the conspiracy was the sale of 150 pounds of marijuana and that the object of the conspiracy included sale of the marijuana seized at Carlos' house were unsupported by the evidence and were clearly erroneous. The record supports only the finding that the object of the conspiracy was the distribution of the amount at Thrifty Inn. 14 However, the amount of drugs possessed by a coconspirator can be used to establish the offense level of a defendant if the coconspirator's possession was in furtherance of the conspiracy and was reasonably foreseeable. U.S.S.G. § 1B1.3, comment. (n. 1). Although the district court did not mention this guideline section at sentencing, we may affirm on any ground supported by the record. United States v. Lincoln, 956 F.2d 1465, 1470 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 113 S.Ct. 259, 121 L.Ed.2d 190 (1992). Therefore, we can affirm use of the marijuana seized from Carlos' house to establish the offense levels for the other three defendants if Carlos' possession was in furtherance of the conspiracy and that possession was reasonably foreseeable. 15 At Ismael's sentencing, the court stated Ismael had urged that the determination of the amount of marijuana attributable to him should be based only on his conduct and not the conduct of the other members. The court attributed the entire amount of marijuana to Ismael, finding that Ismael lived with Carlos, could have seen what was going on, and was aware of what was happening. Simple knowledge that Carlos possessed marijuana other than the marijuana at Thrifty Inn is not enough to attribute the total amount to Ismael. See United States v. North, 900 F.2d 131, 134 (8th Cir.1990). However, the court also considered Ismael's actions, which would include not only his role during the transaction at the Thrifty Inn, but also his statement that he helped Carlos package the marijuana, which was packaged similarly in both locations. We read this as finding that the marijuana seized in both locations was in furtherance of Ismael's agreement with Carlos and was reasonably foreseeable by Ismael. This finding is not clearly erroneous. See United States v. Granados, 962 F.2d 767, 771 (8th Cir.1992) (affirming use of amount of cocaine possessed by coconspirators to determine defendant's offense level because conspirators had signed an agreement to distribute and had a close working relationship). We affirm the use of the amount of marijuana seized in both locations to calculate Ismael's base offense level. 16 At Valenzuela's and Garrido's sentencing hearings, however, the court did not make findings that allow us to affirm use of the marijuana seized at Carlos' house to determine their offense levels. Upon remand, we direct the sentencing court to determine whether, by a preponderance of the evidence, Carlos' possession of the marijuana in his house was in furtherance of the conspiracy and was reasonably foreseeable to Valenzuela and Garrido. See United States v. Rogers, 982 F.2d 1241, 1246 (8th Cir.1993).