Opinion ID: 77733
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Robertson's Convictions and Sentencing

Text: In January 2006, Robertson was convicted by a jury on eight counts of wire fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1343, for causing eight purchase orders to be sent in interstate commerce by facsimile on behalf of ACL Learning Center (counts 1 through 3), Cobb Academy (count 4), Fulton County Educational Services (count 5), and Atlanta City Educational Services (counts 6 through 8). Robertson was also convicted on eight counts of mail fraud, id. § 1341, for causing Novell products to be sent by private and interstate carrier boxes to ACL Learning Center (counts 9 through 11), Cobb Academy (count 12), Fulton County Educational Services (count 13), and Atlanta City Educational Services (counts 14 through 16). Robertson moved for a judgment of acquittal as to the counts relating to Fulton County Educational Services (counts 5 and 13), and the district court denied the motion. The presentence investigation report applied the edition of the Sentencing Guidelines in effect at the time Robertson committed his offenses, see United States Sentencing Guidelines (Nov. 1998), because the later edition of the Guidelines in effect at sentencing would have resulted in higher offense levels. The presentence report calculated a total offense level of 23, which included an enhancement of 2 levels for sophisticated means. See id. § 2F1.1(b)(5)(C). The presentence report recommended restitution of $1,341,522 to Novell, which was the wholesale price of all 378 of the fraudulently obtained and unreturned units of software. The presentence report then mentioned the possibility of restitution of $125,000 to Network Systems for the money Network Systems paid Novell to settle its civil suit. Under the Restitution Act, defendants convicted of wire or mail fraud must make restitution to any victim of their offenses. See United States v. Dickerson, 370 F.3d 1330, 1335-36 (11th Cir.2004) (restitution required for wire fraud); United States v. Yeager, 331 F.3d 1216, 1227 (11th Cir.2003) (mail fraud). The district court followed the recommended Guidelines calculations and imposed a sentence of 96 months of imprisonment. Robertson objected to the application of the enhancement for sophisticated means. The district court then ordered restitution to Network Systems in the amount of $125,000 and to Novell in the amount of $1,216,522, which the court calculated by subtracting $125,000 from $1,341,522. Robertson objected to the calculation of the amount of restitution owed Novell and to any award of restitution to Network Systems.