Opinion ID: 2973824
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Imposition of $5,000 fine

Text: Citing United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220, 264 (2005), the parties contend that we review for unreasonableness the district court’s decision to impose a $5,000 fine. White alleges that the district court’s imposition of a $5,000 fine was 11 unreasonable. He has a ninth grade education, no job skills and a limited employment history at temporary job services. White claims that it is unreasonable for the district court to expect him to pay a $5,000 fine over 51 months at an inmate’s salary, or over a period of three years of supervised release as an ex-convict. Because of his indigency, White states he should be fined a reasonable amount that would not hinder his future rehabilitative efforts. He suggests a fine of $1,000, which is the amount that the probation officer recommended. The Government notes that the $5,000 fine is at the bottom of the fine range of $5,000 to $50,000 under the Sentencing Guidelines. The Government claims that the district court’s finding that White could pay such an amount over the course of his 51 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release is not unreasonable. This Court has previously questioned whether Booker applies to fines. See United States v. Bucheit, 134 Fed. Appx. 842, 862 n.11 (6th Cir. 2005). The court in Bucheit stated: To the extent Defendant contends the district court’s fact-finding related to whether and in what amount to impose a fine violated the Sixth Amendment, we note the fine Guidelines ranges are a product of the offense of conviction and the applicable offense level. See U.S.S.G. § 5E1.2. Thus, even assuming Booker applies to fines, no constitutional violation would arise from the district court’s conclusions as to Defendant’s financial circumstances and/or ability to pay a fine because those factors would have no effect upon the fine Guidelines range, but only upon the district court’s decision as to whether to impose a fine and 12 in what amount. Id. (internal citation omitted). Accordingly, because a fine does not involve the traditional “Booker problem” of a district judge making factual findings which would enhance a defendant’s sentence, a judge’s decision to impose a fine within the Guidelines range does not implicate the Sixth Amendment or any constitutional provision. The fine in this case was at the low end of the Guidelines range. We conclude, therefore, that even assuming fines are reviewed for reasonableness (as the parties argue), the district court’s imposition of a $5,000 fine in this case should be entitled to a rebuttable presumption of reasonableness. See United States v. Williams, 436 F.3d 706, 708 (6th Cir. 2006) (concluding that sentences properly calculated under the Guidelines are entitled to a rebuttable presumption of reasonableness.). White has failed to rebut that presumption of reasonableness. For the foregoing reasons, we AFFIRM the judgment of the district court. 13