Opinion ID: 2810822
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: 1991 Conviction and 1992 Sentences

Text: In 1991, after a jury trial, Barkley was convicted of conspiring to possess cocaine base using individuals under the age of 18, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 845b and 846 (Count 1); possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) (Count 2); and using a firearm in relation to a drug-trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1) (Count 3). 2 Case: 14-12231 Date Filed: 06/23/2015 Page: 3 of 10 Barkley’s presentence investigation report (“PSI”) grouped Counts 1 and 2, pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 3D1.2(b). Count 3, the firearm offense, required a consecutive five-year sentence to any sentence imposed on Counts 1 and 2. The PSI initially determined that the total offense level for Counts 1 and 2 was 35 based on the drug quantity involved and increased by one additional offense level for the use of minors. See U.S.S.G. § 2D1.2(a)(2) (1991) (setting the offense level for drug offenses involving minors as the offense level from the Drug Quantity Table in § 2D1.1 plus one offense level). The PSI calculated 12 criminal history points, which resulted in a criminal history category of V. See U.S.S.G. ch. 5, pt. A (Sentencing Table) (1991). However, because Barkley qualified as a career offender pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1, the PSI assigned Barkley a total offense level of 37, which was greater than the offense level of 35 under § 2D1.2(a)(2). See U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1(A) (1991) (providing for an offense level of 37 for offenses with a statutory maximum of life if it is greater than the otherwise applicable offense level). Based on Barkley’s career-offender status, the PSI also assigned a criminal history category of VI. Id. (providing for a criminal history category of VI in every case) Thus, 3 Case: 14-12231 Date Filed: 06/23/2015 Page: 4 of 10 based on Barkley’s career-offender status, the PSI stated that Barkley’s guidelines range was 360 months to life in prison. 1 Barkley objected to the PSI’s recitation of the offense conduct (paragraphs 9 through 25), maintaining that he had “no involvement” in the charged offenses, and objected to the PSI’s drug quantity amount (paragraph 37) used to determine his base offense level under § 2D1.1’s Drug Quantity Table. Barkley did not object to his designation as a career offender or to his offense level and guidelines range as calculated under § 4B1.1 (paragraphs 65, 66 and 72). At his April 1992 sentencing, Barkley advised the district court that the PSI Addendum correctly noted his objections, and he continued to deny his involvement in the charged offenses. Barkley also asked for the “minimum sentence,” pointing out that he had arrived in the Macon area only in the final weeks of the charged conspiracy and was not a ringleader. Without explicitly ruling on Barkley’s factual objections, adopting the PSI, or calculating the applicable guidelines range, the district court imposed concurrent life sentences on Counts 1 and 2, followed by the mandatory, consecutive five-year sentence on Count 3. The district court explained, however, that it was “sentencing [Barkley] to the top of the guidelines” because of “the magnitude of 1 If the career offender provision had not applied, Barkley’s initial offense level of 35 and criminal history category of V would have yielded a guidelines range of 262 to 327 months in prison. See U.S.S.G. ch. 5, pt. A (Sentencing Table) (1991). 4 Case: 14-12231 Date Filed: 06/23/2015 Page: 5 of 10 the crime that [Barkley was] involved in and the role that [Barkley] played.” The district court asked for objections to “anything that the Court has done in the way of sentencing,” and there were none. Shortly thereafter, the district court entered a judgment consistent with its oral pronouncement. In its statement of reasons, the district court stated that it adopted the PSI’s factual findings and guidelines calculations, and found that the total offense level was 37, the criminal history category was VI, and the guidelines range was 360 months to life in prison, plus 60 consecutive months for Count 3. The district court further indicated that it had imposed a sentence within the guidelines range “based on the seriousness of the offense and prior criminal conduct.” This Court affirmed Barkley’s convictions and sentences on appeal.