Court Opinion

ID: 9847140
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:54:37.035556+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:17:01.764945
License: Public Domain

WHITE, Circuit Judge,
concurring.
I concur and write separately to make some additional observations regarding the undue-influence enhancement. Judge Merritt’s straightforward analysis directly and fairly presents the issue — on this record, where all indications are that the minor victim was anxious to meet with and have a sexual relationship with Lay, and that the minor victim initiated communications with Lay to that end, was the district court’s finding of undue influence within the meaning of § 2G1.3(b)(2)(B) erroneous as a matter of law because it was not based on a victim-focused inquiry? I agree with Judge Rogers that while the district court reasonably could have concluded otherwise, the record is adequate to support the conclusion that the presumption of undue influence based on the age discrepancy was not rebutted.
The district court properly began its analysis with a recognition of the rebuttable presumption of undue influence that applies where the defendant is at least ten years older than the victim. This presumption can of course be overcome, and the court is directed to “closely consider the facts to determine whether a participant’s influence over the victim compromised the voluntariness of the victim’s behavior.” Accepting that the focus must be on whether the victim’s voluntariness was compromised, I conclude that a district court’s consideration of “voluntariness” can go beyond the victim’s perception of his or her conduct. That is, the victim may believe that his or her participation is entirely voluntary, and may send that message to the defendant, but if the court concludes that there were specific identifiable factors or needs operating in the victim’s decision-*451making process and that the defendant exploited, preyed upon, or even simply catered to those factors or needs, leading to those factors or needs playing a significant role in the victim’s “voluntary” participation, the court may properly conclude that the rebuttable presumption has not been rebutted. Here, there was evidence to support that the victim was lonely, felt mistreated by family members, and was searching for emotional and material recognition. Accepting that the victim welcomed and encouraged Lay’s interest, the court could nevertheless reasonably conclude that the victim’s voluntariness was compromised by Lay’s providing the victim with the emotional support and material possessions the victim sought.