Court Opinion

ID: 9376008
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-03-01 17:00:45.802742+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:17:03.613275
License: Public Domain

United States Court of Appeals
                           For the Eighth Circuit
                       ___________________________

                               No. 22-1570
                       ___________________________

                           United States of America

                                      Plaintiff Appellee

                                       v.

                           Donald Lavanis Dickerson

                                    Defendant Appellant
                                 ____________

                   Appeal from United States District Court
                   for the Southern District of Iowa - Eastern
                                 ____________

                           Submitted: January 9, 2023
                             Filed: March 1, 2023
                                 [Unpublished]
                                ____________

Before GRASZ, MELLOY, and KOBES, Circuit Judges.
                           ____________

PER CURIAM.

      Donald Lavanis Dickerson pled guilty to one count of being a felon in
possession of a firearm and one count of possessing an unregistered firearm. The
district court1 applied a four level enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(b)(6)(B) for
use or possession of a firearm in connection with another felony, namely distribution
of methamphetamine. Dickerson appeals, arguing the gun was not found next to the
methamphetamine and the evidence was otherwise insufficient to support the
enhancement. We affirm.

       Sources informed police that Dickerson possessed a sawed-off shotgun and
distributed methamphetamine. During a search of Dickerson’s residence, officers
found methamphetamine on Dickerson’s person and a firearm in his truck outside.
Officers found additional evidence of methamphetamine sales and firearms in a
search of Dickerson’s Facebook messages. Interviews with three different
confidential sources provided further evidence that Dickerson sold methamphetamine
while in possession of a firearm.

       Applying U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(b)(6)(B), the district court found the “facts would
certainly seem to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant was
involved in distributing methamphetamine while in possession of this particular
firearm, which would mandate, under relevant case law, application of” U.S.S.G.
§ 2K2.1(b)(6)(B).

       We review “for clear error a district court’s finding that a defendant possessed
a firearm in connection with another felony offense.” United States v. Mitchell, 963
F.3d 729, 731 (8th Cir. 2020).

      The court can infer a firearm was used in connection with a felony if a firearm
is found in close proximity to evidence of the felony. See e.g., United States v.
Cosen, 965 F.3d 929, 931 (8th Cir. 2020). However, a court looks to all of the

      1
         The Honorable Stephanie M. Rose, Chief Judge, United States District Court
for the Southern District of Iowa.

                                          -2-
evidence presented to decide if the firearm was used in connection with a felony. See
e.g., United States v. Mathis, 911 F.3d 903, 909 (8th Cir. 2018) (relying on victim
testimony to show a firearm was used in connection with a felony).

      Here, there was more than was enough evidence for the district court to
conclude by a preponderance of the evidence that Dickerson possessed a firearm in
connection with the sale of methamphetamine.

      We affirm the judgment of the district court.
                       ______________________________

                                         -3-