Court Opinion

ID: 9490638
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 13:49:54.33315+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:54:13.475205
License: Public Domain

concurring in part and dissenting in part.
In all respects, except a tiny one, I join Judge Rovner’s very persuasive opinion. My disagreement is with the decision to set aside the 3-level reduction Judge Nordberg granted for Farouil’s role in the offense.
In United States v. Burnett, 66 F.3d 137, 141 (7th Cir.1995), we noted that § 3B1.2 “does not define ‘minor participant’ but does emphasize the judge’s discretion.” Here, Judge Nordberg thought the situation suggested that Farouil (who took on the most risk) was probably a mule and that he should be placed somewhere between a minor and minimal (talk about splitting split hairs!) participant under the sentencing guidelines. That’s not, in my opinion, a bizarre view of the evidence. I’d honor Judge Nordberg’s call, just as I would if, on the basis of this record, he had gone the other way. As we observed in Burnett, “This is what it means to say that a judge has discretion.” Id. at 141.