Court Opinion

ID: 9881808
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-04 00:00:29.640093+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:48:18.127889
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-10846         Document: 00516918478             Page: 1      Date Filed: 10/03/2023

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit
                                      ____________
                                                                                United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                         Fifth Circuit
                                       No. 22-10846
                                     Summary Calendar                                  FILED
                                     ____________                                October 3, 2023
                                                                                  Lyle W. Cayce
   United States of America,                                                           Clerk

                                                                       Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                             versus

   Bryce Rawson,

                                               Defendant—Appellant.
                      ______________________________

                      Appeal from the United States District Court
                          for the Northern District of Texas
                                USDC No. 4:22-CR-91-1
                      ______________________________

   Before Higginbotham, Stewart, and Southwick, Circuit
   Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
          Bryce Rawson appeals his conviction of one count of engaging in illicit
   sexual conduct in foreign places, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(c) and (e).
   He argues that the district court improperly applied a sentencing guidelines
   cross reference, from U.S.S.G. § 2G1.1 to U.S.S.G § 2A3.1, for use of force.
   He also asserts that the district court erred by finding that his two incidents
          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-10846      Document: 00516918478          Page: 2    Date Filed: 10/03/2023

                                    No. 22-10846

   of improper sexual conduct occurred on separate occasions, constituting a
   pattern that necessitated the application of a five-level guidelines
   enhancement, U.S.S.G. § 4B1.5(b).
          We review the district court’s interpretation of the Sentencing
   Guidelines de novo and its factual findings for clear error because Rawson
   has preserved both of his arguments below. United States v. Martinez-Romero,
   817 F.3d 917, 919 (5th Cir. 2016).
          We find no error with the district court’s holding that Rawson used
   force against his minor victim. Rawson’s size and the cornering of his victim
   on a balcony are both plausibly uses of force under our precedent. United
   States v. Lucas, 157 F.3d 998, 1002 (5th Cir. 1997); see United States v.
   Simmons, 470 F.3d 1115, 1121 (5th Cir. 2006).
          We find no error with the district court’s holding that the two
   incidents happened on separate occasions and so show a pattern of conduct.
   As the crimes were committed days apart, they do not fall under any
   definition of a single occasion. See United States v. Sadeek, 77 F.4th 320, 326-
   27 (5th Cir. 2023).
          AFFIRMED.

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