Court Opinion

ID: 4458032
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-11-21 21:00:31.290734+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:24:52.813606
License: Public Domain

NOT FOR PUBLICATION                            FILED
                    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS                        NOV 21 2019
                                                                       MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK
                                                                        U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
                            FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,                        No. 18-10488

                Plaintiff-Appellee,              D.C. No. 2:18-cr-00214-SPL-1

 v.
                                                 MEMORANDUM*
JESUS JAIME FIGUEROA, AKA Jesus
Jamie Figueroa,

                Defendant-Appellant.

                    Appeal from the United States District Court
                             for the District of Arizona
                     Steven P. Logan, District Judge, Presiding

                          Submitted November 18, 2019**

Before:      CANBY, TASHIMA, and CHRISTEN, Circuit Judges.

      Jesus Jaime Figueroa appeals from the district court’s judgment and

challenges the 46-month sentence imposed following his guilty-plea conviction for

conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, in violation

of 21 U.S.C. § 846; and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance,

      *
             This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent
except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.
      **
             The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision
without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2).
and aiding and abetting, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(ii)(II) and

18 U.S.C. § 2. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291, and we affirm.

      Figueroa contends that the district court erred by denying his request for a

minimal role adjustment under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.2(a). We review the district court’s

application of the Guidelines to the facts for abuse of discretion. See United States

v. Gasca-Ruiz, 852 F.3d 1167, 1170 (9th Cir. 2017) (en banc). Under the

circumstances of this case, including the fact that Figueroa was entrusted to

transport and deliver a significant amount of cocaine, the district court did not

abuse its discretion in determining that, while Figueroa qualified for a minor role

reduction pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 3B1.2(b), he was not “plainly among the least

culpable of those involved in the conduct of [the] group.” See U.S.S.G. § 3B1.2

cmt. n.4; see also United States v. Awad, 371 F.3d 583, 591 (9th Cir. 2004)

(minimal role reduction restricted to cases presenting exceptional circumstances).

      AFFIRMED.

                                          2                                     18-10488