Court Opinion

ID: 9410352
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-07-21 00:00:40.069115+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:20:57.158592
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-50726         Document: 00516828049             Page: 1      Date Filed: 07/20/2023

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit
                                      ____________
                                                                                United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                         Fifth Circuit
                                       No. 22-50726
                                     Summary Calendar                                   FILED
                                     ____________                                     July 20, 2023
                                                                                  Lyle W. Cayce
   United States of America,                                                           Clerk

                                                                       Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                             versus

   James Robert Cupples,

                                               Defendant—Appellant.
                      ______________________________

                      Appeal from the United States District Court
                           for the Western District of Texas
                               USDC No. 7:21-CR-367-1
                      ______________________________

   Before Jolly, Smith, and Duncan, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
          James Robert Cupples pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child
   pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1). The district
   court sentenced him to 198 months of imprisonment, to be followed by
   10 years of supervised release. Cupples challenges the application of a higher
   offense level under U.S.S.G. § 2G2.1 by operation of the cross-reference in

          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-50726      Document: 00516828049           Page: 2    Date Filed: 07/20/2023

                                     No. 22-50726

   U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2(c)(1), which “is to be construed broadly.” § 2G2.2,
   comment. (n.7(A)).      We review the district court’s interpretation and
   application of the Guidelines de novo and its factual findings for clear error.
   See United States v. Ferris, 52 F.4th 235, 239 (5th Cir. 2022), cert. denied, 143
   S. Ct. 846 (2023).
          The record supports the district court’s determination that the
   Government proved, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Cupples
   caused a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of
   producing a visual depiction of such conduct. See § 2G2.2, comment.
   (n.7(A)); United States v. Landreneau, 967 F.3d 443, 451 (5th Cir. 2020);
   United States v. Rodriguez, 630 F.3d 377, 380 (5th Cir. 2011). And as Cupples
   concedes, the court properly enhanced his sentence under § 2G2.1(b)(2)(A)
   because the offense involved the commission of sexual contact. See United
   States v. Butler, 65 F.4th 199, 201-03 (5th Cir. 2023); United States v. Salinas,
   918 F.3d 463, 465 (5th Cir. 2019).
          The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.

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