Court Opinion

ID: 2964508
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2015-09-21 21:26:42.102378+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:11:52.365669
License: Public Domain

USCA1 Opinion

	

                                [NOT FOR PUBLICATION]

                            UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                                FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT
                                 ____________________

        No. 96-1585

                                    UNITED STATES,

                                      Appellee,

                                          v.

                                  JOSE TOMAS DISLA,

                                Defendant, Appellant.

                                 ____________________

                     APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

                           FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND

                       [Hon. Mary M. Lisi, U.S. District Judge]
                                           ___________________

                                 ____________________

                                        Before

                                 Cyr, Stahl and Lynch,
                                   Circuit Judges.
                                   ______________

                                 ____________________

            James E. Fitzgerald on brief for appellant.
            ___________________
            Sheldon  Whitehouse,  United  States  Attorney, and  Stephanie  S.
            ___________________                                  _____________
        Browne, Assistant United States Attorney, on brief for appellee.
        ______

                                 ____________________

                                   January 22, 1997
                                 ____________________

                 Per Curiam.  Jose Tomas Disla  appeals from his sentence
                 __________

            on three grounds.  First, he argues that the sentencing court

            erred  in failing  to grant  him a  reduction in  his offense

            level for  his role in the offense  as a "minimal" or "minor"

            participant, pursuant  to Section 3B1.2 of  the United States

            Sentencing Guidelines.   Second,  Disla faults the  court for

            failing  to  consider sua  sponte  a  downward departure  for
                                  ___  ______

            aberrant  behavior  and  extraordinary family  circumstances.

            Finally,  he  raises a  claim  of  ineffective assistance  of

            counsel.  

            I. Role in the Offense
               ___________________

                 The  guidelines   define  a  "minimal"   participant  as

            "plainly among the  least culpable of  those involved in  the

            conduct  of  a group.  .  .  .    [T]he defendant's  lack  of

            knowledge or understanding of the scope and structure  of the

            enterprise and of the activities of others is indicative of a

            role as  minimal participant." U.S.S.G.    3B1.2(a), comment.

            (n.1).  A "minor"  participant is  defined as  "less culpable

            than most other participants, but whose  conduct could not be

            described as minimal."   U.S.S.G.   3B1.2(b), comment. (n.3).

            At  sentencing,  Disla  argued  that  his  participation  was

            "minimal."  On  appeal, for  the first time,  he argues  that

            even  if  he did  not qualify  as  a minimal  participant, he

            should have received an adjustment for "minor" participation.

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                 "Assessing a defendant's role in the  offense is a fact-

            specific  task,   suggesting   by  its   very  nature   'that

            considerable respect be paid  to the views of the  nisi prius

            court.'   It follows, therefore, that unless a mistake of law

            looms  .  . .  [,] a  sentencing  court's determination  of a

            defendant's role  will be set  aside only  for clear  error."

            United  States v.  Tejada-Beltran, 50  F.3d 105,  110-11 (1st
            ______________     ______________

            Cir. 1995).

                 The  district  court  found  that Disla  was  an  "equal

            partner  in  the  transaction.   He  knew  the  scope of  the

            activity.   He knew it was for the purchase of a large amount

            of cocaine. .  . . He knew the location of where the drug was

            to be taken and  sold."  The record supports  those findings.

            Disla  was  one  of  only two  charged  codefendants  in  the

            conspiracy  to distribute  cocaine.   The record  contains no

            evidence that  there were participants other  than Disla, his

            co-defendant  and   the  government  agents.     Under  those

            circumstances,  the district  court's  assessment of  Disla's

            role  in  the offense  was  not clearly  erroneous.   Disla's

            additional claims of legal error are also without merit.

                 II. Downward Departure
                     __________________

                 For the  first time  on  appeal, Disla  argues that  the

            district court erred in failing  to make a downward departure

            for aberrant behavior and extraordinary family circumstances.

            Disla's  failure to  request a  downward departure  on either

                                         -3-

            ground in the district  court forecloses our consideration of

            the issue.  See United  States v. Field, 39 F.3d 15,  21 (1st
                        ___ ______________    _____

            Cir. 1994), cert. denied, __ U.S. __, 115 S. Ct. 1806 (1995).
                        ____________

                 III. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
                      _________________________________

                 To the  extent that  Disla is  arguing that  he received

            ineffective assistance  of counsel  because his  attorney did

            not  move   for  a   departure  for  aberrant   behavior  and

            extraordinary family circumstances, the claim  is unavailing.

            The  record contains scant  evidence of  family circumstances

            that  would permit a departure.  See United States v. Rushby,
                                             ___ _____________    ______

            936  F.2d 41,  42  (1st Cir.  1991)  (holding, on  record  of

            similar   family  circumstances,   that  departure   was  not

            permitted).   With  respect  to the  failure  to move  for  a

            departure based  upon aberrant behavior, Disla  has failed to

            "demonstrate that there  was a  reasonable probability  that,

            but  for  counsel's  [alleged]  errors,  the  result  in  the

            proceeding  would  have  been  different."  Carey  v.  United
                                                        _____      ______

            States, 50 F.3d 1097, 1101 (1st Cir. 1995).
            ______

                 The sentence is summarily affirmed.  See Loc. R. 27.1.
                                 _________ ________   ___

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