Court Opinion

ID: 9377163
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-03-07 01:00:17.894136+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:17:12.347741
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-50540        Document: 00516667245             Page: 1      Date Filed: 03/06/2023

             United States Court of Appeals
                  for the Fifth Circuit
                                     ____________                             United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                       Fifth Circuit

                                                                                     FILED
                                      No. 22-50540                               March 6, 2023
                                    Summary Calendar
                                    ____________                                Lyle W. Cayce
                                                                                     Clerk
   United States of America,

                                                                     Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                            versus

   Johnathan Irvin Mckissick,

                                              Defendant—Appellant.
                     ______________________________

                     Appeal from the United States District Court
                          for the Western District of Texas
                              USDC No. 7:21-CR-349-1
                     ______________________________

   Before Smith, Southwick, and Douglas, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
         Johnathan McKissick pleaded guilty of possessing five grams or more
   of actual methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and
   (b)(1)(B). McKissick was not given a reduction under U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1 for
   acceptance of responsibility based on his post-plea conduct while in deten-
   tion. As a result, his guideline range was 92 to 115 months of imprisonment.

         _____________________
         *
             This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-50540      Document: 00516667245           Page: 2    Date Filed: 03/06/2023

                                     No. 22-50540

   He was sentenced to 115 months plus five years of supervised release. He
   maintains that the district court erred by denying him a reduction for accep-
   tance of responsibility.
          “A district court’s refusal to reduce a sentence for acceptance of
   responsibility is reviewed under a standard even more deferential than a pure
   clearly erroneous standard.” United States v. Najera, 915 F.3d 997, 1002 (5th
   Cir. 2019) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). We will not
   reverse the decision to deny such a reduction unless it is “without founda-
   tion.” United States v. Juarez-Duarte, 513 F.3d 204, 211 (5th Cir. 2008).
          The record does not demonstrate that the decision to deny a § 3E1.1
   reduction—based on McKissick’s assaulting a fellow inmate while in
   detention—was “without foundation.” Id. “The defendant bears the bur-
   den of demonstrating that the information relied upon by the district court in
   sentencing is materially untrue.” United States v. Ramirez, 367 F.3d 274, 277
   (5th Cir. 2014). The court was entitled to rely on the information about the
   assault recorded in the PSR, given that it bore sufficient indicia of reliability
   because it was based on video recordings and statements of those present.
   See United States v. Harris, 702 F.3d 226, 230 (5th Cir. 2012). McKissick
   offered no evidence to rebut the disputed information; thus, he did not meet
   his burden to show that the district court relied on inaccurate or materially
   untrue information. See United States v. Alaniz, 726 F.3d 586, 619 (5th Cir.
   2013). Accordingly, the court did not reversibly err by denying McKissick a
   § 3E1.1 reduction for acceptance of responsibility. See Najera, 915 F.3d
   at 1002.
          AFFIRMED.

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