United States v. Grant, 10th Cir. (2010)
United States v. Grant, 10th Cir. (2010)
United States v. Grant, 10th Cir. (2010)
Clerk of Court
No. 09-6232
Defendant-Appellant.
After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined
unanimously to honor the parties request for a decision on the briefs without oral
argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(f); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is, therefore,
submitted without oral argument.
Defendant Marcus Grant appeals from the district courts denial of his motion for
reduction of sentence pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 3582(c)(2). Exercising jurisdiction
This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the doctrines of
law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. It may be cited, however, for its
persuasive value consistent with Fed. R. App. P. 32.1 and 10th Cir. R. 32.1.
27, 2006, the district court resentenced Grant to 108 months imprisonment, a term at the
top of the advisory guideline range.
On October 8, 2009, the parties filed a joint motion for reduction of sentence
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 3582(c). In that motion, the parties stated they agree[d]
Amendment 706 to the United States [S]entencing [G]uidelines, which modified the
Drug Quantity Table in U.S.S.G. 2D1.1(c) downward two levels for crack cocaine
offenses, [wa]s applicable to th[e] case and authorize[d] the Court to consider a
reduction of [Grant]s sentence. ROA, Vol. 1 at 43-44. Attached to the parties motion
was a preliminary report prepared by the probation office regarding the possibility of a
sentence reduction for Grant. In that report, the probation office concluded that Grant
was eligible, at the district courts discretion, for a two-level decrease in his base offense
level, and that such a decrease would in turn result in an advisory guideline range of 70 to
87 months imprisonment. Id. at 47.
On October 14, 2009, the district court issued an order denying the motion for
reduction of sentence. The order stated, in pertinent part:
After considering the motion as well as the sentencing factors set out in 18
U.S.C. 3553, the Court declines to reduce the Defendants sentence.
***
Defendants pre-sentence report reveals an extensive criminal history
including violence not taken into consideration by the sentencing
guidelines. His history includes repeated instances of drug violations as
well as possession of weapons. The Court finds that the sentence
previously imposed is sufficient but not greater than necessary to protect the
public from further crimes of the defendant.
3
Id. at 49.
II
Grant now appeals the district courts denial of the motion for reduction of
sentence. We review for abuse of discretion a district courts decision to deny a motion
for reduction of sentence pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 3582(c)(2). United States v. Sharkey,
543 F.3d 1236, 1238 (10th Cir. 2008). Although Amendment 706 applied to Grants case
and would have permitted the district court to exercise its discretion under 3582(c)(2) to
reduce Grants sentence, Amendment 706 did not require the district court to reduce
Grants sentence.
Grant contends that [t]he district courts characterization of [his] criminal history
as extensive and unaccounted for in the [PSRs] guideline computation is unsupported
by the record. Aplt. Br. at 12. In particular, Grant notes that his criminal history
category was computed [by the PSR] in conformity with the applicable sentencing
guideline provisions. Id. at 11. Further, Grant notes that the PSR did not indicate [his]
criminal history category substantially under-represented the seriousness of his criminal
history or the likelihood that [he would] commit other crimes, so that an upward
departure was warranted. Id. (quoting U.S.S.G. 4A1.1 (2005)). Lastly, Grant notes
that [t]he United States did not disagree with the [PSRs] guideline computation and did
not advocate for an upward departure. Id. at 11-12.
In addressing Grants contentions, we note, at the outset, that the Sentencing
Guidelines expressly outline certain factors that must be considered by a district court
4
faced with a motion for reduction of sentence pursuant to 3582(c)(2). To begin with,
the court shall consider the factors set forth in 18 U.S.C. 3553(a) in determining . . .
whether a reduction . . . is warranted . . . . U.S.S.G. 1B1.10 cmt. n.1(B)(i). Notably,
the factors to be considered under 3553(a) include the defendants history and the need
for the sentence imposed to protect the public from further crimes of the defendant. 18
U.S.C. 3553(a)(1), (2)(C). Relatedly, the Sentencing Guidelines also expressly require
a court to consider the nature and seriousness of the danger to any person or the
community that may be posed by a reduction in the defendants term of imprisonment . . .
. U.S.S.G. 1B1.10 cmt. n.1(B)(ii). Consequently, the district court in this case would
have abused its discretion had it not considered Grants criminal history in deciding
whether to grant the motion for reduction of sentence.
We in turn conclude that the record on appeal adequately supports the district
courts findings that Grants criminal history was extensive and includ[ed] violence
not taken into consideration by the sentencing guidelines. ROA, Vol. 1 at 49.
According to the PSR, Grants criminal history began at age 15, when, within the span of
four months, he was charged in two separate criminal proceedings with three counts of
shooting with intent to kill. ROA, Vol. 2 at 6. Grant pled guilty to two of those counts,
was found guilty of the third, and was placed in juvenile custody for a period of time.
The PSR did not, however, assess any criminal history points for those sentences.1 Id.
1
As the basis for not assessing any criminal history points for these prior
sentences, the PSR cited to U.S.S.G. 4A1.2(e)(3), which effectively excludes the
consideration of certain older prior sentences. We question, however, whether Grants
5
prior juvenile sentences were properly excluded under 4A1.2(e)(3), since both were
imposed within ten years of Grants commencement of the current crack cocaine
distribution offense. Whether or not Grants prior juvenile sentences would have been
properly excluded under another Guideline provision, it is uncontroverted that they were
not counted in his PSR, and thus did not impact either his criminal history category or his
resulting advisory guideline range.
6
8, and permit[s] a sentence below the revised guideline range, id. at 9. Because,
however, the district court in this case did not abuse its discretion in refusing to grant the
motion for reduction of sentence, the question of whether it possessed authority to impose
a sentence below the revised guideline range is irrelevant.
AFFIRMED.
Entered for the Court