Charlton v. United States

389 F. Supp. 3d 107
CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
DecidedJune 20, 2019
DocketCriminal Action No. 04-10306
StatusPublished

This text of 389 F. Supp. 3d 107 (Charlton v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Charlton v. United States, 389 F. Supp. 3d 107 (D.D.C. 2019).

Opinion

Saris, C.J.

Defendant Trevor Charlton ("Charlton") moves for the second time under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 to vacate his 204-month sentence on the basis that he has been incorrectly classified as an Armed Career Criminal. For the reasons discussed below, Charlton's motion (Dkt. No. 212) is ALLOWED.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Charlton was charged on September 29, 2004 in a single-count indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). He was convicted on December 10, 2007. On June 9, 2008, relying on the presentence report ("PSR"), the Court imposed a sentence of 204 months imprisonment, which included a sentence enhancement pursuant to the Armed Career Criminal Act ("ACCA"). The PSR deemed Charlton an Armed Career Criminal based on two Massachusetts state court convictions for "serious drug offenses" and three Massachusetts state court convictions for "violent felonies."

The two serious drug offenses identified by the PSR were convictions for the distribution of crack cocaine. Both drug sales occurred during the early morning hours of March 23, 1996 in the same location. At 12:25 AM, Charlton sold three plastic bags of crack cocaine to two individuals identified as Curtis Fitzpatrick and Malik Shabazz. Then, at 1:00 AM, Charlton sold one rock of crack cocaine to an individual identified as John Ward. Both sales were observed by Boston police officers and, following the second sale, the officers arrested Charlton. Charlton was sentenced for both drug offenses on the same date. The PSR drew the details of both incidents from the same Boston Police report. The three violent felonies identified by the PSR were convictions for (1) assault by means of a dangerous weapon ("ADW"); (2) assault and battery to collect a loan ("ABCL"); and (3) assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon ("ABDW").

On June 16, 2008, Charlton appealed his sentence on the basis, inter alia, that the ACCA enhancement was inapplicable because the Government did not prove the ACCA predicate convictions beyond a reasonable doubt. The First Circuit denied Charlton's appeal and affirmed his sentence. See United States v. Charlton, 600 F.3d 43, 55 (1st Cir. 2010).

On July 5, 2011, Charlton then moved this Court to vacate his sentence pursuant to § 2255. Charlton argued, inter alia, that the ACCA enhancement was inapplicable because he did not have three qualifying predicate offenses. Specifically, Charlton argued that his only predicate offenses were (1) a single serious drug offense for distribution of crack cocaine, and (2) a single violent felony for ADW. On January 2, 2013, the Court denied Charlton's motion *113to vacate his sentence. The Court found that Charlton's ABDW conviction also constituted a violent felony and, therefore, he had at least three ACCA predicate offenses. The Court did not address Charlton's argument that the two serious drug offenses identified in the PSR should be treated as a single offense for ACCA purposes. On October 28, 2014, Charlton appealed the Court's ruling on his § 2255 motion, but the First Circuit ultimately dismissed the appeal for want of diligent prosecution.

The present motion was initiated when Charlton filed a letter with the Court on June 3, 3016, seeking the appointment of counsel for assistance with a potential claim for relief under Johnson v. United States, --- U.S. ----, 135 S. Ct. 2551, 192 L.Ed.2d 569 (2015) (" Johnson II"), and Welch v. United States, --- U.S. ----, 136 S. Ct. 1257, 194 L.Ed.2d 387 (2016). The Court construed Charlton's letter as a motion pursuant to § 2255 and transferred it to the First Circuit to determine whether Charlton would be allowed to proceed with a second or successive § 2255 motion. On March 14, 2018, the First Circuit granted Charlton's application to proceed with a second or successive § 2255 motion and referred the motion back to this Court.

DISCUSSION

I. Legal Standards

A. 28 U.S.C. § 2255

A federal prisoner "may petition for post-conviction relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2255(a) if, inter alia, the individual's sentence 'was imposed in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States' or 'is otherwise subject to collateral attack.' " Lassend v. United States, 898 F.3d 115, 122 (1st Cir. 2018) (quoting 28 U.S.C. § 2255(a) ). Second or successive § 2255 motions are subject to the additional requirement that the circuit court must first give permission before the motion can proceed in the district court. Brown v. United States, 906 F.3d 159, 161 (1st Cir. 2018). "As gatekeeper, [the circuit court] may authorize the filing of a successive application only if the application makes a prima facie showing, that it relies on a new rule of constitutional law, made retroactive to cases on collateral review by the Supreme Court, that was previously unavailable." Id. (cleaned up). A "prima facie showing" means merely "a sufficient showing of possible merit to warrant a fuller exploration by the district court." Moore v. United States, 871 F.3d 72, 78 (1st Cir. 2017) (quoting Rodriguez v. Superintendent, Bay State Corr. Ctr.

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Bluebook (online)
389 F. Supp. 3d 107, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/charlton-v-united-states-dcd-2019.