Redifer v. United States

District Court, D. Kansas·Decided December 21, 2021·No. 2:19-cv-02594·Unknown

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS

In re: CCA Recordings 2255 Litigation, Petitioners,

v. Case No. 19-cv-2491-JAR-JPO

(This Document Relates to Case No. 12- 20003-JAR-10, United States v. Michael C. Redifer, and Case No. 19-2594-JAR-JPO, Michael C. Redifer v. United States) United States of America. Respondent.

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

This matter is before the Court on Petitioner Michael Redifer’s Motion to Vacate and Discharge with Prejudice under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 (Doc. 734).1 Petitioner has also filed a number of pro se pleadings, despite being represented by counsel: Motion under Fed. R. Civ. P. 56, as supplemented (Docs. 745, 767); Reply to Motion to Vacate (Doc. 766); and Notice of Unlawful Compulsions (Doc. 768). In his § 2255 motion, Petitioner alleges the government violated the Sixth Amendment by intentionally and unjustifiably intruding into his attorney-client relationship by becoming privy to his attorney-client communications, and asks the Court to find that he has made a sufficient showing to warrant an evidentiary hearing. As a remedy, he asks the Court to vacate his

1 Unless otherwise specified, citations prefaced with “Doc.” refer to filings and docket entries in the underlying criminal case, No. 12-20003-JAR-10. Citations prefaced with “CCA Rec. Lit. Doc.” Refer to filings and entries in this consolidated case, No. 19-cv-2491-JAR-JPO. With the exception of United States v. Carter, Case No. 16-20032-JAR, Doc. 758 (D. Kan. Aug. 13, 2019) (“Black Order”), citations to filings in Case No. 16-20032-JAR are prefaced with “Black, Doc.” judgment with prejudice to refiling or alternatively, to reduce his custodial sentence by approximately 50% and vacate his term of supervised release. The government has responded, opposing the motion and seeking dismissal on several grounds, including on threshold jurisdictional grounds.2 The Court held that because the alleged Sixth Amendment violation occurred after Petitioner was convicted at trial but before he was sentenced, he lacked standing to

challenge his conviction, but not his sentence.3 The Court has reviewed the parties’ submissions and the record and is prepared to rule. For the reasons explained in detail below, Petitioner’s challenge to his sentence, including any term of supervised release, is denied. Petitioner’s pro se Rule 56 motion is denied as moot. Petitioner is also denied a certificate of appealability. I. Background A. Procedural History Petitioner was charged in a multi-defendant Second Superseding Indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, which carried a statutory mandatory minimum term of ten years’ imprisonment and a maximum term of life.4 On June 5, 2013, Petitioner, along with co-

defendant Steven Hohn, was convicted by a jury of this charge.5 Based on at total offense level of 42 and a criminal history category of II, the Presentence Investigation Report (“PSR”) calculated Petitioner’s applicable Guideline range at 360 months to life imprisonment.6 Petitioner’s base offense level was calculated under U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1,

2 Redifer, 19-2594-JAR-JPO, Docs. 3, 5, 6. 3 CCA Rec. Lit., Docs. 730, 784. 4 Doc. 84; see also 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A)(viii), 846. 5 Doc. 316. 6 Doc. 447 ¶ 121. which provides that an offense involving approximately 1.5 and 5 kilograms of methamphetamine has a base offense level of 34.7 Petitioner filed objections to the PSR, including the amount of methamphetamine for which he was held responsible.8 Defense counsel filed two Sentencing Memoranda, arguing against three enhancements for a firearm, that the drugs were imported, and use of violence and physical restraint. Petitioner also argued that the

drug quantity calculations were inaccurate.9 On January 29, 2014, Judge Carlos Murguia overruled Petitioner’s objections, adopted the PSR’s sentencing calculations and imposed a 360- month sentence, followed by a five-year term of supervised release.10 Petitioner filed a direct appeal. While his appeal was pending, on June 5, 2015, Judge Murguia sentenced Petitioner for the second time, granting his request for a sentence reduction pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2) based on Amendment 784 to the Sentencing Guidelines, and reduced his sentence to 325 months’ imprisonment.11 On November 13, 2015, the Tenth Circuit affirmed Petitioner’s conviction, but remanded for resentencing so that the district court could make “further findings concerning the appropriate drug quantity to be attributed” to Petitioner.12

At the third sentencing hearing on May 17, 2017, the Court considered only “one issue, and that is what quantity of drugs the court should use to calculate defendant’s sentencing guideline range.”13 Based on the Amended PSR’s calculations, the court held Petitioner responsible for 737.1 grams of methamphetamine, resulting in a base offense level of 30. This

7 Id. ¶ 73. 8 Id. ¶ 149. 9 Docs. 453, 454. 10 Doc. 479. These criminal proceedings were reassigned to Judge Julie A. Robinson after Judge Murguia resigned from the bench. Doc. 740. 11 Doc. 580. 12 United States v. Redifer, 631 F. App’x 548, 570 (10th Cir. 2015). 13 Re-Sent. Hrg. Tr., Doc. 694 at 11. quantity was “calculated based on considered estimates of drug distribution in September 2010, October 2010, and part of November 2010,” including “a low estimate of 15 sales to [co- defendant] Tracy Rockers in early 2011 of one-half ounce per transactions.”14 The court credited the testimony of two trial witnesses who provided testimony about Petitioner’s methamphetamine purchases and sales, and noted that their testimony “was corroborated at trial

by the testimony of other co-defendants, case agents, and other evidence,” and “represents a reasonable conservative method of calculating the quantity of drugs for which defendant should be held responsible.”15 Based on these findings, the court determined that the applicable Guidelines range was 262 to 327 months’ imprisonment.16 The court resentenced Petitioner to 254 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release.17 Petitioner filed a direct appeal. After appellate counsel filed an Anders brief, the Tenth Circuit dismissed the appeal, finding it “wholly frivolous.”18 On October 1, 2018, the Supreme Court denied Petitioner’s petition for a writ of certiorari.19 Petitioner was represented by Ryan Hudson in the underlying criminal proceedings.20

The Court appointed the Federal Public Defender (“FPD”) to represent Petitioner in his § 2255 proceedings on July 17, 2018.21 On October 1, 2019, the FPD filed this § 2255 motion on Petitioner’s behalf, setting forth a single ground for relief: the government violated the Sixth

14 Id. at 12. 15 Id. at 12–13. 16 Id. at 13. 17 Id. at 21; Doc. 678. 18 Doc. 707 (citing Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967)). 19 Doc. 714. 20 Petitioner was originally represented by Debra Vermillion; Hudson was appointed on February 29, 2016. Doc. 595. 21 Standing Order 18-3. Amendment by intentionally and unjustifiably intruding into his attorney-client relationship. Petitioner’s release date is March 21, 2031.22 B. The Black Investigation and Order

The Court assumes the reader is familiar with its ruling in United States v.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Redifer v. United States, (D. Kan. 2021).

Redifer v. United States (Redifer v. United States) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Anders v. California
386 U.S. 738 (Supreme Court, 1967)
Tollett v. Henderson
411 U.S. 258 (Supreme Court, 1973)
Weatherford v. Bursey
429 U.S. 545 (Supreme Court, 1977)
Saiz v. Ortiz
392 F.3d 1166 (Tenth Circuit, 2004)
United States v. Redifer
631 F. App'x 548 (Tenth Circuit, 2015)
Shillinger v. Haworth
70 F.3d 1132 (Tenth Circuit, 1995)