United States v. Andrew Beasley

562 F. App'x 745
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
DecidedMarch 28, 2014
Docket13-12629
StatusUnpublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 562 F. App'x 745 (United States v. Andrew Beasley) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Andrew Beasley, 562 F. App'x 745 (11th Cir. 2014).

Opinion

PER CURIAM:

Andrew William Beasley appeals his total 115-month sentence imposed after he pled guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(2)(A) and (b)(1), and one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of § 2252A(a)(5)(B) and (b)(2). On appeal, Beasley argues that his 115-month sentence, 36 months below the advisory guidelines range: (1) is proeedurally unreasonable because the district court miscalculated his offense level under U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2(b); and (2) is substantively unreasonable. After review, we affirm.

I. BACKGROUND FACTS

A. Beasley’s Offenses

In January 2012, a special agent conducting an online child pornography investigation located an IP address for a computer that possessed image and movie files previously identified as child pornography in other investigations. After entering the IP address into the Internet Crimes Against Children (“ICAC”) database, the special agent found that the IP address had logged on to a peer-to-peer file sharing network called “E-Donkey” over “4,000 times from June 16, 2011 to February 17, 2012, with more than 1,000 different image or movie files on E-Donkey network.” After comparing those 1,000-plus files to those in the ICAC database, the special agent found two files, in particular, that were previously identified as child pornography and had file names indicative of child pornography. The special agent downloaded those two files from available “E-Donkey” network hosts. The two files were videos containing child pornography.

After linking the IP address to Beasley’s Florida residence, two special agents executed a search warrant there. During his interview, Beasley initially denied downloading and viewing images of child pornography and offered to get his laptop and external media so the agents could preview it. However, to preserve the forensic integrity of the evidence, agents told Beasley not to touch any computer equipment. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Beasley admitted that he had collected images and videos of child pornography since the early 1990s and had over 40,000 child pornography images.

During the search, the agents found a Compaq laptop computer and a Dell computer in Beasley’s room. The laptop com *747 puter had an external hard drive where Beasley said he stored his child pornography collection on a file called “EMD,” which stood for “eMule downloads.” 1 A forensic examination of the two computers revealed that: (1) the Dell computer contained 16B videos and 1,919 images depicting child pornography, some containing bestiality and bondage; (2) the Compaq laptop contained one movie and 226 images depicting child pornography; (3) the external hard drive contained 103 movies and 4,260 images depicting child pornography, some containing bestiality or bondage.

In total, Beasley’s computers had 267 movies and 6,405 images of child pornography. The forensic examination revealed that on November 29, 2010, Beasley used eMule, a peer-to-peer file sharing program, to receive three movie files containing child pornography. 2

B. Charges and Guilty Plea

The indictment charged Beasley with receipt of child pornography (Count One) and possession of child pornography (Count Two). Count One alleged that, on November 29, 2010, Beasley knowingly received three computer files (i.e., the three movies the forensic examination showed Beasley downloaded using a peer-to-peer file sharing program), that were shipped or transported by computer using the Internet. Count Two alleged that, on February 15, 2012, Beasley knowingly possessed computer images of child pornography that were shipped or transported by computer using the Internet.

Without a plea agreement, Beasley pled guilty to both counts. At the plea hearing, Beasley stated that he knowingly downloaded images of child pornography. Beasley admitted the government’s factual basis for the plea, summarized above.

C. PSI

The probation officer’s PSI recounted the facts contained in the government’s factual basis for the plea. The PSI calculated a total offense level of 34 under U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2.

Specifically, the PSI assigned Beasley: (1) an offense level of 22, pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2(a)(2); (2) a two-level increase under § 2G2.2(b)(2) because the pornographic material involved a prepubescent minor; (3) a two-level increase, under § 2G2.2(b)(3)(F), because the offense involved distribution of child pornography, other than distribution for pecuniary gain, thing of value, or to a minor; (4) a four-level increase, under § 2G2.2(b)(4), because the offense involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct; (5) a two-level increase, under § 3G2.2(b)(6), because the offense involved the use of a computer; and (6) a five-level increase, under § 3G2.2(b)(7)(D), because the offense involved over 600 images. The *748 PSI recommended a three-level reduction, pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1, for acceptance of responsibility.

With a total offense level of 34 and a criminal history category of I, Beasley’s advisory guidelines range was 151 to 188 months’ imprisonment. Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(b)(l), Count One had a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of twenty years. Pursuant to § 2252A(b)(2), Count Two had a maximum sentence of ten years.

D.Beasley’s Objections

Beasley objected to paragraph 32 of the PSI, which applied the two-level “distribution” increase under U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2(b)(3)(F). Beasley also objected to the PSI’s failure to give the two-level reduction under U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2(b)(l), which applies when the defendant’s conduct is limited to solicitation or receipt of child pornography and the defendant “did not intend to ... distribute” the child pornography. See U.S.S.G. § 2G2.2(b)(l).

As to distribution, Beasley contended that, although he used a peer-to-peer file sharing program, eMule, on his computer, “[tjhere [was] no evidence that Mr. Beasley knowingly shared his files with others.” Beasley pointed out that he “did not participate in internet chat rooms in which he traded images with others, and he did not purposely send images to others.”

In addition, Beasley argued that the district court should vary downward and impose the mandatory minimum five-year sentence.

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

Related

United States v. Lawrence F. Curtin
78 F.4th 1299 (Eleventh Circuit, 2023)
United States v. Cameron Dean Bates
665 F. App'x 810 (Eleventh Circuit, 2016)
United States v. Trent Shepard
661 F. App'x 348 (Sixth Circuit, 2016)
United States v. Roman
645 F. App'x 922 (Eleventh Circuit, 2016)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
562 F. App'x 745, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-andrew-beasley-ca11-2014.