United States v. Bercier

192 F. Supp. 3d 1142, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 92764, 2016 WL 3619638
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Washington
DecidedJune 24, 2016
DocketNO: CR-13-102-RMP
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 192 F. Supp. 3d 1142 (United States v. Bercier) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Bercier, 192 F. Supp. 3d 1142, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 92764, 2016 WL 3619638 (E.D. Wash. 2016).

Opinion

[1145]*1145ORDER GRANTING. 28 U.S.C. § 2255 . MOTION TO VACATE SENTENCE

***U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE ACTION REQUIRED***

ROSANNA MALOÚF PETERSON, United States District Judge

BEFORE THE COURT is Defendant’s Motion to Vacate Sentence in Light of Johnson v. United States, — U.S.-, 135 S.Ct. 2551, 192 L.Ed.2d 569 (2015), ECF No. 48. The Court has reviewed the motion, the response memorandum (ECF No. 53), the reply memorandum (ECF No. 54), has heard argument from counsel, and is fully informed.

BACKGROUND

On July 10, 2013, Defendant was charged with Felon in Possession of Ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). ECF No. 1. On November 7, 2013, the Government filed an Information Superseding Indictment, charging Defendant with the same offense in addition to various forfeiture allegations. ECF No. 26. Defendant pleaded guilty to the charge on November 7, 2013. ECF Nos. 27 and 29. In the plea agreement, the Government agreed to recommend “that the Court impose a sentence within the applicable sentencing guideline range ultimately determined by the Court.” ECF No. 27 at 6-7. Defendant was “free to make recommendations in regards to length of incarceration and placement in any Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) program(s) for which BOP determines he is eligiblé.” Id. at 7. Further, the plea agreement noted that

[i]n return for the concessions that the United States has made in this Plea Agreement, the Defendant agrees to waive the right to appeal the sentence if the Court imposes a prison term of no longer than 63 months, imposes a term of supervised release of no longer than 3 years, waives the imposition of a fine, and impose a $100 penalty assessment.

Id.- at 8. The plea agreement also noted that “[n]othing in this Plea Agreement shall preclude the United States from opposing any post-conviction motion for reduction of sentence or other attack of the conviction or sentence, including, but not limited to, proceedings pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2255.” Id.

In preparation for sentencing, the United States Probation Office compiled a Pre-sentence Investigation Report. ECF No. 34. The Probation Officer concluded that Defendant’s Base Offense Level was 20, based on the application of U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(a)(4)(A). Id. at 7. The Probation Officer found that Defendant triggered a heightened Base Offense Level because Defendant has been previously convicted of a felony that constituted a “crime of violence.” Id. Defendant had a prior conviction for second-degree robbery, at the time a “crime of violence” under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(a)(2). Id. After a four level enhancement. for possessing ammunition in connection with another felony offense and a three level downward adjustment for acceptance of responsibility, the Probation Office recommended that Defendant’s Total Offense Level was 21. Id. at 7-8.

Defendant was sentenced on February 5, 2014. ECF No. 40. At the sentencing hearing, the Court rejected the proposed four level enhancement and calculated Defendant’s Total Offense Level to be 17. ECF No. 42 at 1. When coupled with Defendant’s Criminal History Category of VI, the Sentencing Guidelines recommended an imprisonment range of 51 to 63 months. Id. The Court sentenced Defendant to 51 months of imprisonment. ECF No. 41 at 2.

On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court decided Johnson v. United States, — U.S. -, 135 S.Ct. 2551, 192 L.Ed.2d 569 [1146]*1146(2016). In Johnson, the Court held that the residual clause of the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA) was unconstitutionally vague in violation of the Due Process Clause. Id. at 2557.

On May 19, 2016, Defendant filed a Motion to Vacate Sentence in Light of Johnson v. United States, — U.S. -, 135 S.Ct. 2551, 192 L.Ed.2d 569 (2015). ECF No. 48. Defendant argues that Johnson, in holding the ACCA residual clause to be unconstitutional, also invalidated the similar residual clause contained in U.S.S.G, § 4B1.2(a)(2). Id. at 3. Consequently, Defendant contends that he was improperly sentenced based on an invalid prior “crime of violence” and with an incorrect Base Offense Level. Id. The Court heard oral argument on Defendant’s motion on June 22, 2016. ECF No. 59.

ISSUE

Defendant argues that Johnson, in holding that the residual clause of the ACCA was an unconstitutionally vague violation of the Due Process Clause, necessarily invalidated the identical residual clause in U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(a)(2), resulting in Defendant’s having been unconstitutionally and improperly sentenced on the basis of having a prior conviction for a “crime of violence.” See generally ECF No. 48. Defendant requests resentencing under a correct Guideline range. Id. at 29.

DISCUSSION

I. 28 U.S.C. § 2255

'[1] 28 U.S.C. § 2255(a) states that [a] prisoner in custody under sentence of a court established by Act of Congress claiming the right to be released upon the ground that the sentence was imposed in violation' of the Constitution or laws of the United States, or that the court was without jurisdiction to impose such sentence, or that the sentence was in excess of the maximum authorized by law, or is otherwise subject to collateral attack, may move the court which imposed the sentence to vacate, set aside or correct the sentence,

28 U.S.C. § 2255(a). The claimed- error of law must be “a fundamental defect which inherently results in a complete miscarriage of justice.” Davis v. United States, 417 U.S. 333, 346, 94 S.Ct. 2298, 41 L.Ed.2d 109 (1974) (quoting Hill v. United States, 368 U.S. 424, 429, 82 S.Ct. 468, 7 L,Ed.2d 417 (1962)).

II, Johnson v. United States

Defendant argues that Defendant’s “sentence was imposed in violation of the Constitution” following Johnson v. United States. ECF No. 48 at 20. The Government contends (1) that Defendant’s motion is based on Descamps v. United States, — U.S.-, 133 S.Ct. 2276, 186 L.Ed.2d 438 (2013), as opposed to Johnson; and (2) that any new rule following Johnson is. a non-retroactive procedural rule. See ECF No. 53.

A. Legal Basis for Defendant’s Petition

The Government argues that, as Defendant cannot ’show that his predicate conviction was determined to be a “crime of violence” under the U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(a)(2) residual clause, Defendant’s motion is based on Descamps. ECF No. 53 at 4. Defendant argues that his “petition is based on Johnson, not Descamps.” ECF No.

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

Related

United States v. Duran
Tenth Circuit, 2018
United States v. Kevin Peterson
902 F.3d 1016 (Ninth Circuit, 2018)
United States v. Dimitri Powell
708 F. App'x 294 (Ninth Circuit, 2017)
United States v. Swerdon
207 F. Supp. 3d 525 (M.D. Pennsylvania, 2016)
United States v. Rios
201 F. Supp. 3d 1266 (E.D. Washington, 2016)
Jayson Fulcher v. United States of America
2016 DNH 125 (D. New Hampshire, 2016)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
192 F. Supp. 3d 1142, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 92764, 2016 WL 3619638, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-bercier-waed-2016.