United States v. Cloud

197 F. Supp. 3d 1263, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 92901, 2016 WL 3647785
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Washington
DecidedJune 24, 2016
DocketNO: 2:10-CR-2077-RMP
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 197 F. Supp. 3d 1263 (United States v. Cloud) 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. Cloud, 197 F. Supp. 3d 1263, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 92901, 2016 WL 3647785 (E.D. Wash. 2016).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING 28 U.S.C. § 2255 MOTION TO VACATE SENTENCE

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

ROSANNA MALOUF 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. 76. The Court has reviewed the motion, the response memorandum (ECF No. 78), the reply memorandum (ECF No. 83), has heard argument from counsel, and is fully informed.

BACKGROUND

On July 14, 2010, Defendant was charged with Crime on an Indian Reservation-Burglary, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1153 and RCW 9A.52.025. ECF No. 1. On December 9, 2010, the Government filed a Superseding Information, charging Defendant with Crime on an Indian Reservation-Burglary, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1153 and RCW 9A.52.025, as well as Possession of Stolen Firearms, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(j). ECF No. 47. Defendant pleaded guilty to both charges on December 9, 2010. ECF Nos. 49 and 51. In the plea agreement, Defendant agreed “that he shall receive a sentence of 120 months incarceration” for Crime on an Indian Reservation-Burglary and a consecutive “30 months incarceration” for Possession of Stolen Firearms. ECF No. 49 at 9. Overall, the parties agreed to jointly recommend a total of 150 months incarceration. Id. Further, the plea agreement noted that “Defendant hereby expressly waives his right to appeal his conviction and the sentence the Court imposes.” Id. at 12. Defendant also

waive[d] his right to file any post-conviction motion attacking his conviction and sentence, including a motion pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2255, except one based upon ineffective assistance of counsel based on information not now known by Defendant and which, in the exercise of due diligence, could not be known by Defendant by the time the Court imposes the sentence.

Id.

In preparation for sentencing, the United States Probation Office compiled a Pre-[1268]*1268sentence Investigation Report. ECF No. 63. The Probation Officer concluded that Defendant’s Base Offense Level for Possession of Stolen Firearms was 24, based on the application of U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(a)(2). Id. at 8. The Probation Officer found that Defendant triggered a heightened Base Offense Level because Defendant had been previously convicted of at least two felonies that constitute either “crimes of violence” or controlled substance offenses. Id. Defendant had prior convictions for second-degree burglary, residential burglary, and delivery of methamphetamine. Id. After a four level enhancement for possessing the firearm in connection with a felony offense and a three level downward adjustment for acceptance of responsibility, the Probation Officer recommended that Defendant’s Total Offense Level was 25. Id. at 8-9.

Defendant was sentenced on March 1, 2011. ECF No. 67. The Court accepted the Probation Officer’s calculation of Defendant’s Base Offense Level which, coupled with Defendant’s criminal history category of VI, resulted in a Sentencing Guideline imprisonment range of 110 to 137 months. ECF No. 70 at 1. The Court sentenced Defendant to 120 months on the burglary charge to run consecutive to 30 months on the possession of stolen firearm charge. ECF No. 69 at 2. Defendant was sentenced to a total of 150 months incarceration. Id.

On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court decided Johnson v. United States, — U.S. -, 135 S.Ct. 2551, 192 L.Ed,2d 569 (2015). 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 18, 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. 76. 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 1. Consequently, Defendant contends that he was improperly sentenced based on invalid prior crimes 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. 89.

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. 76. Defendant requests resentencing under a correct Guideline range. Id. at 21.

DISCUSSION

I. 28 U.S.C. § 2255

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 im[1269]*1269posed 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. Collateral Review Waiver

The Government moves to enforce the collateral review waiver contained in Defendant’s plea agreement. ECF No. 78 at 11-12. The Government “contends that the Defendant’s current motion is beyond the scope of review reserved by the plea agreement.” Id. at 12.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
197 F. Supp. 3d 1263, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 92901, 2016 WL 3647785, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-cloud-waed-2016.