United States v. Delmarcus Johnson

715 F.3d 1094, 2013 WL 2372004, 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 11069
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
DecidedJune 3, 2013
Docket12-2450
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 715 F.3d 1094 (United States v. Delmarcus Johnson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eighth 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. Delmarcus Johnson, 715 F.3d 1094, 2013 WL 2372004, 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 11069 (8th Cir. 2013).

Opinion

SMITH, Circuit Judge.

Delmarcus Deante Johnson pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement to one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2). Following entry of his guilty plea, Johnson moved to withdraw his plea. The district court 1 denied Johnson’s motion to withdraw his plea. On appeal, he argues that the district court failed to comply with Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11(b)(3) because his guilty plea lacks a factual basis. Specifically, he asserts that nothing in the record supports a finding that the video at issue was “produced” using materials that moved in interstate commerce. See 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B). *1097 Additionally, he contends that the district court abused its discretion in denying his motion to withdraw because he articulated a fair and just reason to withdraw his plea. We affirm.

I. Background

Johnson was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of child pornography, in violation of § 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2). The indictment provided that Johnson

did knowingly possess one or more matters that contained a visual depiction which was produced using materials that had been mailed, shipped and transported in interstate commerce by any means, where the production of such visual depiction involved the use of [a] minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and the visual depiction is of such conduct, including but not limited to the following digital image file: MOV01485.mpg, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and 2252(b)(2).

(Emphasis added.)

Johnson, representing himself, and with stand-by counsel, entered into a plea agreement under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11(c)(1)(C) with the government in which Johnson agreed to plead guilty to the offense. Paragraph 2 of the plea agreement set forth the factual basis of the plea as follows:

The defendant agrees that in or about May 2010, in the State and District of Minnesota, he possessed a video which depicts him engaging in sexual intercourse with Minor A at a motel in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area. The defendant agrees that the video of the sex act was stored on a device that was manufactured outside of the state of Minnesota. Therefore, the defendant agrees that the image he possessed was stored on materials that had been mailed, shipped or transported in interstate commerce.

(Emphases added.)

In ¶ 6 of the plea agreement, “the parties agree[d] pursuant to Fed.R.Crim.P. 11(c)(1)(C) that a sentence that does not exceed 36 months imprisonment[ ] is appropriate after consideration of the sentencing factors set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a).” The government agreed to “seek a sentence of 36 months,” while Johnson reserved the right to “seek a lower sentence.”

At the change-of-plea hearing, the district court expressed its intent to accept the plea agreement under Rule 11(c)(1)(C) and sentence Johnson to 36 months’ imprisonment or less. The government then reviewed the plea agreement with Johnson. Johnson agreed that he was pleading guilty to “possession of child pornography[,] in violation of 18 United States Code Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and 2252(b)(2).” The government then reviewed the factual basis for the plea with Johnson, and the following exchange occurred:

MR. STEINKAMP [for the government]: Now, so here is what I’m going to ask you. On or about May of 2010, you possessed an electronic device that had on it a video, correct?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes.
MR. STEINKAMP: And it was a video of you and your then 17-year-old girlfriend, who we’ve referred to in the plea agreement as “Minor A”, correct?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
MR. STEINKAMP: And you know who I mean when I say “Minor A”?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
MR. STEINKAMP: I think we can say her initials are D.P. without identifying her in the courtroom.
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
*1098 MR. STEINKAMP: But that’s the person we’re talking about?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
MR. STEINKAMP: And that person was on the tape with you and you — that tape shows you and Minor A engaging in a sexual act, correct?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
MR. STEINKAMP: And at the time you — that that was taken, Minor A was under the age of 18, correct?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
MR. STEINKAMP: She was — she could consensually have sex under the laws of Minnesota, correct?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
MR. STEINKAMP: But you now know, and you didn’t know then, that you could not videotape consensual sex between you and her under federal law, true?
THE DEFENDANT: True.
MR. STEINKAMP: You agree that you now know that the law says that you cannot do that?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
MR. STEINKAMP: Okay. So, therefore, do you agree that you’re guilty of that offense under federal law?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
MR. STEINKAMP: Okay. Let me just make one other thing clear, your Honor.
THE COURT: Certainly.
MR. STEINKAMP: You agree that the camera that was — that stored this video was manufactured outside of Minnesota. It was likely made in probably an eastern country like Korea, Japan. You’re not saying that that camera didn’t move in interstate commerce. You think it did, right?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes. Yes, sir.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
715 F.3d 1094, 2013 WL 2372004, 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 11069, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-delmarcus-johnson-ca8-2013.