United States v. Duhon

440 F.3d 711, 2006 U.S. App. LEXIS 3995, 2006 WL 367017
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedFebruary 17, 2006
DocketNo. 05-30387
StatusPublished
Cited by92 cases

This text of 440 F.3d 711 (United States v. Duhon) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth 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. Duhon, 440 F.3d 711, 2006 U.S. App. LEXIS 3995, 2006 WL 367017 (5th Cir. 2006).

Opinions

BENAVIDES, Circuit Judge:

The Government appeals the district court’s post -Booker, non-Guideline sentence. We hold that the sentence is unreasonable with regard to the sentencing factors enumerated in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) (2000).

I. BACKGROUND

Appellee David Duhon pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(2000). Duhon submitted a factual stipulation in connection with his plea. He acknowledged that FBI agents found images of children engaged in sexually explicit activity on his computer. Du-hon admitted that he had downloaded the pictures from the Internet.

A. The PREseNtence Report AND Fmsx SENTENCING HEARING

The presentence report (“PSR”) determined a base offense level of fifteen. U.S.S.G. § 2G2.4 (2002).1 It recommended three two-level enhancements under section 2G2.4(b) because (1) the material involved minors under twelve, (2) the offense involved the possession of ten or more images, and (3) Duhon used a computer. The PSR also subtracted three levels for acceptance of responsibility. U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1. Thus, it arrived at an adjusted offense level of eighteen. Given Duhon’s category I criminal history, the PSR calculated the Guideline range at twenty-seven to thirty-three months imprisonment.

Duhon objected to the PSR’s suggested enhancements for the age of the children and number of images involved, citing Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. 296, 124 S.Ct. 2531, 159 L.Ed.2d 403 (2004). He argued that these facts had neither been admitted to nor found by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. He also moved for a downward departure, claiming that a back injury he suffered in 1987 was an extraordinary physical impairment that warranted [714]*714a sentence below the applicable Guideline range. See U.S.S.G. § 5H1.4.

At a sentencing hearing on August 25, 2004, the district court denied Duhon’s motion for a downward departure. Considering Duhon’s Blakely motion, the court decided to stay sentencing until the Supreme Court issued its ruling in United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220, 125 S.Ct. 738, 160 L.Ed.2d 621 (2005). Before adjourning, the court expressed hostility toward the Sentencing Guidelines, lamented Congress’s criminalization of possessing child pornography, and promised that he would give Duhon “the lowest sentence I can give consistent with my oath.”

B. The Post -Booker Sentencing HeaRING

Following the Booker ruling, the sentencing was reconvened on February 28, 2005. Over the Government’s objection, the district court ruled that Booker precluded it from using facts not admitted by Duhon to enhance his sentence, even under an advisory regime. The court calculated a Guideline range without using the enhancements for the age of the children or the number of images involved in the offense. This calculation resulted in an offense level of fourteen and an advisory term of imprisonment of fifteen to twenty-one months. The court announced, however, that it would not follow the Guidelines, characterizing them as “totally discretionary.” It stated that it would use the discretion granted by Booker to “deviate from the United States Sentencing Commission Guidelines and impose a sentence that ... is appropriate based on the facts.”2 The court explained why it thought a lesser sentence was appropriate and sentenced Duhon to sixty months probation.

The Government reiterated its objection to the court’s calculation of the Guideline range. The court responded that it would have imposed the same sentence regardless of which advisory Guideline range was correct. The Government claims on appeal that the probationary sentence imposed by the district court is unreasonable.

II. Standard of Review

The district court’s interpretation of the Guidelines, even after Booker, is reviewed de novo. See United States v. Smith, 440 F.3d 704 at n. 2 (5th Cir.2006). We accept the district court’s findings of fact unless clearly erroneous. United States v. Creech, 408 F.3d 264, 270 n. 2 (5th Cir.2005). The ultimate sentence is reviewed for “unreasonableness” with regard to the statutory sentencing factors enumerated in section 3553(a). Booker, 125 S.Ct. at 765.3

[715]*715In an opinion filed concurrently with this one, we address non-Guideline sentences like that at issue here. See Smith, 440 F.3d 704. Before imposing a non-Guideline sentence, a district court must consider the Sentencing Guidelines. Id. at 707; United States v. Mares, 402 F.3d 511, 518-19 (5th Cir.2005). This consideration requires that the court calculate the appropriate Guideline range. E.g., Smith, 440 F.3d at 707. Additionally, the court should articulate fact-specific reasons for its sentence. Mares, 402 F.3d at 519. Those reasons should be “consistent with the sentencing factors enumerated in section 3553(a).” Smith, 440 F.3d at 707. The court need not make “a checklist recitation of the section 3553(a) factors.” Id. at 707. However, “the farther a sentence varies from the applicable Guideline sentence, the more compelling the justification based on factors in section 3553(a) must be.” Id. (internal quotation marks omitted).

In reviewing for reasonableness, we assess whether the statutory sentencing factors support the sentence. Id. at 707; see United States v. Long Soldier, 431 F.3d 1120, 1123 (8th Cir.2005). A non-Guideline sentence is unreasonable where it “(1) does not account for a factor that should have received significant weight, (2) gives significant weight to an irrelevant or improper factor, or (3) represents a clear error of judgment in balancing the sentencing factors.” Smith, 440 F.3d at 707-08; see Long Soldier, 431 F.3d at 1123; United States v. Haack, 403 F.3d 997, 1004 (8th Cir.2005).

III. Discussion

The sentence at issue does properly take into account two section 3553(a) factors. First, under subsection (1), the sentence reflects the history and characteristics of the defendant. In imposing its sentence, the court emphasized Duhon’s lack of criminal record and letters on his behalf from family and friends. It explained its belief that Duhon was unlikely to reoffend. Second, the court reasoned that Duhon’s psychiatric rehabilitation would be best served with a probationary sentence that would allow him to continue treatment with his current psychologist.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
440 F.3d 711, 2006 U.S. App. LEXIS 3995, 2006 WL 367017, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-duhon-ca5-2006.