United States v. Garcia

470 F.3d 1143, 2006 U.S. App. LEXIS 29097, 2006 WL 3378399
Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit·Decided November 22, 2006·No. 05-41030·Published·Cited by 24 cases

Opinions

PRADO, Circuit Judge:

Defendant-appellant Ronald Garcia appeals his judgment of conviction and sentence, arguing that: (1) the statute under which he was convicted, 21 U.S.C. § 841, is facially unconstitutional under Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000); and (2) the district court erred in concluding that his prior conviction for third-degree assault in Colorado qualifies as a crime of violence under the career offender provisions of the United States Sentencing Guidelines Manual (“U.S.S.G.”) § 4B1.1 (2004). For the following reasons, we AFFIRM Garcia’s conviction, VACATE his sentence, and REMAND for development of the record and resentencing.

I. BACKGROUND

On February 8, 2005, pursuant to an oral plea agreement, Garcia pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B). In the presentence report (“PSR”), the probation officer recommended a base offense level of thirty pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1. The PSR also included a recommendation to increase the base offense level to thirty-four because it concluded that two of Garcia’s prior convictions in Colorado constituted crimes of violence and thus qualified Garcia as a career offender -under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1. After receiving a three-level reduction for acceptance of responsibility, Garcia’s total offense level was thirty-one. This offense level, combined with a Category VI criminal history score, resulted in a sentencing range of 188 to 235 months.

The district court adopted the recommendations contained in the PSR and sentenced Garcia to 188 months in prison and [1146] five years of supervised release. Garcia timely appealed.1

II. DISCUSSION

A. Constitutionality of 21 U.S.C. § 8hl

Garcia argues for the first time on appeal that the statute under which he was convicted, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a) and (b), is facially unconstitutional under Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000). As he correctly concedes, this claim is foreclosed by circuit precedent. See United States v. Slaughter, 238 F.3d 580, 582 (5th Cir.2000) (rejecting the argument that Ap-prendi rendered the provisions of § 841 facially unconstitutional). He raises the issue only to preserve it for possible review by the Supreme Court. Accordingly, we affirm his conviction.

B. Career Offender Enhancement Under U.S.S.G. § 4b1.1

Garcia also objects to the classification of one of his prior convictions as a crime of violence and thus to his career offender enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1.2 Specifically, he contends that his prior conviction for third-degree misdemeanor assault in Colorado is not a crime of violence because the Colorado assault statute does not require as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force and because the offense does not involve conduct that presents a serious potential risk of physical injury. Put another way, he argues that third-degree assault in Colorado can be committed without physical injury or physical contact of any type.

Because Garcia failed to raise this issue in the district court, we review for plain error. See United States v. Gonzalez-Chavez, 432 F.3d 334, 336 (5th Cir.2005). To establish plain error, the defendant must show that (1) there is an error, (2) the error is clear or obvious, and (3) the error affected his substantial rights, i.e., the error affected the outcome of the district court proceedings. Id. If these factors are established, this court may exercise its discretion to correct the error only if it “ ‘seriously affect[s] the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings.’ ” Id. at 336-37 (quoting United States v. Gracia-Cantu, 302 F.3d 308, 310 (5th Cir.2002)).

A defendant is a career offender and subject to an enhanced sentence under the Guidelines if:

(1) the defendant was at least eighteen years old at the time the defendant committed the instant offense of conviction;
(2) the instant offense of conviction is a felony that is either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense; and
(3) the defendant has at least two prior felony convictions of either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense.

U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1(a).3 For purposes of the career offender guideline, a crime of violence is any offense under federal or state law, punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, that either: “(1) has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person of another, or (2) is burglary of a dwelling, arson, or extortion, ... or oth[1147] erwise involves conduct that presents a serious potential risk of physical injury to another.” U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(a)(1)-(2)4

The inquiry under § 4B1.2(a)(1) focuses on the elements of the crime, not the defendant’s actual conduct in committing the offense. See United States v. Calderon-Pena, 383 F.3d 254, 257 (5th Cir.2004) (en banc). The elements of the crime come from the statute of conviction, not from the particular manner or means in which the statute was violated. See id. Thus, “the statute of conviction, not the defendant’s underlying conduct, is the proper focus.” Id.

The Colorado statute under which Garcia was convicted provides:

A person commits the crime of assault in the third degree if he knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another person or with criminal negligence he causes bodily injury to another person by means of a deadly weapon.

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United States v. Garcia, 470 F.3d 1143, 2006 U.S. App. LEXIS 29097, 2006 WL 3378399 (5th Cir. 2006).

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United States v. Garcia
470 F.3d 1143 (Fifth Circuit, 2006)