United States v. Gerlin Rutilio Ibarg

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit·Decided July 28, 2020·No. 19-12754·Unpublished

Opinion

[DO NOT PUBLISH]

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT

No. 19-12754

Non-Argument Calendar

D.C. Docket No. 8:18-cr-00525-JSM-TGW-3

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee,

versus GERLIN RUTILIO IBARGUEN VALENCIA, Defendant - Appellant.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida

(July 28, 2020)

Before BRANCH, LAGOA, AND FAY, Circuit Judges. LAGOA, Circuit Judge:

Gerlin Rutilio Ibarguen Valencia (“Valencia”) appeals his 140-month sentence for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, in violation of 46 U.S.C. §§ 70503(a), 70506(a) and (b), and 21 U.S.C. § 960(b)(l)(B)(ii), and aiding and abetting to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, in violation of 46 U.S.C. §§ 70503(a), 70506(a) and (b), 18 U.S.C. § 2, and 21 U.S.C. § 960(b)(l)(B)(ii). Valencia challenges the district court’s denial of a minor-role reduction under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.2(b) and the district court’s denial of safety-valve relief. We affirm the denial of safety-valve relief, but we vacate and remand for resentencing as to Valencia’s entitlement to a minor-role reduction. I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY On or about October 20, 2018, the U.S. Coast Guard (“Coast Guard”)

intercepted in international waters a go-fast vessel approximately 240 nautical miles southwest of the El Salvador-Guatemala border.1 The Coast Guard boarding team discovered approximately sixty-five bales of cocaine, which weighed approximately

1 Pursuant to the United States-Colombian Bilateral Agreement, the Coast Guard requested from the Government of Colombia confirmation of the registry and nationality of the go-fast vessel. The Government of Colombia was unable to confirm or deny that the vessel was of Colombian nationality. Additionally, the go-fast vessel was not flying a flag, had no name, registration numbers, homeport, or other markings on the hull. Because the vessel was one without nationality and was interdicted in international waters, the go-fast vessel was properly subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

2,040 kilograms, aboard the vessel and arrested the three crewman onboard: Henry Bonilla Arias (“Arias”), the captain; Orlando Victoria Valoy (“Valoy”), a mariner; and Valencia, the mechanic. On October 31, 2018, a grand jury returned a two-count indictment against the crewmen. The indictment charged the crewmen with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, in violation of 46 U.S.C. §§ 70503(a), 70506(a) and (b), and 21 U.S.C. § 960(b)(l)(B)(ii), and aiding and abetting to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, in violation of 46 U.S.C. §§ 70503(a) and 70506(a) and (b), 18 U.S.C. § 2, and 21 U.S.C. § 960(b)(l)(B)(ii). The statutory maximum term of imprisonment for these criminal offenses is life. § 960(b)(1)(B)(ii).

Arias and Valoy pleaded guilty to the charges in the two-count indictment.

Arias was sentenced to 180-months of imprisonment and sixty months of supervised release.2 Valoy was sentenced to 120-months of imprisonment and sixty months of supervised release.

Valencia was interviewed by federal agents on November 4, 2018, and February 6, 2019, and discussed his involvement in the drug smuggling venture and,

2 As noted in the presentence investigation report, Arias received a two-level enhancement for his role as the captain of the vessel.

notably, the identity of the man who recruited him to transport the cocaine. Without a plea agreement, Valencia pleaded guilty to both counts in the indictment on February 27, 2019.

Based on the amount of cocaine seized from the vessel, Valencia’s presentence investigation report set his base offense level at thirty-eight. See U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1. Because Valencia accepted responsibility for his actions, his base offense level was reduced by three levels, resulting in a total offense level of thirty- five. See U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1. This total offense level, coupled with a criminal history category of I, created a guideline sentencing range of 168 to 210 months imprisonment. See U.S.S.G. Sentencing Table, ch. 5, pt. A.

Valencia made two objections to the presentence investigation report. First, Valencia argued that he should have received a minor-role reduction under U.S.S.G. §§ 2D1.1(a)(5)(B)(iii) and 3B1.2(b). He contended that he played a minor role in the drug smuggling venture because he was merely a crewman aboard the vessel and did not have any proprietary interest in the larger criminal activity. Second, Valencia argued that he should have received a two-level reduction for safety-valve relief under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f).3 Relevant to this appeal, Valencia contended that he

3 The safety-valve provision of 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f) allows a district court to disregard a defendant’s statutory mandatory minimum sentence and afford a defendant a two-level reduction if the defendant meets the five criteria specified in § 3553(f)(1)-(5). See U.S.S.G. §§ 2D1.1(b)(18), 5C1.2.

provided full and truthful information to the federal agents regarding his involvement in the criminal activity and the identity of his recruiter.

The district court addressed Valencia’s objections during the sentencing hearing. During the hearing, the district court asked the government why Valencia was not entitled to safety-valve relief. The government responded that Valencia, during his interviews with the federal agents, “was not completely truthful, and withheld information with respect to the individual or individuals who hired him” to transport the cocaine. Moreover, the government argued that Valencia’s recollections were riddled with “internal inconsistencies and frankly, some things that just don’t add up.” Valencia argued that he provided the federal agents with a consistent narrative and was truthful in his inability to remember his recruiter’s name. Valencia informed the district court that he would take the witness stand so the district court could “evaluate his credibility” regarding his involvement in the criminal activity and his contentions about his recruiter.

During his testimony, Valencia recounted that when he was in Buenaventura, Colombia, a man approached him and asked whether Valencia could assist him with an engine issue. Valencia described the man as looking Guatemalan and being “175 tall, a little chubby,” “between thirty-five and thirty-seven years old,” with a “cinnamon tone.” The man was wearing a flat cap and dark sunglasses. After fixing the engine and receiving $15 as payment, Valencia testified that the man asked him

whether he was interested in another, unspecified job. According to Valencia, the job came with conditions that included not asking the man questions, following orders, and forgetting that his conversation with the man occurred. The man originally offered Valencia $8,000 upfront, but Valencia negotiated the price to $9,000. Since he was in “bad shape” and “really needed the money,” Valencia testified that he agreed to the offer and did not “really think about the consequences.” Valencia stated that he received $9,000 the following day and boarded a “small boat” near Marina Del Sol that brought him to the go-fast vessel. When Valencia boarded the go-fast vessel, he joined Arias and Valoy and was told to “give the engine full throttle, full speed ahead.” According to Valencia, the recruiter gave Valencia his name, but “his name didn’t register in [Valencia’s] brain.” Valencia further testified that he did not know the amount of money he would receive when he successfully returned after delivering the cocaine.

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

United States v. Gerlin Rutilio Ibarg, (11th Cir. 2020).

United States v. Gerlin Rutilio Ibarg (United States v. Gerlin Rutilio Ibarg) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

United States v. Cruz
106 F.3d 1553 (Eleventh Circuit, 1997)
United States v. Espinosa
172 F.3d 795 (Eleventh Circuit, 1999)
United States v. Yate
176 F.3d 1309 (Eleventh Circuit, 1999)
United States v. Figueroa
199 F.3d 1281 (Eleventh Circuit, 2000)
United States v. Brownlee
204 F.3d 1302 (Eleventh Circuit, 2000)
United States v. Donald Edward Miles
290 F.3d 1341 (Eleventh Circuit, 2002)
United States v. Jerome Wayne Johnson
375 F.3d 1300 (Eleventh Circuit, 2004)
United States v. Robert Brehm
442 F.3d 1291 (Eleventh Circuit, 2006)
United States v. Isabel Rodriguez De Varon
175 F.3d 930 (Eleventh Circuit, 1999)
United States v. Pertuz-Pertuz
679 F.3d 1327 (Eleventh Circuit, 2012)
United States v. Carlington Cruickshank
837 F.3d 1182 (Eleventh Circuit, 2016)
United States v. Stanley Presendieu
880 F.3d 1228 (Eleventh Circuit, 2018)