United States v. Gutierrez

58 F. App'x 410
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
DecidedJanuary 30, 2003
Docket02-5137
StatusUnpublished

This text of 58 F. App'x 410 (United States v. Gutierrez) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Tenth 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. Gutierrez, 58 F. App'x 410 (10th Cir. 2003).

Opinion

ORDER AND JUDGMENT

HARTZ, Circuit Judge.

After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R.App. P. 34(a)(2); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is therefore ordered submitted without oral argument. This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. The court generally disfavors the citation of orders and judgments; nevertheless, an order and judgment may be cited under the terms and conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.

Pro se petitioner Peter Anthony Gutierrez (Petitioner) requests a certificate of appealability to appeal the district court’s denial of his motion to vacate, set aside, or correct his sentence under 28 U.S.C. § 2255. He claims he received ineffective assistance of counsel due to his attorney’s failure to advise him regarding how his sentence would be calculated. Because he has not demonstrated “a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right,” we deny his request and dismiss the appeal. See 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2).

On March 8, 1996, Petitioner was indicted on four charges: (1) possession of a firearm after former conviction of a felony, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1); (2) possession of stolen firearms, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(j); (3) carjacking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2119; and (4) use of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). On April 22, 1996, Petitioner and the government reached a plea agreement under which Petitioner agreed to plead guilty to the first two counts, and the government agreed to dismiss the second two counts and not to initiate additional charges arising out of the investigation.

In applying the Sentencing Guidelines to Petitioner’s case, the district court adopted the factual findings contained in the probation officer’s presentence report, finding by a preponderance of the evidence that Petitioner had used the illegally possessed firearm during the commission of a carjacking. See United States v. Gutierrez, No. 96-5221, slip op. at 3-4, 117 F.3d 1429 1997 WL 375342 (10th Cir. July 8, 1997). Thus, in considering which offense level to apply, the district court considered conduct relating to the two counts of the indictment — carjacking and use of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence — that had been dismissed as part of the plea agreement between the government and Petitioner. See id. The court sentenced Petitioner to a term of 235 months in prison — five months shy of 20 years.

Petitioner challenged his sentence on direct appeal to this court. We affirmed the district court’s sentence, finding Petition *412 er’s claims to be wholly frivolous. See id. at 2.

Petitioner argues that his counsel was constitutionally ineffective during the plea process because he failed to inform Petitioner that the conduct associated with the charges dismissed as part of the plea agreement could be used to impose a higher sentence on the charges to which he pleaded guilty. We find this claim to be without merit. Petitioner was fully advised of the relevant information regarding his potential sentence.

The plea agreement informed Petitioner that “the maximum statutory sentence under both Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g) (Count One), and Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(j) (Count Two) is imprisonment for a term of ten (10) years, and a fine of up to $250,000.00, or both.” Plea Agreement at 6-7. The agreement stated that the sentence would be imposed in accordance with the Sentencing Guidelines, and that “the sentence has not yet been determined by the Court, that any estimate of the likely sentence received from any source is a prediction, not a promise, and that the Court has the final discretion to impose any sentence up to the statutory maximum.” Id. at 8. In addition, the plea agreement informed Petitioner that “THE DEFENDANT FURTHER UNDERSTANDS THAT THE SENTENCE TO BE IMPOSED UPON THE DEFENDANT WILL BE DETERMINED SOLELY BY THE SENTENCING JUDGE.” Id. at 9.

Petitioner also executed a “Petition to Enter Plea of Guilty and Order Entering Plea” that was filed with the district court. In it Petitioner attested to the following:

My attorney has informed me my plea of GUILTY could subject me to a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years on Count One, and ten years on Count Two....
I have been advised by counsel I will be sentenced pursuant to the sentencing guidelines procedure established by Title 18 U.S.C. sections 3553 et seq. I understand sentencing is a matter left exclusively in the province of the Court; and I understand the sentence imposed by the Court may be within the guideline table range provided by law, or for good cause stated the Court may depart therefrom after a review of all relevant facts and circumstances of my case have been considered by the Court.

Petition to Enter Plea of Guilty and Order Entering Plea at 4, 6. This document also contained a “Certificate of Counsel,” signed by Petitioner’s lawyer, which said:

I have advised the defendant as to any minimum sentence required by law, and I have advised the defendant as to the maximum sentence possible under the applicable statutes. I have provided the defendant with my estimates concerning his possible sentencing guideline range, and my opinions concerning any possible grounds for upward or downward departure from the guideline range. I have specifically advised the defendant, however, that sentencing is a matter exclusively within the control of the Court.

Id. at 9.

Our standard of review is set forth in United States v. Gordon, 4 F.3d 1567, 1570 (10th Cir.1993):

We review a challenge to a guilty plea based on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel using the two-part test announced in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). See Hill v. Lockhart, 474 U.S. 52, 58, 106 S.Ct. 366, 88 L.Ed.2d 203 (1985).

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Related

Strickland v. Washington
466 U.S. 668 (Supreme Court, 1984)
Hill v. Lockhart
474 U.S. 52 (Supreme Court, 1985)
United States v. Gutierrez
117 F.3d 1429 (Tenth Circuit, 1997)
United States v. Harry Jarmar Gordon
4 F.3d 1567 (Tenth Circuit, 1993)
United States v. Frank Gutierrez
117 F.3d 1429 (Tenth Circuit, 1997)

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Bluebook (online)
58 F. App'x 410, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-gutierrez-ca10-2003.