United States v. Hollingshed

651 F. App'x 68
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Second Circuit
DecidedJune 8, 2016
Docket15-2671-cr
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 651 F. App'x 68 (United States v. Hollingshed) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Second 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. Hollingshed, 651 F. App'x 68 (2d Cir. 2016).

Opinion

SUMMARY ORDER

Defendant-Appellant Frederick Hol-lingshed pleaded guilty to wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, possession with intent to use and transfer five or more identification documents unlawfully, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028(a)(3) and (b)(2), and misuse of a social security number, in violation 42 U.S.C. § 408(a)(7)(B). On appeal, he argues that the district court’s failure to adhere to the requirements set forth in Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11 constituted plain error requiring his judgment of conviction to be vacated. We assume the parties’ familiarity with the underlying facts, procedural history, and issues on appeal.

We have adopted “a standard of strict adherence to Rule 11.” United States v. Rodriguez, 725 F.3d 271, 277 n. 3 (2d Cir. 2013) (internal quotation marks omitted). In the absence of an objection, however, deviations from Rule 11 are reviewed for plain error. United States v. Pattee, 820 F.3d 496, 503-04 (2d Cir. 2016). Plain error *70 review permits relief only where (1) there is “error,” (2) the error “is plain,” (3) the error “affect[s] substantial rights,” and (4) .the error “seriously affeet[s] the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings.” United States v. Groysman, 766 F.3d 147, 155 (2d Cir. 2014) (quoting Johnson v. United States, 520 U.S. 461, 466-67, 117 S.Ct. 1544, 137 L.Ed.2d 718 (1997)). “In order to establish that a Rule 11 violation affected ‘substantial rights,’, the defendant must show that there is a reasonable probability that, but for the error, he would not have entered the plea.” Pattee, 820 F.3d at 505 (internal quotation marks omitted). We consider plain error “[i]n the context of the entire record.” Id. at 506.

Hollingshed did not object to the district court’s failure to comply with Rule 11. We therefore review for plain error. We find none, and conclude for the reasons below that Hollingshed has not shown that any individual Rule 11 violation or combination thereof affected his “substantial rights.”

Hollingshed identifies several instances that he claims vary from the Rule 11 requirements. First, he asserts that the court did not inform him that he had “the right.to plead not guilty,” as required by Rule 11(b)(1)(B). He is correct that the court’s articulation of this right did not track the rule’s language, but the court did explain that it was Hollingshed’s “free choice to plead guilty,” A. 24-25, and that he could proceed to trial, A. 26, 31. Second, Hollingshed accurately identifies the court’s failure to mention that he was entitled to counsel at every stage of the proceedings and that counsel would be appointed if he could not afford an attorney, as. required by Rule 11(b)(1)(D). Hol-lingshed, however, was represented by a public defender at his plea colloquoy, and the court also explained the role that defense counsel would play at a jury trial. Viewed in the context of the entire record, the court’s failure to comply strictly with these aspects of Rule 11 did not affect his substantial rights. See Pattee, 820 F.3d at 505-09.

Third, Hollingshed correctly observes that the district court failed to explain at the plea allocution that it was required to consider the Sentencing Guidelines and the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors before imposing a sentence. After pleading guilty, however, Hollingshed was informed of his Guidelines range and the § 3553(a) factors. For example, he received a copy of the presentence report (“PSR”) — which included the Guidelines calculation — and he objected to his Guidelines calculation on two occasions. In response to Hol-lingshed’s objections, the Government further discussed the relevant Guidelines and referenced § 3553(a). The court also explained at sentencing how it had calculated the applicable Guidelines range and informed Hollingshed at sentencing that it had considered the § 3553(a) factors. 1 Because he did not attempt to withdraw his guilty plea upon learning of the relevant Guidelines calculation and the § 3553(a) factors, Hollingshed cannot show plain error. See United States v. Vaval, 404 F.3d 144, 152 (2d Cir. 2005) (holding that “[wjhere a defendant, before sentencing, learns of information erroneously omitted in violation of Rule 11. but fails to attempt to withdraw his plea based on that violation, there can be no reasonable probability that, but for the [Rule 11 violation], he would not have entered the plea, and the *71 plain error standard is not met” (internal quotation marks omitted)); see also United States v. Westcott, 159 F.3d 107, 112-13 (2d Cir. 1998) (holding district court’s incorrect statement of maximum penalty at time of guilty plea had no effect on defendant’s decision to plead guilty because defendant did not ask to withdraw his plea once he learned that lower maximum applied).

Fourth, Hollingshed asserts that the court did not ensure that he understood the charges set forth in the indictment and the evidence that would be offered against him at a trial. Hollingshed is presumably referencing Rule 11(b)(1)(G), which requires a court to inform the defendant and confirm his understanding of “the nature of each charge to which [he] is pleading.” While the court did not describe the, charges or the inculpatory evidence that would be offered at trial, the court did confirm that Hollingshed had read the Government’s offer of proof. As the district court explained, the offer of proof “recited the various penalties that pertain to ... [the] counts of the indictment.” A. 29-30. The court clarified that “there [were] eight counts of wire fraud,” one count “[w]ith respect to the identification documents,” and one count “dealing with the misuse of a Social Security Number.” A. 29-30. Although the court did not identify the elements of each offense or the evidence that would be offered against Hollingshed, the offer of proof described both.

Hollingshed asserts that the district court “did not conduct any factual inquiry during the plea proceeding, or even ask [him] a single question about the underlying facts of the offense.” Appellant’s Br. at 8.

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Bluebook (online)
651 F. App'x 68, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-hollingshed-ca2-2016.