United States v. Kenneth Maurice Johnson

348 F. App'x 539
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
DecidedOctober 8, 2009
Docket09-11136
StatusUnpublished

This text of 348 F. App'x 539 (United States v. Kenneth Maurice Johnson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eleventh 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. Kenneth Maurice Johnson, 348 F. App'x 539 (11th Cir. 2009).

Opinion

PER CURIAM:

Kenneth Maurice Johnson appeals his convictions and sentence of 120 months of imprisonment for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1); 21 U.S.C. § 846. Johnson challenges the denial of his motion to withdraw his guilty plea and, for the first time on appeal, objects to the term of supervised release imposed for his firearm offense. We affirm as to those issues, and we vacate and remand to correct a clerical error.

I. BACKGROUND

Travis Hill told officers of the Mobile Police Department that he had purchased half of a kilogram of cocaine from Johnson over three years. Johnson later agreed to sell Hill 250 grams of cocaine. Police arrested Johnson after a controlled purchase in which he left five ounces of cocaine in the passenger side floorboard of Hill’s vehicle. Officers later searched Johnson’s residence and seized three plastic bags that each contained a half ounce of cocaine, a loaded handgun, and a rifle.

Johnson was charged in a four-count indictment for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B); possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1); knowingly using, carrying, and possessing a firearm to traffic in drugs, id. § 924(c); and possession with intent to distribute five ounces of cocaine, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The government moved to enhance Johnson’s sentence with his prior conviction for possessing cocaine. Id. § 851(a).

Johnson agreed to plead guilty to the charges of conspiracy and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon in exchange for the dismissal of the remaining charges. The plea agreement stated that Johnson had discussed the charges and the possible sentences with his attorney and he “understood] that no one [could] pi’ediet with certainty what the sentencing range [would] be until after a pre-sentence investigation [had] been completed and the [district] [c]ourt [had] ruled on the results of that investigation.” The plea agreement also stated that a factual resume was “incorporated by reference” and contained facts that the parties agreed were “time and correct.” The factual resume stated that “Johnson admitted] that the United States could prove his involvement beyond a reasonable doubt with a kilogram of cocaine.”

As part of the plea agreement, the government also agreed to move for Johnson to receive a downward departure if he “provide[d] full, complete, truthful and substantial” information that “resulted] in substantial assistance.” The government “specifically reserve[d] the right to make the decision relating to the extent of any such departure request ... based upon its evaluation of the nature and extent of [Johnson’s] cooperation.” The plea agreement stated that the government “[made] no representation or promise with regard to the exact amount of reduction, if any,” Johnson might receive.

At the change of plea hearing, the district court told Johnson that he faced a minimum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment for his conspiracy charge and Johnson said he understood the penalty. Johnson verified that he had discussed the *541 factual resume with his attorney and the facts stated in the resume were true. The district court accepted Johnson’s pleas of guilty.

The presentence investigation report provided that Johnson had a base offense level of 26, United States Sentencing Guideline § 2D1.1(e)(7) (Nov.2007), and he was accountable for 655.925 grams of cocaine. The report increased Johnson’s base level by two points because he had possessed a dangerous weapon in furtherance of his offense, id. § 2D1.1(b)(1), and reduced that level by three points because he had accepted responsibility and timely entered pleas of guilty, id. § 3E1.1(a), (b). Because Johnson had a prior offense, the report listed a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment. Johnson did not object to the report.

Johnson moved to continue his sentencing hearing to try to provide substantial assistance to the government, and the district court granted the motion. Johnson later filed pro se a letter stating that he had fired his attorney; wished to withdraw his plea of guilt based on “insufficient counseling”; and objected to the statement in the presentence report that he was accountable for 655 grams of cocaine. After the district court allowed Johnson’s counsel to withdraw, the court appointed a federal public defender to represent Johnson.

Johnson moved to withdraw his guilty plea. Johnson argued that his pleas of guilty were not made knowingly and voluntarily because counsel told Johnson that he would not face the mandatory minimum sentence of ten years for his conspiracy crime after he received a downward departure for substantial assistance. Johnson argued that he would not have pleaded guilty if he had known the government had to prove his offense involved 500 grams or more of cocaine and was not obligated to move for a downward departure.

The district court heard conflicting testimonies at the hearing of Johnson’s motion to withdraw his guilty pleas. Johnson testified that his attorney, Dennis Knizley, failed to discuss the plea agreement, instructed Johnson to respond affirmatively to all questions asked by the district court, and told Johnson that he would receive a sentence between two and five years of imprisonment for his conspiracy charge. Knizley, on the other hand, testified that he had warned Johnson that he would face a minimum of ten years of imprisonment because of the large amount of cocaine and the government had discretion to decide whether to request a downward departure. Knizley testified that he had told Johnson the “maximum that was going to be recommended by the United States Attorney’s Office, if they were totally pleased with the cooperation, would be a 50-percent deduction from the sentence.” Knizley also testified that the strategy approaching trial and in negotiating a plea was to reduce Johnson’s sentence by distancing Johnson from the guns and proving his offense involved less than 500 grams of cocaine. Knizley testified that Johnson did not complain about the amount of drugs until the government refused to move for a downward departure.

The district court denied Johnson’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea. The court credited Knizley’s testimony that Johnson knew he faced a minimum sentence of ten years of imprisonment and understood the terms of his guilty plea. The district court found that Johnson was a repeat offender who understood the guilty plea process and suffered from “buyer’s remorse.”

The district court proceeded to sentence Johnson and found that Johnson had admitted that he was involved with 655 *542 grams of cocaine.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
348 F. App'x 539, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-kenneth-maurice-johnson-ca11-2009.