United States v. Lee

230 F. App'x 245
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in United States v. Lee. Read the opinion of the Court — 136 F. App'x 578
Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit·Decided May 14, 2007·No. 06-4716, 06-4896·Unpublished

Opinion

PER CURIAM:

John Sherman Lee and Michael Scott Crisp, co-defendants in an armed robbery prosecution, appeal from their convictions and sentences. Crisp pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C.A. § 924(c)(1) (West 2000 & Supp. 2006). Pursuant to his plea agreement, Crisp agreed to testify against Lee at his trial. After Lee’s trial commenced, Lee pled guilty without the benefit of a plea agreement to armed robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a) (2000), possession of a firearm by a felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(e) (2000), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C.A. § 924(c)(1). Both Lee and Crisp were sentenced as career offenders, pursuant to United States Sentencing Guidelines Manual (U.S.S.G.) § 4B1.1 (2005), and received sentences of 312 and 204 months’ imprisonment, respectively.

On appeal, counsel for Lee and Crisp have filed a consolidated brief pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967), asserting that there are no meritorious issues on appeal but that their clients challenge the adequacy of their Fed.R.Crim.P. 11 hearings and the reasonableness of their sentences. Lee and Crisp have filed pro se supplemental briefs, in which they raise a number of issues regarding the effectiveness of their trial counsel and the calculation of the Guidelines ranges at sentencing. Because our review of the record discloses no reversible error, we affirm.

Both Lee and Crisp contend that the district court failed to comply with the *247 requirements of Fed.R.Crim.P. 11 in conducting their guilty plea hearings. During a Rule 11 plea colloquy, the district court must address the defendant in open court and inform him of the following: the nature of the charge; any mandatory minimum sentence and the maximum possible sentence; the applicability of the sentencing guidelines; the court’s obligation to impose a special assessment; the defendant’s right to an attorney; his right to plead not guilty and be tried by a jury with the assistance of counsel; his right to confront and cross-examine witnesses; his right against self-incrimination; and his right to testify, present evidence, and compel the attendance of witnesses. The defendant also must be told that a guilty plea waives any further trial and that his answers at the proceeding may be used against him in a prosecution for perjury. Under Rule 11(b)(2), the court must address the defendant to determine that the plea is voluntary. The court must require disclosure of any plea agreement under Rule 11(c)(2) and determine a factual basis for the plea under Rule 11(b)(3). Because neither Lee nor Crisp moved in the district court to withdraw their guilty plea, any challenges to the Rule 11 hearing are reviewed for plain error. See United States v. Martinez, 277 F.3d 517, 524 (4th Cir.2002).

After a thorough review of the record, we find that there were no errors with respect to the Rule 11 plea colloquies. At both plea hearings, the district court informed the defendants of the rights that they were giving up as a result of their pleas, detailed the nature of the charges and penalties they faced, determined that their pleas were voluntary, and concluded that there was a sufficient factual basis for each of their pleas. Therefore, the record establishes that both Lee and Crisp knowingly and voluntarily entered into their respective guilty pleas with a full understanding of the consequences, and there was no error in the district court’s acceptance of their pleas.

Lee and Crisp also assert that the sentences imposed by the district court were unreasonable. After United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220, 125 S.Ct. 738, 160 L.Ed.2d 621 (2005), a sentencing court is no longer bound by the range prescribed by the sentencing guidelines. See United States v. Hughes, 401 F.3d 540, 546 (4th Cir.2005). In a post-Booker sentencing such as the one at issue, the district court must calculate the appropriate Guidelines range, consider that range in conjunction with other relevant factors under the Guidelines and 18 U.S.C.A. § 3553(a) (West 2000 & Supp.2006), and impose a sentence. United States v. Green, 436 F.3d 449, 455-56 (4th Cir.), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 126 S.Ct. 2809, 164 L.Ed.2d 828 (2006). A post-Booker sentence must be “within the statutorily prescribed range and ... reasonable.” Hughes, 401 F.3d at 546-47 (citations omitted). “[A] sentence within the properly calculated Guidelines range ... is presumptively reasonable.” Green, 436 F.3d at 457 (internal quotation marks and citation omitted).

As noted by the district court, Lee faced a minimum of fifteen years’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm by a felon, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(e), with a maximum sentence of life in prison. As for Crisp, his conviction for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carried a minimum term of imprisonment of ten years, with a maximum term of life, pursuant to 18 U.S.C.A. § 924(c)(1). Therefore, their respective sentences of 312 and 204 months’ imprisonment were within the statutory maximum.

*248 As for the calculation of the advisory Guidelines ranges, both defendants were determined to be career offenders under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1(c)(3), and pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1, each received a criminal history category of VI. Crisp’s Guidelines range was reduced after the Government filed a § 5K1.1 motion, as the district court lowered his offense level by four levels. The district court determined Lee’s Guidelines range to be 292 to 365 months’ imprisonment, while Crisp’s Guidelines range was calculated to be between 168 to 210 months’ imprisonment. The district court considered the § 3553(a) factors, and Lee and Crisp’s respective sentences of 312 and 204 months’ imprisonment were within the properly calculated Guidelines ranges. Therefore, we conclude that the sentences imposed by the district court were not unreasonable.

In his pro se supplemental brief, Lee makes various claims regarding the effectiveness of his trial counsel.

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United States v. Lee, 230 F. App'x 245 (4th Cir. 2007).

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