United States v. Martin

166 F. Supp. 3d 900, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 180838, 2015 WL 12036764
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedNovember 2, 2015
DocketCase Number 15-20112
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 166 F. Supp. 3d 900 (United States v. Martin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Martin, 166 F. Supp. 3d 900, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 180838, 2015 WL 12036764 (E.D. Mich. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER SUSTAINING IN PART AND OVERRULING IN PART DEFENDANT’S OBJECTIONS TO PRE-SENTENCE REPORT

DAVID M. LAWSON, United States District Judge

Defendant Ronnell Leeshawn Martin pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, contrary to 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). A presentence investigation was conducted and a report was prepared as required by Fed. R Crim P. 32(d). The report calculates the base offense level at 20, citing only “U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1.” The base offense level of 20 is prescribed by USSG § 2K2.1(a)(4), but there are multiple bases for application of that section. The one that is the closest fit — and the subsection that the probation officer likely relied on — is subsection (A), which applies “if the defendant committed any part of the instant offense subsequent to sustaining one felony conviction of ... a crime of violence ....” The defendant has objected to the application of this section, and contends the base offense level should be 14, per USSG § 2K2.1(a)(6).

The PSR also included a four-level enhancement under USSG § 2K2.1(b)(6)(B), on the basis that the firearm was possessed during the commission of another felony. The felony would have been possession of an imitation substance with intent to distribute it, which is a violation of Michigan law. The defendant has objected to the application of that enhancement.

A.

According to the Sentencing Guideline Manual Commentary, the phrase “crime of violence” as used in USSG § 2K2.1(a)(4) “has the meaning given ... in § 4B1.2(a) and Application Note 1 of the Commentary to § 4B1.2.” USSG § 2K2.1 comment, (n.l). That reference is to the career offender provisions of the Guideline Manual. The definition section in that subchapter states:

(a) The term “crime of violence” means any offense under federal or state law, punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, that—
(1) has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person of another, or
(2) is burglary of a dwelling, arson, or extortion, involves use of explosives, or otherwise involves conduct that presents a serious potential risk of physical injury to another.

USSG § 4B1.2(a).

In 2013, well before the instant offense was committed, the defendant was convicted of carrying a weapon with unlawful [902]*902intent, in violation of Michigan law. See Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.226. Determining whether that crime is a “crime of violence” calls for the application of a “categorical approach.” United States v. Ozier, 796 F.3d 597, 599 (6th Cir.2015) (citing United States v. Prater, 766 F.3d 501, 509 (6th Cir.2014)). That, in turn requires examination of the law “in terms of how the law defines the offense and not in terms of how an individual offender might have committed it on a particular occasion.” Begay v. United States, 553 U.S. 137, 141, 128 S.Ct. 1581, 170 L.Ed.2d 490 (2008); see also Taylor v. United States, 495 U.S. 575, 600, 110 S.Ct. 2143, 109 L.Ed.2d 607 (1990).

The elements of carrying a weapon with unlawful intent under state law are “(1) carrying a firearm or dangerous weapon, (2) with the intent to unlawfully use the weapon against another person.” People v. Mitchell, 301 Mich.App. 282, 292, 835 N.W.2d 615, 621 (2013) (quoting People v. Harrington, 194 Mich.App. 424, 428, 487 N.W.2d 479, 483 (1992)) (emphasis omitted). The crime does not require proof of “the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person of another,” and it is not “burglary of a dwelling, arson, or extortion, [and does not] involve! ] use of explosives.” Therefore, the defendant’s conviction would trigger the enhanced base offense level under USSG § 2K2.1(a)(4) only if the prior offense “otherwise involves conduct that presents a serious potential risk of physical injury to another.”

The “otherwise” clause in section 4B1.2(a)(2) is identical to the so-called residual clause found in the Armed Career Criminal Act. See 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(2)(B); Johnson v. United States, — U.S. —, 135 S.Ct. 2551, 2556, 192 L.Ed.2d 569 (2015). In Johnson, the Supreme Court held that the residual clause of the Armed Career Criminal Act was unconstitutionally vague because it “both denies fair notice to defendants and invites arbitrary enforcement by judges.” Id. at 2557. The Court concluded that “[ijncreasing a defendant’s sentence under the clause denies due process of law.” Ibid.

Although the Armed Career Criminal Act is a penal statute, and the Sentencing Guideline provisions are only advisory, United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220, 125 S.Ct. 738, 160 L.Ed.2d 621 (2005), the vagueness of the residual clause in USSG § 2K2.1(a)(4) still infects its application in the Sentencing Guidelines, since it also “invites arbitrary enforcement by judges.” See United States v. Darden, 605 Fed.Appx. 545, 546 (6th Cir.2015) (observing that “after Johnson, the Supreme Comb vacated the sentences of offenders who were sentenced under the Guidelines’ residual clause” (citations omitted)).

Applying the residual clause in USSG § 4B1.2(a) to declare the defendant’s prior conviction a “crime of violence” for the purpose of enhancing his base offense level under USSG § 2K2.1(a)(4) violates the defendant’s rights under the Due Process Clause. Application of that clause is unconstitutional. The defendant’s objection, therefore, will be sustained. His base offense level is determined to be 14 under USSG § 2K2.1(a)(6).

B.

According to the PSR, when the defendant was arrested on January 11, 2015, he was carrying a plastic bag that held about 30 grams of white powder. The field test was positive for cocaine, but a more thorough laboratory analysis performed later indicated that the substance in fact was lidocaine, which is not a controlled substance. The defendant also possessed at the time a small quantity of marijuana and a few Alprasolam pills for which he did not have a prescription.

[903]*903Based on those facts, which are uncontested, the PSR included an four-level enhancement under USSG § 2K2.1(b)(6)(B), which applied “ [i]f the defendant ... [u]sed or possessed any firearm or ammunition in connection with another felony offense _” The Guideline Manual explains:

Subsectionf ] (b)(6)(B) ... applfies] ... in the case of a drug trafficking offense in which a firearm is found in close proximity to drugs, drug-manufacturing materials, or drug paraphernalia.

USSG § 2K2.1 comment, (n.13).

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Bluebook (online)
166 F. Supp. 3d 900, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 180838, 2015 WL 12036764, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-martin-mied-2015.