United States v. Rumble

111 F. Supp. 3d 207, 2015 WL 3989631
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. New York
DecidedJuly 1, 2015
DocketNo. 5:09-CR-230
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 111 F. Supp. 3d 207 (United States v. Rumble) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Rumble, 111 F. Supp. 3d 207, 2015 WL 3989631 (N.D.N.Y. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM-DECISION and ORDER

I. INTRODUCTION

On July 7, 2014, petitioner-defendant John Rumble (“Rumble” or “defendant”), proceeding pro se, moved pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2255 to vacate, set aside, or cor[210]*210rect the sentence imposed on him following his conviction, after a jury trial, of various unlawful acts related to, the possession and sale of firearms. The United States of America (the “Government”) filed a response in opposition on January 16, 2015. Defendant replied on February 2, 2015.

The motion has been fully briefed and will be considered on the basis of the submissions, including the Declaration by George Hildebrandt, Esq. (“Attorney Hildebrandt”) defendant’s former trial attorney, and the letter brief from Jeremy Gutman, Esq. (“Attorney Gutman”), defendant’s former appellate counsel.

II. BACKGROUND1

On March 31, 2009, U.S. Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles authorized the execution of a search warrant covering Rumble’s residence and vehicle as well as the collection of hair, blood, or urine samples from his person. The warrant was supported by informant statements indicating defendant, a federally licensed firearms dealer, was involved in the unlawful sale of firearms to known drug users and/or the exchange of firearms for controlled substances.

On April 2, 2009, federal law enforcement officials executed this warrant. The agents seized, among other items, approximately 174 firearms and their associated federal firearm licensee records, a triple beam scale allegedly containing marijuana residue, and defendant’s hair and urine samples. Defendant was arrested at the scene.

On April 15, 2009, a federal grand jury sitting in the Northern District of New York returned a one-count indictment charging Rumble with being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3). Defendant, represented by Attorney Hildebrandt, waived his right to a personal appearance at an arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty.

On July 29, 2009, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment expanding the time period during which Rumble allegedly violated § 922(g)(3), identifying the 150 firearms at issue, and adding forfeiture allegations against this property.2 Defendant again waived his right to a personal appearance at an arraignment and renewed his plea of not guilty.

On December 2, 2009, Rumble moved for omnibus pre-trial relief, primarily seeking to suppress statements made during and after the execution of the search of his residence and vehicle. An evidentiary hearing was conducted and defendant’s motion was granted in part on May 26, 2010.

On July 26, 2010, Rumble moved again for omnibus pre-trial relief, this time seeking to preclude certain expert testimony and obtain evidence in the Government’s possession. Defendant also requested a Daubert hearing regarding the admissibility of evidence of a drug sniffing dog sweep that had been conducted during the search of his residence. This motion was dismissed without prejudice to renew at trial.

On February 8, 2011, Rumble moved to suppress all of the items seized from his residence pursuant to the search warrant executed by federal agents in 2009 based on a series of alleged omissions of material facts by the Government’s agents. In the interim, a federal grand jury returned a [211]*211second superseding indictment against defendant on March 23, 2011, adding a number of charges related to his allegedly unlawful conduct in the sale and possession of firearms. Defendant again waived his right to a personal appearance and renewed his plea of not guilty. Defendant’s suppression motion was denied.

Finally, on May 23, 2011, the charges in the second superseding indictment were tried to a jury in Utica, New York. Rumble was found guilty on the first six counts of that indictment; the Government voluntary dismissed count seven after the jury failed to reach a verdict. Defendant was sentenced principally to 121 months’ imprisonment.

Represented by Attorney Gutman on appeal, Rumble argued the trial court: (1) improperly admitted prejudicial evidence of his alleged threats against a federal agent; and (2) erred in calculating his base offense level under the sentencing guidelines.

By mandate issued April 13, 2013, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed Rumble’s conviction and sentence. United States v. Rumble, 520 Fed.Appx. 26, 29 (2d Cir.2013) (summary order). -The Circuit rejected defendant’s argument regarding evidence of the alleged threats because this evidence pertained to count seven, which was dismissed on the Government’s motion, and further noted that “[bjecause the evidence with respect to [the other counts] was strong separate and apart from the evidence relating to Count Seven, we conclude that the claimed evidentiary errors were in any event harmless.” Id. The Circuit likewise rejected defendant’s sentencing challenge, noting the Government proffered ample evidence from which the trial court could conclude that U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(a)(4)(B), which mandates a base offense level of twenty, was applicable to defendant’s conduct. Id. at 29.

III. LEGAL STANDARDS

A. Section 2255

Section 2255 permits a court to “vacate, set aside or correct” a conviction or sentence “imposed in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States.” 28 U.S.C. § 2255(a). This section limits claims to those that allege “the sentence was imposed in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States, or that the court was without jurisdiction to impose such sentence, or that the sentence was in excess of the maximum authorized by law, or is otherwise subject to collateral attack.” Id. Accordingly, collateral relief under § 2255 is available “only for a constitutional error, a lack of jurisdiction in the sentencing court, or an error of law or fact that constitutes ‘a fundamental defect which inherently results in a complete miscarriage of justice.’” United States v. Jackson, 41 F.Supp.3d 156, 161 (N.D.N.Y. 2014) (quoting United States v. Bokun, 73 F.3d 8, 12 (2d Cir.1995)).

Because Rumble is proceeding pro se, his submissions will be “liberally construed in his favor,” and will be read “to raise the strongest arguments that they suggest.” Jackson, 41 F.Supp.3d at 161 (internal citation and citation omitted). However, a § 2255 petitioner still bears the burden of proving his claim by a preponderance of the evidence, Triana v. United States, 205 F.3d 36, 40 (2d Cir. 2000), and “[a]iry generalities, conclusory assertions^] and hearsay statements will not suffice” to meet this standard. United States v. Aiello, 814 F.2d 109, 113 (2d Cir.1987).

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Bluebook (online)
111 F. Supp. 3d 207, 2015 WL 3989631, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-rumble-nynd-2015.