United States v. Sandoval

293 F. App'x 809
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Second Circuit
DecidedSeptember 24, 2008
DocketNo. 07-2346-cr.
StatusPublished

This text of 293 F. App'x 809 (United States v. Sandoval) 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. Sandoval, 293 F. App'x 809 (2d Cir. 2008).

Opinion

SUMMARY ORDER

Defendant-appellant Joaquin Sandoval appeals his conviction and sentence, primarily to 72 months’ imprisonment, after his guilty plea to an information charging one count of access-device fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(2) and (b)(1), and one count of conspiracy to commit access-device fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(b)(2). Sandoval argues that (1) the government breached the plea agreement, (2) the district court improperly varied upward from the Sentencing Guidelines without sufficient notice, (3) the district court incorrectly calculated the advisory Guidelines range with respect to loss amount and number of victims, (4) the order of restitution was inadequate, and (5) Sandoval was erroneously sentenced beyond the statutory maximum. We address each argument in turn and assume the parties’ familiarity with the facts, procedural history, and specification of issues on appeal.

(1) Alleged Breach of the Plea Agreement

Sandoval argues that the government breached its promise in the plea agreement to “not recommend any specific sentence to the Court,” when it stated in its sentencing memorandum, “the Court should sentence Joaquin Sandoval to a term of imprisonment within the range of 78 to 97 months.” The government, however, correctly responds that it was released from its obligations under the plea agreement when Sandoval broke his promise to provide assistance to the government by jumping bail. We have held on numerous occasions that a material breach of a plea agreement excuses the government from its obligations under the agreement. See, e.g., United States v. Byrd, 413 F.3d 249, 251 (2d Cir.2005) (per curiam) (“When the defendant is the party in breach, the government is entitled to specific performance of the plea agreement or to be relieved of its obligations under it.”); United States v. Merritt, 988 F.2d 1298, 1313 (2d Cir.1993) (“[A] defendant who materially breaches a plea agreement may [812]*812not claim its benefits.”). On similar facts, we have held that a defendant who has jumped bail has “forfeited any rights he arguably may have had based on his cooperation agreement with the government.” United States v. El-Gheur, 201 F.3d 90, 93-94 (2d Cir.2000). Indeed, it is hard to imagine a more material breach of an agreement to provide substantial assistance than to flee, only to be captured after attempting two additional escapes from the police.

(2) Upward Departure Without Notice

Sandoval argues that the sentence should be vacated because Judge Chin sentenced him above the advisory Guidelines range without providing notice, in violation of Fed. R. Crim P. 32(h). As defense counsel conceded at oral argument, the Supreme Court, however, recently foreclosed this argument in Irizarry v. United States,—U.S.—, 128 S.Ct. 2198, 171 L.Ed.2d 28 (2008), explicitly overruling our contrary holding in United States v. Anati, 457 F.3d 233 (2d Cir.2006). The Court held that Rule 32(h) now applies only to “departures” under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(b), and not “variances” under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). Irizarry, 128 S.Ct. at 2203-04. In this case, the district court’s sentence above the advisory Guidelines range was clearly a “variance,” as it cited numerous § 3553(a) factors, such as “the history and characteristics of the defendant, the need to protect the public of further crimes of the defendant, deterrence, to promote respect for the law.” Therefore, Rule 32(h)’s requirement of advance notice does not apply.

(3) Calculation of the Guidelines Range

Sandoval argues that the district court incorrectly calculated the loss amount and number of victims for purposes of the Guidelines determination. “[W]e review a district court’s conclusions of law de novo, its application of the Guidelines on issues of fact for clear error, and its exercise of discretion with respect to departures for abuse of that discretion.” United States v. Ebbers, 458 F.3d 110, 126 (2d Cir.2006).

Sandoval first argues that the district court erred in imposing a ten-level enhancement for a loss of over $120,000 under U.S.S.G. § 2B1.1, pursuant to its finding that “that the intended loss was more than $120,000.” “[L]oss is the greater of actual loss or intended loss,” and intended loss means “the pecuniary harm that was intended to result from the offense.” U.S.S.G. § 2B1.1 cmt. n. 3. Application note 3(C) provides that the “court need only make a reasonable estimate of the loss,” and because “[t]he sentencing judge is in a unique position to assess the evidence and estimate the loss based on that evidenced ... the court’s loss determination is entitled to appropriate deference.” Id.; see also United States v. Singh, 390 F.3d 168, 192 (2d Cir.2004). The evidence here supports the district court’s finding that the credit limit on the stolen card Sandoval was using on the date of his arrest was $100,000, and that Sandoval intended to use all of it. Moreover, Sandoval had admitted to numerous thefts of other credit cards from victims’ lockers in upscale gyms, and to using stolen credit cards to steal at least $40,000 in cash at various casinos. The district court’s finding on loss amount was therefore not clearly erroneous.

Sandoval also argues that the district court erred by applying a two-level enhancement because the offense involved ten or more victims under U.S.S.G. § 2Bl.l(b)(2). Referring to Sandoval’s participation in the scheme to steal credit cards from gym lockers, the district court stated its intention to “increase two levels because I find that ten or more victims [813]*813were involved when you look at the relevant conduct.” Sandoval argues on appeal that (1) there is no evidence that there were ten victims, and (2) only a financial institution can be a “victim” under the Guidelines. Neither argument has merit. First, it was not clearly erroneous for the district court to find that there were more than ten victims of the scheme, as Sandoval admitted to being part of a wide-ranging conspiracy that stretched over at least two years. Sandoval used a stolen credit card at three stores on the date of his arrest and admitted three specific instances when he used stolen credit cards to obtain fraudulent cash advances at casinos. It was hardly error for the district court to find that the conspiracy of which Sandoval was a part claimed three more victims during the more than two years Sandoval was involved. Second, we rejected the argument that only financial institutions may be victims of credit-card fraud in our recent decision in United States v. Abio-dun, 536 F.3d 162, 169 (2d Cir.2008).

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Related

United States v. Abiodun
536 F.3d 162 (Second Circuit, 2008)
United States v. Douglas
525 F.3d 225 (Second Circuit, 2008)
Johnson v. United States
520 U.S. 461 (Supreme Court, 1997)
Irizarry v. United States
553 U.S. 708 (Supreme Court, 2008)
United States v. Martyn C. Merritt
988 F.2d 1298 (Second Circuit, 1993)
United States v. Ahmed El-Gheur
201 F.3d 90 (Second Circuit, 2000)
United States v. Abraham McLeod
251 F.3d 78 (Second Circuit, 2001)
United States v. Bernard J. Ebbers
458 F.3d 110 (Second Circuit, 2006)
United States v. Dukagjini
326 F.3d 45 (Second Circuit, 2002)
United States v. Anati
457 F.3d 233 (Second Circuit, 2006)

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Bluebook (online)
293 F. App'x 809, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-sandoval-ca2-2008.