United States v. Ward

506 F.3d 468, 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 24733, 2007 WL 3070967
Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit·Decided October 23, 2007·No. 06-5136, 06-5410, 06-5680·Published·Cited by 53 cases

Opinion

OPINION

McKEAGUE, Circuit Judge.

Defendants Calvin Ward, Berreese Winton, and Stephen Cook pled guilty to various drug trafficking crimes. In a joint sentencing hearing, the district court sentenced Ward to 210 months’ imprisonment and Winton to 292 months’ imprisonment. Shortly thereafter, the district court sentenced Cook to 294 months’ imprisonment.

All three defendants now appeal their respective sentences. Ward objects to the use of a prior felony drug conviction as a predicate offense for purposes of career offender status. Winton argues that the district court erred when it applied a two-level firearm enhancement. Cook raises three objections, contending that the two-level enhancement for his leadership role was improper, the enhancement provision is unconstitutionally vague, and his sentence was unreasonable. Contrary to defendants’ arguments, the district court did not commit error when it sentenced each defendant, and so we affirm all three judgments.

I. BACKGROUND

Law enforcement authorities commenced the investigation that led to co-defendants Ward’s, Winton’s and Cook’s arrests and convictions when they received information that Cook was selling a large volume of crack cocaine in the Tullahoma, Tennessee area. As part of that investigation, a confidential informant (“CI”) purchased crack cocaine from Ward beginning in June 2004 and ending in February 2005.

On February 10, 2005, Ward was advised that a warrant had been issued for his arrest for selling crack cocaine. Ward waived his rights and explained to investigating officers that since March 2002, Cook was Ward’s primary source of crack cocaine. Ward advised that from March 2002 through February 10, 2005, he purchased a total of 2 to 3 kilograms of crack cocaine from Cook.

On August 3, 2005, a Cl arranged for a controlled purchase of crack cocaine from Cook. After Cook fronted crack cocaine to the Cl, a search warrant was obtained to search Cook’s residence. When officers arrived to execute the search warrant, Cook and Winton were in the front yard. Both Cook and Winton were searched. The search revealed that Winton had a plastic bag containing crack cocaine and cash. Among the items seized from Cook’s residence was a Smith and Wesson 9-millimeter handgun with a loaded magazine.

On August 10, 2005, Winton waived his rights and explained that he began purchasing crack cocaine from Cook in mid-March 2003. From that time until his arrest, Winton purchased an average of £k to 5 ounces of crack cocaine per week from Cook. Winton also stated that Cook always carried a gun during their drug transactions, either a 9-millimeter pistol, a .25 automatic pistol, a .380 pistol, or a Glock .40 pistol.

Winton explained that Ward made crack cocaine deliveries on behalf of Cook. Win-ton estimated that on 20 separate occasions, Ward delivered crack to him after Winton had ordered the crack cocaine from Cook. Winton said that when Cook was unavailable, Winton would order crack cocaine from Ward.

On June 30, 2005, a federal grand jury charged defendants Cook and Ward in a *472 ten-count indictment with conspiracy to distribute fifty grams or more of crack cocaine and related substantive drug distribution counts. On August 23, 2005, the grand jury returned a fourteen-count superseding indictment charging three additional counts against Cook and adding co-defendant Winton, who was charged with a substantive drug offense in count twelve.

On October 6, 2005, Ward pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute five or more grams of crack cocaine, a lesser included offense in count one, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). That same day, Winton pled guilty to count twelve, which charged possession with intent to distribute five or more grams of crack cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § § 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). On November 3, 2005, Cook pled guilty to count one, which charged conspiracy to distribute fifty or more grams of crack cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A); and to count fourteen, which charged possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).

On January 6, 2006, the district court sentenced Winton to 292 months’ imprisonment and Ward to 210 months’ imprisonment. On April 7, 2006, Cook was sentenced to 234 months’ imprisonment on count one and to a statutorily mandated consecutive term of 60 months’ imprisonment on count fourteen, for a total of 294 months’ imprisonment. All three defendants filed timely notices of appeal.

II. ANALYSIS

A. Ward’s objection to use of prior felony drug conviction.

Ward asserts one objection to the sentence imposed by the district court. 1 He challenges the district court’s use of his prior conviction for selling crack cocaine on January 31, 2002 as a predicate offense for purposes of career offender status. 2

This Court reviews for clear error a district court’s findings of fact with respect to its application of the Sentencing Guidelines; conclusions of law, however, are reviewed de novo. United States v. Galloway, 439 F.3d 320, 322 (6th Cir.2006). A factual finding is clearly erroneous “when the reviewing court on the entire evidence is left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed.” Tran v. Gonzales, 447 F.3d 937, 943 (6th Cir.2006) (citation omitted). Whether conduct is “related” for purposes of calculating a defendant’s career offender status is a fact-specific determination that this Court reviews for clear error. United States v. Horn, 355 F.3d 610, 612-13 (6th Cir.2004).

To qualify as a career offender under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1, a defendant who was over the age of eighteen at the time he committed the instant offense must have “at least two prior felony convictions of ... a controlled substance offense.” U.S.S.G. *473 § 4B1.1(a)(1), (3). The term “two prior felony convictions” means defendant (1) “committed the instant offense of conviction subsequent to sustaining at least two felony convictions” and (2) “the sentences for at least two of the aforementioned felony convictions are counted separately under the provisions of § 4A1.1(a), (b), or (c).” U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(c).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

United States v. Ward, 506 F.3d 468, 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 24733, 2007 WL 3070967 (6th Cir. 2007).

506 F.3d 468 (United States v. Ward) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

United States v. Lawrence F. Curtin
78 F.4th 1299 (Eleventh Circuit, 2023)
United States v. Jon Vance
Sixth Circuit, 2021
United States v. Kevin Bish
Sixth Circuit, 2020
United States v. Mohamed Faraj
701 F. App'x 427 (Sixth Circuit, 2017)
United States v. Morrison
852 F.3d 488 (Fifth Circuit, 2017)
United States v. Walker
844 F.3d 1253 (Tenth Circuit, 2017)
United States v. Sardinas
644 F. App'x 597 (Sixth Circuit, 2016)
United States v. Clisby
636 F. App'x 243 (Sixth Circuit, 2016)
United States v. Jordie Callahan
801 F.3d 606 (Sixth Circuit, 2015)