United States v. Young Ji Chung

71 F. Supp. 2d 66, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21185, 1999 WL 977020
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. New York
DecidedOctober 13, 1999
DocketNo. 98-CR-198
StatusPublished

This text of 71 F. Supp. 2d 66 (United States v. Young Ji Chung) 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. Young Ji Chung, 71 F. Supp. 2d 66, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21185, 1999 WL 977020 (N.D.N.Y. 1999).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM-DECISION & ORDER

MUNSON, Senior District Judge.

Currently before the court is the Government’s motion for an upward departure for defendant Suck Ho Han (“Han”), as well as its requests for enhancements to Haris base offense level under the United States Sentencing Guidelines (“U.S.S.G.”). Han opposes the requests and the motion. After consideration of the record, including the evidence produced at the sentencing hearing, the court denies the Government’s motion and grants in part, and denies in part, its request to enhance Haris base offense level.

BACKGROUND

On October 23, 1998, Han entered into a plea agreement with the Government. In exchange for the latter’s dismissing four counts of a five count superseding indictment, Han pled guilty to violating 18 U.S.C. § 371 for conspiracy to smuggle aliens. As articulated in the plea agreement, on three separate dates Han conspired with others, including co-defendant Young Ji Chung, to transport illegal aliens into the United States. Han admits that on March 27, 1998, he conspired with Bradley Gauvin and “other persons unknown” to transport three aliens — aliens not entitled to enter or remain in the United States — into this country via the border between northern New York and Canada. Roughly a month and a half later, on May 13, 1998, Han conspired with Chung to smuggle three more illegal aliens into the United States by similar fashion. Finally, Han concedes that on June 10, 1998, also within the Northern District of New York, he conspired “with persons known and unknown” to transport two more illegal aliens into the United States.

Provision 7.1 of the plea agreement, presented under the rubric “Sentencing Stipulations,” states that according to U.S.S.G. § 2L1.1(a)(2), Haris base offense level is twelve. The following provision, 7.2, reads:

It is understood that the stipulation does not address whether the offense level should be increased pursuant to Section 2Ll.l(b)(5) based on defendant’s conduct at the time of his arrest or what the number of illegal aliens is pursuant to guideline § 2Ll.l(b)(2). It is further understood, that the above agreement to stipulate cannot and does not bind the sentencing Court, which may make independent factual findings and reject any or all stipulations presented by the parties. Further, it is understood that this agreement to stipulate on the part of the United States is based on the evidence and information that it possesses as of the date of the Plea Agreement, and is [68]*68subject to the proviso that, if the United States obtains or receives additional evidence or information prior to sentencing which it determines to be herein, the United States shall no longer be bound by such stipulation. A subsequent determination that any stipulation is not binding on the Court or the United States shall not be the basis for the withdrawal of a plea of guilty by SUCK [¶] HAN from any other portion of this Plea Agreement, including any other stipulation agreed to herein. To the extent this stipulation does not address any factor potentially affecting the Sentencing Guideline range applicable to the defendant, SUCK [¶] HAN, the United States Attorney’s Office expressly reserves its right to advocate, in its sole and unfettered discretion, how any such factor affects the applicable Sentencing Guideline range. (Emphasis supplied).

Plea Agreement at ¶ 7.2 (dkt.ll).

Pursuant to that provision, the Government asks the court: (1) to adopt the United States Probation Department’s finding that a nine level offense characteristic adjustment is appropriate under U.S.S.G. § 2Ll.l(b)(2)(C) due to Han’s smuggling more than 100 aliens; (2) to adopt probation’s finding that a two level specific offense characteristic adjustment is appropriate pursuant to § 2L1.1(b)(5) because defendant created a substantial risk of bodily- injury or death during his apprehension; (3) to grant its motion for a four level offense adjustment under § 3B1.1(4) because Han was the organizer of an extensive smuggling operation; and (4) to grant its motion for an upward departure.under § 2L1.1 because Han smuggled substantially more than 100 aliens. Conversely, Han contends that he smuggled no more -than eight aliens, disputes that he created a substantial risk of harm, insists no evidence exists that he organized or lead a criminal operation involving five or more parties, and -opposes an upward departure under § 2L1.1.

Following a meeting with the court at which Han, through counsel, objected to probation’s suggested enhancements, the parties agreed that the court should hold a sentencing hearing. At the commence of this hearing, however, Han requested that the court order it not be held because it “violate[d] the spirit of the plea agreement.” The court reserved decision on Han’s motion and continued the hearing. The court now denies Han’s motion: the plea agreement, as set forth infra, clearly permits the Government to seek the relief it has requested. What follows constitutes the court’s findings from the hearing and reflects its reasoning for imposing Han’s sentence.

DISCUSSION

I. Evidentiary Standards

A. Burden of Proof

The Government contends that because the upward departure sought here is not dramatic, the burden of proof it must meet to demonstrate Han’s relevant conduct is a preponderance of the evidence standard. See United States v. Concepcion, 983 F.2d 369, 388 (2d Cir.1992), cert. denied, 510 U.S. 856, 114 S.Ct. 163, 126 L.Ed.2d 124 (1993); United States v. Rodriguez-Gonzalez, 899 F.2d 177, 182 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 844, 111 S.Ct. 127, 112 L.Ed.2d 95 (1990). Han counters the applicable burden is a clear and convincing standard.

In United States v. Shonubi, the Second Circuit held that “a more rigorous standard” than preponderance of the evidence “should be used in determining disputed aspects of relevant conduct where such conduct, if proven, will significantly enhance a sentence.” 103 F.3d 1085, 1089 (2d Cir.1997) (citing United States v. Gigante, 94 F.3d 53, 56-57 (2d Cir.1996) (denying petition for rehearing)). The question here is whether Han’s disputed relevant conduct, if proven, would signifi[69]*69cantly enhance his sentence; is that it would not. the answer

Han’s base offense level under the guidelines is twelve. Given that he admits to smuggling eight aliens, that number is increased by three. See U.S.S.G. § 2Ll.l(b)(2)(A). Again, the Government insists Han smuggled more than one hundred aliens, which would add nine to his base offense level. See U.S.S.G. § 2Ll.l(b)(2)(C). It also seeks a two point enhancement under § 2Ll.l(b)(5) and a four point enhancement under § 3B1.1(4). To this sum of twenty-seven, the Government requests an unspecified upward departure under § 2L1.1, fn. 4.1 The parties agree that Han’s criminal history category is one.

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United States v. Watts
519 U.S. 148 (Supreme Court, 1997)
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United States v. Gigante
94 F.3d 53 (Second Circuit, 1996)
United States v. Ruggiero
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United States v. Charles O. Shonubi
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31 F. Supp. 2d 245 (N.D. New York, 1998)

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Bluebook (online)
71 F. Supp. 2d 66, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21185, 1999 WL 977020, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-young-ji-chung-nynd-1999.