United States v. Jeffery McBride ( 2022 )


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  • USCA11 Case: 21-13290      Date Filed: 06/01/2022   Page: 1 of 4
    [DO NOT PUBLISH]
    In the
    United States Court of Appeals
    For the Eleventh Circuit
    ____________________
    No. 21-13290
    Non-Argument Calendar
    ____________________
    UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
    Plaintiff-Appellee,
    versus
    JEFFERY MCBRIDE,
    Defendant-Appellant.
    ____________________
    Appeal from the United States District Court
    for the Middle District of Georgia
    D.C. Docket No. 4:20-cr-00020-CDL-MSH-1
    ____________________
    USCA11 Case: 21-13290        Date Filed: 06/01/2022     Page: 2 of 4
    2                      Opinion of the Court                21-13290
    Before ROSENBAUM, LUCK, and LAGOA, Circuit Judges.
    PER CURIAM:
    Jeffery McBride appeals his sentence of 168 months of im-
    prisonment after pleading guilty to possession of methampheta-
    mine with intent to distribute, in violation of 
    21 U.S.C. § 841
    (a)(1)
    and (b)(1)(C). He challenges the calculation of his guideline range
    under the Sentencing Guidelines, arguing that the district court
    erred in applying a two-level enhancement for possessing a firearm
    under U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(b)(1).
    The government moves to dismiss the appeal based on a
    sentence-appeal waiver in McBride’s plea agreement. In exchange
    for certain promises by the government, McBride expressly agreed
    in the plea agreement to
    waive[] any right to appeal the imposition of sentence
    upon [him] . . . except in the event that the District
    Court impose[d] a sentence that exceed[ed] the advi-
    sory guideline range as that range has been calculated
    by the District Court at the time of sentencing, or in
    the event that the District Court impose[d] a sentence
    in excess of the statutory maximum.
    McBride would also be released from the waiver if the government
    appealed. McBride has not responded to the government’s mo-
    tion.
    USCA11 Case: 21-13290        Date Filed: 06/01/2022    Page: 3 of 4
    21-13290               Opinion of the Court                       3
    We will enforce an appeal waiver that was made knowingly
    and voluntarily. United States v. Bascomb, 
    451 F.3d 1292
    , 1294
    (11th Cir. 2006); United States v. Bushert, 
    997 F.2d 1343
    , 1350–51
    (11th Cir. 1993). To prove that a waiver was made knowingly and
    voluntarily, the government must show that (1) the district court
    specifically questioned the defendant about the waiver during the
    plea colloquy; or (2) the record makes clear that the defendant oth-
    erwise understood the full significance of the waiver. Bushert, 
    997 F.2d at 1351
    .
    Here, McBride knowingly and voluntarily waived the right
    to appeal his sentence. During the plea colloquy, the district court
    reviewed the terms of the plea agreement with McBride, including
    the appeal waiver. Among other things, the court made clear, and
    McBride indicated he understood, that he was waiving the right to
    directly appeal a sentence within the guideline range, even if the
    court “miscalculate[d] [his] guideline range[,] as long as [it] sen-
    tence[d] [him] within the guideline range.” The record also shows
    that McBride and his attorney signed the plea agreement, certifying
    that they had read the entire agreement and fully understood its
    terms, and McBride initialed beneath each page.
    Because the record shows that the appeal waiver was made
    knowingly and voluntarily, we will enforce the waiver and dismiss
    the appeal. See Bascomb, 
    451 F.3d at 1294
    ; Bushert, 
    997 F.2d at 1351
    . McBride’s challenge to the calculation of his guideline range
    falls within the scope of the waiver, which waived review of such
    challenges unless the court “exceed[ed] the advisory guideline
    USCA11 Case: 21-13290        Date Filed: 06/01/2022    Page: 4 of 4
    4                      Opinion of the Court               21-13290
    range as that range has been calculated by the District Court at the
    time of sentencing.” The sentence of 168 months was within the
    guideline range as calculated by the court, so the waiver applies.
    Accordingly, we GRANT the government’s motion to dis-
    miss and DISMISS the appeal.
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 21-13290

Filed Date: 6/1/2022

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 6/1/2022