United States v. Joe Pena , 593 F. App'x 594 ( 2015 )


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  •                  United States Court of Appeals
    For the Eighth Circuit
    ___________________________
    No. 14-2792
    ___________________________
    United States of America
    lllllllllllllllllllll Plaintiff - Appellee
    v.
    Joe Angel Pena
    lllllllllllllllllllll Defendant - Appellant
    ____________
    Appeal from United States District Court
    for the District of Minnesota - St. Paul
    ____________
    Submitted: February 9, 2015
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    [Unpublished]
    ____________
    Before BYE, BRIGHT, and BENTON, Circuit Judges.
    ____________
    PER CURIAM.
    Joe Angel Pena pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams
    or more of methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A),
    and 846. The district court1 sentenced Pena to 262 months in prison. On appeal,
    Pena challenges only the substantive reasonableness of his sentence. Having
    jurisdiction under 18 U.S.C. § 3742 and 28 U.S.C. § 1291, we affirm.
    In May 2012, law enforcement initiated an investigation of certain inmates
    within the Oak Park Heights Correctional Facility, a state prison located in
    Minnesota, who were coordinating drug trafficking activities with individuals outside
    the prison. Law enforcement learned that Pena, an inmate at Oak Park Heights, had
    been communicating with co-conspirator Naomi Ellingson through letters and
    telephone calls to arrange the distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine in
    Minnesota and Iowa. Pena arranged for suppliers to meet Ellingson at various
    locations to provide her with methamphetamine. Ellingson distributed the
    methamphetamine to customers, including co-conspirator Michael Grove. Pena
    received a portion of the proceeds from the drug operation.
    In July 2013, an indictment was filed in the District of Minnesota charging
    Pena, Ellingson, and Grove with one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or
    more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine
    in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846. Pena pled guilty to the
    conspiracy charge. He faced a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison
    under § 841(b)(1)(A) based on a prior felony drug conviction in 2006.
    At sentencing, the district court determined that Pena qualified as a career
    offender under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1 and calculated a base offense level of 37. Taking
    into account a three-level reduction for acceptance of responsibility, the district court
    arrived at an offense level of 34 and a criminal history category of VI, resulting in a
    Guidelines range of 262-327 months in prison. The district court sentenced Pena to
    The Honorable Patrick J. Schiltz, United States District Judge for the District
    1
    of Minnesota.
    -2-
    262 months in prison—22 months above the mandatory minimum sentence of 20
    years—as well as 10 years of supervised release. Pena appeals the substantive
    reasonableness of the district court’s sentence.
    In reviewing the substantive reasonableness of a sentence, “whether inside or
    outside the Guidelines range, we apply a deferential abuse-of-discretion standard.”
    United States v. Feemster, 
    572 F.3d 455
    , 461 (8th Cir. 2009) (citation omitted)
    (internal quotation marks omitted). “An abuse of discretion occurs when: (1) a court
    fails to consider a relevant factor that should have received significant weight; (2) a
    court gives significant weight to an improper or irrelevant factor; or (3) a court
    considers only the appropriate factors but in weighing them commits a clear error of
    judgment.” United States v. Williams, 
    624 F.3d 889
    , 896-97 (8th Cir. 2010). The
    appropriate factors for the district court to consider in imposing a sentence are set
    forth in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a).
    Pena argues that the district court erred by placing too much weight on the
    seriousness of his offense and his extensive criminal history, and too little weight on
    mitigating factors, such as his difficult upbringing. “The district court has wide
    latitude to weigh the § 3553(a) factors in each case and assign some factors greater
    weight than others in determining an appropriate sentence.” United States v. Bridges,
    
    569 F.3d 374
    , 379 (8th Cir. 2009). Thus, a sentencing court “may give some factors
    less weight than a defendant prefers or more to other factors but that alone does not
    justify reversal.” United States v. Anderson, 
    618 F.3d 873
    , 883 (8th Cir. 2010).
    Here, the district court applied the § 3553(a) factors in a detailed manner and
    set forth a reasoned, thorough explanation for imposing a 262-month sentence.
    Pena’s sentence is lengthy. However, the record on our review does not justify
    reversal.
    AFFIRMED.
    ______________________________
    -3-
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 14-2792

Citation Numbers: 593 F. App'x 594

Judges: Bye, Bright, Benton

Filed Date: 2/13/2015

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 11/6/2024