United States v. Amanda Black , 149 F. App'x 547 ( 2005 )


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  •                      United States Court of Appeals
    FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT
    ___________
    No. 05-1378
    ___________
    United States of America,                *
    *
    Appellee,                   * Appeal from the United States
    * District Court for the
    v.                                 * District of Nebraska.
    *
    Amanda Black,                            * [UNPUBLISHED]
    *
    Appellant.                  *
    ___________
    Submitted: September 14, 2005
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    ___________
    Before BYE, BRIGHT, and SMITH, Circuit Judges.
    ___________
    PER CURIAM.
    Amanda Black (Black) appeals the sentence imposed by the district court1
    claiming error resulting from the district court's failure to recognize its authority to
    depart in the calculation of criminal history points under the Sentencing Guidelines
    for purposes of determining eligibility under the "safety valve" provision of 
    18 U.S.C. § 3553
    (f). Black argues that the district court's approach violates the recent
    pronouncements in United States v. Booker, 
    125 S. Ct. 738
     (2005).
    1
    The Honorable Richard G. Kopf, Chief Judge, United States District Court for
    the District of Nebraska.
    To qualify for "safety valve" relief from the mandatory minimum sentence, a
    defendant must establish that she meets all five of the statutory prerequisites. 
    18 U.S.C. § 3553
    (f); United States v. Alvarado-Rivera, 
    412 F.3d 942
    , 947 (8th Cir.
    2005) (en banc). One such requirement states that a defendant shall not be eligible
    for "safety valve" relief if she has more than one criminal history point, as tabulated
    under the Sentencing Guidelines. 
    18 U.S.C. § 3553
    (f)(1).
    "The district court's safety valve findings can be overturned only if they are
    clearly erroneous." Alvarado-Rivera, 
    412 F.3d at 947
     (citation omitted). If the record
    supports the court's findings, this Court must affirm the district court. 
    Id.
     (citing
    United States v. Tournier, 
    171 F.3d 645
    , 647 (8th Cir. 1999)).
    It is undisputed that as tabulated under the Sentencing Guidelines, Black had
    three criminal history points, two of which were assigned for committing the instant
    offense while on probation. See U.S.S.G. § 4A1.1(d).
    Booker is "wholly inapposite" to sentences arising under the statutory
    mandatory minimum. See United States v. Childs, 
    403 F.3d 970
    , 972 (8th Cir. 2005);
    United States v. Bolanos, 
    409 F.3d 1045
    , 1049 (8th Cir. 2005); United States v.
    Rojas-Coria, 
    401 F.3d 871
    , 874 n.4 (8th Cir. 2005). Indeed, Booker does not apply
    to the judicial determination of a prior conviction or to the calculation of criminal
    history points under the Sentencing Guidelines. See Booker, 125 S. Ct. at 756;
    United States v. Fagans, 
    406 F.3d 138
    , 141-42 (2d Cir. 2005) (criminal history
    calculation under the Guidelines did not implicate the Sixth Amendment); United
    States v. Carpenter, 
    406 F.3d 915
    , 917 (7th Cir. 2005) ("Criminal history is all about
    prior convictions; its ascertainment therefore is an issue of law excluded by Booker's
    own formulation. . . .").
    The addition or subtraction of criminal history points for the purpose of
    determining "safety valve" eligibility is not allowed under the Sentencing Guidelines.
    -2-
    U.S.S.G. § 4A1.3(b)(3)(B); Id. § 5C1.2 cmt., app. note 1. See also United States v.
    Robinson, 
    158 F.3d 1291
     (D.C. Cir. 1998). Section 3553(f) provides no discretion
    to a judge in calculating criminal history points in any manner other than that
    prescribed by the Sentencing Guidelines. Therefore, the district court correctly
    concluded that it did not have discretion to alter Black's criminal history points for
    purposes of determining "safety valve" eligibility.
    We therefore affirm the district court.
    ______________________________
    -3-