United States v. Nigel Ernst ( 2020 )

NOT FOR PUBLICATION FILED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FEB 11 2020
MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, No. 19-30137
Plaintiff-Appellee, D.C. No. 9:05-cr-00053-DWM-1
v.
MEMORANDUM*
NIGEL GRAHAM ERNST,
Defendant-Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the District of Montana
Donald W. Molloy, District Judge, Presiding
Submitted February 4, 2020**
Before: FERNANDEZ, SILVERMAN, and TALLMAN, Circuit Judges.
Nigel Graham Ernst appeals from the district court’s judgment and
challenges the 78-month sentence imposed upon his fourth revocation of
supervised release. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291, and we affirm.
Ernst contends that the district court erred by failing to consider adequately
*
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent
except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.
**
The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision
without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2).
the 18 U.S.C. § 3583(e) sentencing factors and relying on the need to promote
respect for the law, which is an improper consideration in a revocation proceeding.
We review for plain error, see United States v. Valencia-Barragan, 608 F.3d 1103,
1108 (9th Cir. 2010), and conclude that there is none. The record reflects that the
district court considered and relied upon only proper sentencing factors, including
Ernst’s repeated breach of the court’s trust. See 18 U.S.C. § 3583(e); United States
v. Simtob, 485 F.3d 1058, 1062-63 (9th Cir. 2007).
Ernst also contends that the sentence is substantively unreasonable. The
district court did not abuse its discretion. See Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38,
51 (2007). The sentence is substantively reasonable in light of the section 3583(e)
sentencing factors and the totality of the circumstances, including Ernst’s extensive
history of non-compliance and the need for deterrence. See Gall, 552 U.S. at 51;
Simtob, 485 F.3d at 1063.
AFFIRMED.
2 19-30137