United States v. Robert Fox

NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PUBLICATION
File Name: 17a0584n.06
No. 16-6238
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT FILED
Oct 20, 2017
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ) DEBORAH S. HUNT, Clerk
)
Plaintiff-Appellee, )
) ON APPEAL FROM THE
v. ) UNITED STATES DISTRICT
) COURT FOR THE EASTERN
ROBERT FRANKLIN FOX, ) DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY
)
Defendant-Appellant. )
BEFORE: MOORE, WHITE, and DONALD, Circuit Judges.
HELENE N. WHITE, Circuit Judge. Robert Fox pleaded guilty to one count of
possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 851,
and was sentenced to 150 months in prison. This court vacated the sentence and remanded for
further proceedings. On remand, the district court re-imposed the 150-month sentence. In his
second appeal, Fox argues that the district court misinterpreted this court’s mandate as a limited,
rather than general, remand, and that his sentence is procedurally and substantively
unreasonable. We AFFIRM.
I.
On March 21, 2014, Nicholasville, Kentucky police officers responded to a call regarding
suspicious activity in a residential area and encountered Fox and Lacey Dewitt. Fox was in
possession of $3,456.50 and Dewitt consented to a search of her purse and a bag containing pills
No. 16-6238, United States v. Fox
and bottles of oxycodone hydrochloride solution. Investigation revealed that before police
arrived Fox had given Dewitt the bag of pills for her to hide.1 PID 184/PSR.
At sentencing, the district court adopted the PSR’s calculations: a base offense level of
26, based on drug quantity, an increase to 34 based on the determination that Fox was a career
offender under USSG § 4B1.1(b)(2); and a three-level reduction for acceptance of responsibility,
USSG § 3E.1.1(b), resulting in a total offense level of 31.2 Combined with criminal-history
category VI, the resulting guidelines range was 188 to 235 months. PID 185-86, 195/PSR. In
his sentencing memorandum, Fox acknowledged that he is a career offender and requested a
120-month sentence via a departure3 or variance from the career-offender guidelines range of
188 to 235 months. PID 104-107, 110/Def. Sent. Memo.
The district court accepted Fox’s arguments against the career-offender range and chose
to sentence Fox at offense level 26, which, combined with criminal-history category VI, yielded
a guidelines range of 120 to 150 months. The court imposed a 150-month sentence. PID 164-
65/Judgment. Fox appealed, arguing that the district court plainly erred by failing to reduce
offense-level 26 by three levels for his acceptance of responsibility, which would have yielded a
guidelines range of 92 to 115 months.
1
Fox did not contest these facts, which are taken from the PSR.
2
The PSR applied the 2014 Guidelines Manual. PID 185/PSR ¶ 7.
3
As pertinent here, Fox objected to ¶ 100 of the PSR, in which the Probation Officer stated that he was
aware of no factors that would justify a downward departure. PID 118. In response to Fox’s objection,
the Probation Officer stated, “The defendant’s position on this matter is noted for the [PSR],” referred to
Fox’s objection as “unresolved,” and noted that the objection “will not affect the guideline calculations.”
PID 210/PSR addendum.
-2-
No. 16-6238, United States v. Fox
This Court’s Order Vacating Fox’s Sentence and Remanding
By per curiam order entered under Fed. R. App. P. 34(a), [a panel of] this court [(Cole,
Siler, Stranch)] vacated Fox’s sentence and remanded for further proceedings, noting:
Fox appeals . . . [arguing] that the district court erroneously calculated his
guideline range by not applying a three-level reduction to his base offense level of
26 for his acceptance of responsibility.
....
Fox argues that the district court plainly erred by not reducing his base
offense level for his acceptance of responsibility. As set forth above, the district
court initially increased Fox’s base offense level of 26 to 34 and then reduced his
offense level by three for Fox’s acceptance of responsibility, resulting in a total
offense level of 31 and a guideline range of 188 to 235 months. But then the
district court announced that it was not sentencing Fox as a career offender and
instead was going to use Fox’s base offense level of 26 to sentence him, resulting
in a guideline range of 120 to 150 months. The district court did not reduce Fox’s
offense level for his acceptance of responsibility; however, Fox did not object.
An error occurred that was obvious or clear. The district court initially
noted that Fox would be given a three-level reduction for his acceptance of
responsibility, but after stating that it would not be sentencing Fox as a career
offender, it did not apply the reduction or provide its reasons for rejecting the
reduction. Had the reduction been applied, Fox’s total offense level would have
been 23, which when combined with his criminal history category of VI, would
have resulted in a guideline range of 92 to 115 months. Fox was sentenced to 150
months. Thus, Fox may have received a shorter sentence and his substantial
rights were affected. Although, arguably, the district court intended to vary
downward, the words chosen by the district court are inconsistent with the
application of a variance. In these circumstances, the judicial proceeding may
have been unfair.
Accordingly, we VACATE Fox’s sentence and REMAND this matter to
the district court for further proceedings.
Order entered 5/24/16, Docket No. 15-5619/cm/ecf R. 64 (emphasis added).
Resentencing
The district court held a resentencing hearing on August 1, 2016, at which it clarified that
it had applied the three-level acceptance-of-responsibility reduction when it decreased Fox’s
offense level from 34 to 31, and then had varied downward by five offense levels, from 31 to 26,
-3-
No. 16-6238, United States v. Fox
which, with a criminal-history category VI, yielded a 120-to-150 month guidelines range. The
district court explained that it varied downward based on Fox’s arguments in his sentencing
memorandum and at sentencing regarding the § 3553(a) factors, which, the district court pointed
out, persuaded it not to impose a sentence under the 188-to-235 month career-offender guidelines
range. PID 369-70/Resentencing Hrg. 8/1/16. The district court entered an order clarifying its
original sentence, which ended by denying Fox’s “motion for a further reduction due to his
acceptance of responsibility,” and reinstating the 150-month sentence. PID 352-55/Order
entered 8/4/16.
II. Career Offender Status and Procedural Unreasonableness
Fox first argues that his sentence is procedurally unreasonable because he was not a
career offender when he was resentenced, but was nevertheless sentenced as one. Fox concedes
he was correctly classified as a career offender at his first sentencing; he relies on a change to the
definition of “crime of violence” that eliminated burglary from the list of enumerated offenses
effective August 1, 2016. See USSG § 4B1.2(a)(2) and Amendment 798 (Supplement to 2015
Supplement to Appendix C, at 7-8, 11-12).
We review sentences for procedural and substantive reasonableness. United States v.
Freeman, 640 F.3d 180, 185 (6th Cir. 2011); see also Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38, 51, 128
S. Ct. 586, 169 L. Ed. 2d 445 (2007). A sentence is procedurally unreasonable where the district
court fails to properly calculate the guidelines range, treats the guidelines as mandatory, fails to
consider the § 3553(a) factors, selects a sentence based on clearly erroneous facts, or fails to
adequately explain the chosen sentence. See United States v. Jeter, 721 F.3d 746, 756 (6th Cir.
2013). “This review is conducted under the deferential abuse-of-discretion standard.” United
States v. Freeman, 640 F.3d 180, 185 (6th Cir. 2011). Review of unpreserved claims of
-4-
No. 16-6238, United States v. Fox
procedural unreasonableness is generally for plain error, United States v. Wallace, 597 F.3d 794,
802 (6th Cir. 2010) (citing United States v. Vonner, 516 F.3d 382, 385–86 (6th Cir. 2008) (en
banc)), but Fox contends that we should review for abuse of discretion because the district court
failed to clearly ask for objections to the sentence that had not been previously raised and thus
did not satisfy Bostic.4 Appellant Br. 13.
Regardless whether we review for plain error or abuse of discretion, Fox’s argument that
the district court should have applied the Supplement to the 2015 Guidelines Manual fails. First,
Fox cites USSG § 1B1.11(a), which provides simply that “[t]he court shall use the Guidelines
Manual in effect on the date that the defendant is sentenced.” Next, Fox cites United States v.
Davis, 397 F.3d 340 (6th Cir. 2005), but Davis is inapposite because the defendant’s argument
there was that he should have been sentenced under the guidelines in effect at the time he
committed the offense. We noted in Davis:
Generally, the district court is instructed to apply the version of the Guidelines in
place at the time of sentencing. [USSG] § 1B1.11(a) (2002). However, the
Guidelines clearly instruct the court to apply the version in place at the time the
defendant’s offense was committed if applying the current Guidelines would
amount to a violation of the ex post facto clause . . . The ex post facto clause is
implicated where a law punishes retrospectively; “[a] law is retrospective if it
‘changes the legal consequences of acts completed before its effective date.’”
Id. at 346–47 (citations omitted). Davis is inapposite.
4
Under Bostic, a district court must “ask the parties whether they have any objections to the sentence . . .
that have not previously been raised.” United States v. Vonner, 516 F.3d 382, 385 (6th Cir. 2008) (en
banc). The purpose of the Bostic question is twofold: to allow parties a chance to raise objections not
previously raised, United States v. Freeman, 640 F.3d 180, 186 (6th Cir. 2011), and, critically, to allow
the district court an opportunity to address and “correct[ ] any error ... on the spot.” Bostic, 371 F.3d at
873.
-5-
No. 16-6238, United States v. Fox
Further, 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(4)(A)(ii), which Fox also cites, simply provides that in
imposing a sentence, a sentencing court consider:
(1) the kinds of sentence and the sentencing range established for—
(A) the applicable category of offense committed by the
applicable category of defendant as set forth in the
guidelines—
(i) issued by the Sentencing Commission pursuant to section
994(a)(1) of title 28, United States Code, subject to any
amendments made to such guidelines by act of Congress
(regardless of whether such amendments have yet to be
incorporated by the Sentencing Commission into
amendments issued under section 994(p) of title 28); and
(ii) that, except as provided in section 3742(g), are in effect on
the date the defendant is sentenced . . .
18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(4)(A). But Section 3742(g), referenced in § 3553(a)(4)(A)(ii), makes clear
that a sentencing court on remand “shall apply the guidelines . . . that were in effect on the date
of the previous sentencing of the defendant prior to the appeal, together with any amendments
thereto by any act of Congress that was in effect on such date.” 18 U.S.C.A. § 3742(g)
(emphasis added); see also United States v. Taylor, 648 F.3d 417, 424 (6th Cir. 2011) (“on
remand for resentencing, the court should apply the version of the guidelines that properly
governed the original sentencing.”) (quoting United States v. Rorrer, 161 F. App’x 518, 521 (6th
Cir. 2005)); United States v. Orlando, 363 F.3d 596, 603 (6th Cir. 2004) (citing § 3742(g) and
noting, “the correct approach for a district court to take on remand is to apply the Guidelines in
effect at the time of a defendant’s original sentencing.”).
Thus, the district court neither plainly erred nor abused its discretion by applying on
remand the 2014 Guidelines Manual that was in effect at Fox’s original sentencing, and
continuing to classify Fox as a career offender. Fox’s procedural unreasonableness claim fails.
-6-
No. 16-6238, United States v. Fox
III. Failure to Consider the Relevant § 3553(a) Factors and Policy Statements
Fox next asserts that his sentence is procedurally and substantively unreasonable because
the district court failed to consider the applicable § 3553(a) factors or relevant policy statements,
and his 150-month sentence is greater than necessary to achieve the sentencing goals set forth in
§ 3553(a). Appellant Br. 18-22.
“A sentence is substantively unreasonable if the district court selects a sentence
arbitrarily, bases the sentence on impermissible factors, fails to consider relevant sentencing
factors, or gives an unreasonable amount of weight to any pertinent factor.” United States v.
Shaw, 707 F.3d 666, 674 (6th Cir. 2013) (internal quotation marks omitted). We review
challenges to the substantive reasonableness of a sentence for abuse of discretion. United States
v. Taylor, 800 F.3d 701, 713 (6th Cir. 2015).
Fox complains that the district court said virtually nothing about the sentencing factors at
his first sentencing and little more at his resentencing, and that what the district court did say is
insufficient to permit meaningful appellate review. We disagree.
At Fox’s original sentencing, the district court considered the advisory guidelines range,
Fox’s sentencing memorandum, his extensive arguments for a below-guidelines sentence, and
the § 3553(a) factors. As the district court explained at the resentencing hearing, Fox’s
arguments regarding the § 3553(a) factors persuaded the court not to sentence him within the
188-to-235-month career-offender guidelines range. At the conclusion of Fox’s resentencing
hearing, the district court incorporated its prior analysis of the § 3553(a) factors, noting,
“I thought that a sentence as a career offender would be too high. That’s part of my job under
3553(a) is to determine your family history, among other things . . . that Mr. Allen pointed out
. . . before the court in his memorandum; and so I gave you a five-level variance.” PID 370.
-7-
No. 16-6238, United States v. Fox
Fox argues that the district court was required to do more, but a sentencing court need not
make express on-the-record findings on each § 3553(a) factor. United States v. Coleman,
835 F.3d 606, 616 (6th Cir. 2016). And Fox’s argument that the district court should have
discussed policy statement § 4A1.3, which his sentencing memorandum raised as a basis for a
downward departure, is not persuasive given that the district court stated at sentencing that it had
read Fox’s sentencing memorandum, and the court in fact varied, although it did not depart, from
the guidelines range. PID 222-23 (“I read your sentencing memorandum.”)
Fox also claims that his sentence is substantively unreasonable. Because he was
sentenced below his guidelines range, he has a particularly demanding burden in showing his
sentence is unreasonable. United States v. Greco, 734 F.3d 441, 450 (6th Cir. 2013). Fox’s only
argument asserting substantive unreasonableness is that the district court failed to consider
relevant § 3553(a) factors, a claim we have rejected.
IV. Scope of Remand
Fox’s final argument is that “the district court presumed its hands were tied and treated
this Court’s mandate as a limited remand rather than a general remand,” when the mandate was
“very broad in scope and . . . [t]here is nothing in [the] mandate to indicate an intent to limit the
scope of the district court’s review.” Appellant Br. 23.
We review the scope of a remand de novo. United States v. Orlando, 363 F.3d 596, 600
(6th Cir. 2004).
In this circuit, the criteria to establish a limited versus general remand are well
settled and, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2106, appellate courts have broad discretion
in defining the scope of a given remand. See [United States v.] Campbell,
168 F.3d [263,] 265 [(6th Cir. 2012)] (citing United States v. Moore, 131 F.3d
595, 597 (6th Cir. 1997)). A limited remand must “explicitly outline the issues to
be addressed by the district court and create a narrow framework within which the
district court must operate. General remands, in contrast, give district courts
authority to address all matters as long as remaining consistent with the remand.”
-8-
No. 16-6238, United States v. Fox
Id. at 265 (citation omitted). A “majority of the circuits that have spoken on this
issue, including this one, follow a basic rule that a district court can review
sentencing matters de novo unless the remand specifically limits the lower court’s
inquiry.” Id. Further, “in light of the general principle of de novo consideration
at resentencing, this court should leave no doubt in the district judge’s or parties’
minds as to the scope of the remand. The language used to limit the remand
should be, in effect, unmistakable.” Id. at 268.
United States v. Obi, 542 F.3d 148, 153–54 (6th Cir. 2008).
Our opinion did not limit the scope of the district court’s sentencing authority on remand.
It is unclear, however, whether the district court actually thought it was subject to a limited
remand and its “hands were tied.” In any event, any error in the district court’s perception of the
scope of the remand was harmless because the only issue Fox claims he would have raised if
given the opportunity—that the district court should have rescored the Guidelines using the
Supplement to the 2015 Guidelines Manual—lacks merit for the reasons discussed. See United
States v. Hazelwood, 398 F.3d 792, 801 (6th Cir. 2005) (“Under the harmless error test, a remand
for error at sentencing is required unless we are certain that any such error was harmless–i.e., any
such error ‘did not affect the district court’s selection of the sentence imposed.’”) (quoting
Williams v. United States, 503 U.S. 193 (1992)). Further, to the extent Fox implies that the
court’s alleged misunderstanding of the remand led it to unfairly deny an adjournment,5 counsel
5
On the Friday before the August 1st resentencing hearing, defense counsel filed a “Motion to Continue
Re-sentence Hearing,” asserting:
The . . . Court of Appeals remanded this matter . . . for re-sentencing. Although
undersigned counsel did not serve as Mr. Fox’s counsel on appeal, the Court reappointed
him as Mr. Fox’s counsel for purposes of re-sentencing on July 26, 2016.
At the time of his reappointment, undersigned counsel was out of the office. He did not
return to the office until today and has not had an opportunity to meet, or have an in-
depth discussion, with his client regarding the re-sentencing. Thus, undersigned counsel
respectfully requests a reasonable continuance of the sentencing hearing . . . to permit
him to meet with Mr. Fox to discuss his re-sentencing.
PID 340. The district court denied the motion by order entered the same day:
There is nothing new to discuss, the PSR has not changed nor have the guidelines. The
matter was remanded for the undersigned to explain why the defendant was not entitled
-9-
No. 16-6238, United States v. Fox
was familiar with the case because he had represented Fox at the first sentencing, and Fox has
shown no prejudice.
For the reasons stated, we AFFIRM Fox’s 150-month sentence.
to a further three level reduction in his offense level when he had already been granted an
earlier reduction for acceptance of responsibility.
PID 343.
-10-