FILED
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
July 11, 2013
TENTH CIRCUIT
Elisabeth A. Shumaker
Clerk of Court
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
No. 13-4015
v. (D.C. Nos. 2:12-CV-00274-TS and
2:09-CR-00784-TS-5)
SALVADOR RAMIREZ, (D. Utah)
Defendant - Appellant.
ORDER
DENYING CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY
Before KELLY, HOLMES, and MATHESON, Circuit Judges.
Salvador Ramirez, a federal inmate appearing pro se, seeks a certificate of
appealability (COA) to challenge the district court’s denial of his 28 U.S.C.
§ 2255 motion to vacate, set aside, or correct his sentence. Because Mr. Ramirez
has not made “a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right,” 28
U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2), we deny a COA and dismiss this appeal.
Mr. Ramirez was charged in a three-count superceding indictment with
manufacturing a controlled substance (marijuana) by cultivation, 21 U.S.C.
§ 841(a)(1) (Count 1); conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance by
cultivation, 21 U.S.C. § 846 (Count 2); and possession of a firearm in furtherance
of a drug trafficking crime, 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A) (Count 3). I R. 17–20. On
the day of trial, Mr. Ramirez pleaded guilty to each count of the indictment. Id.
at 21–28; III R. 15, 18. The district court sentenced him to 180 months’
imprisonment and 60 months’ supervised release. III R. 304–07. Judgment was
entered on February 25, 2011, and Mr. Ramirez did not appeal. Id.
On March 19, 2012, Mr. Ramirez filed his § 2255 motion alleging that
counsel was ineffective for failing: (1) to file a notice of appeal; (2) to object to a
lack of factual basis for the plea; (3) to object to conditions of supervised release;
and (4) to challenge the quantity of marijuana. I R. 42–58. The district court
denied the motion, finding that the first and third claims were barred by the
appeal waiver in his plea agreement and the second and fourth claims failed on
the merits. Ramirez v. United States, Civil No. 2:21-CV-274 TS, 2012 WL
6596380, at *1 (D. Utah Dec. 18, 2012). On appeal, Mr. Ramirez only seeks a
COA on his second claim—that counsel was ineffective for failing to object to a
lack of factual basis for his plea. Aplt. Br. 5.
A COA requires that an applicant make “a substantial showing of the denial
of a constitutional right.” 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2). The movant must show “that
reasonable jurists could debate whether . . . the petition should have been
resolved in a different manner or that the issues presented were adequate to
deserve encouragement to proceed further.” Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473,
484 (2000) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted).
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To prevail on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, the movant must
demonstrate that (1) defense counsel’s performance was deficient, meaning
counsel’s “representation fell below an objective standard of reasonableness” and
(2) defendant was prejudiced by counsel’s performance, meaning “there is a
reasonable probability that, but for counsel’s unprofessional errors, the result of
the proceeding would have been different.” Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S.
668, 688, 694 (1984). “These two prongs may be addressed in any order, and
failure to satisfy either is dispositive.” Hooks v. Workman, 689 F.3d 1148, 1186
(10th Cir. 2012) (citation omitted).
Mr. Ramirez argues that reasonable jurists could debate the district court’s
conclusion that counsel’s performance was not deficient because there was a
factual basis for his plea. Aplt. Br. 5. He contends, as he did before the district
court, that he only admitted guilt to one prong of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), but his plea
wrongfully encompassed both prongs of the statute. Id. at 6–7. He also asserts
that the district judge failed to apprise him of the elements of the offense before
accepting his plea. Id. at 6.
Section § 924(c) provides an enhanced sentence for “any person who,
during and in relation to any crime of violence or drug trafficking crime . . . uses
or carries a firearm, or who, in furtherance of any such crime, possesses a
firearm.” 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) (emphasis added). The offense is written in the
disjunctive, and the government can establish guilt by satisfying either prong.
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See United States v. Lott, 310 F.3d 1231, 1246 (10th Cir. 2002). Mr. Ramirez
points out that his indictment is phrased in the conjunctive: “defendant[] herein,
did knowingly use and carry one of more of the . . . firearms and ammunition . . .
and did possess one or more of the . . . firearms and ammunition.” I R. 19. But
we have previously held that an offense, written in the disjunctive, can be charged
in the conjunctive, and proven in the disjunctive. See Lott, 310 F.3d at 1246.
Our review of the record convinces us that a factual basis existed for the
plea. At the change of plea hearing, the court first advised Mr. Ramirez of the
elements of the offense, and he indicated that he understood the charges against
him. I R. 32. Mr. Ramirez then admitted that he “used or carried firearms during
and in relation to the crimes charged.” Id. at 34. The court proceeded to accept
his plea to “Section 924(c)(1)(A), possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug
trafficking crime.” Id. at 35. There was factual support for this plea because Mr.
Ramirez expressly admitted that he engaged in conduct which violated § 924(c).
Accordingly, we do not find the district court’s resolution of this claim
reasonably debatable.
We GRANT IFP status, DENY a COA, and DISMISS the appeal.
Entered for the Court
Paul J. Kelly, Jr.
Circuit Judge
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