FILED
United States Court of Appeals
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS Tenth Circuit
FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT August 15, 2014
Elisabeth A. Shumaker
Clerk of Court
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v. No. 14-6041
(D.C. No. 5:13-CR-00033-R-1)
JESSICA RENEE CHRONISTER, (W.D. Okla.)
Defendant-Appellant.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v. No. 14-6042
(D.C. No. 5:13-CR-00034-R-1)
JESSICA RENEE CHRONISTER, (W.D. Okla.)
Defendant-Appellant.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v. No. 14-6043
(D.C. No. 5:13-CR-00194-R-1)
JESSICA RENEE CHRONISTER, (W.D. Okla.)
Defendant-Appellant.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT*
Before GORSUCH, BACHARACH, and McHUGH, Circuit Judges.
Jessica Renee Chronister was charged with committing crimes in three
separate indictments. She ultimately entered guilty pleas in the three cases to one
count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance
containing methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to escape custody, and one
count of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of actual
methamphetamine. In her plea agreement, she waived her right to appeal her
conviction and sentence. Her guideline sentencing range was 262 to 327 months’
imprisonment, but the district court varied downward and sentenced her to 168
months’ imprisonment.
Despite the appellate waiver in her plea agreement, Ms. Chronister filed an
appeal seeking to challenge her convictions and sentence. The government moved to
enforce the appeal waiver pursuant to United States v. Hahn, 359 F.3d 1315
(10th Cir. 2004) (per curiam).
*
This panel has determined that oral argument would not materially assist the
determination of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The
case is therefore ordered submitted without oral argument. This order and judgment
is not binding precedent, except under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata,
and collateral estoppel. It may be cited, however, for its persuasive value consistent
with Fed. R. App. P. 32.1 and 10th Cir. R. 32.1.
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Ms. Chronister’s attorney filed a response invoking Anders v. California,
386 U.S. 738 (1967), agreeing with the government that the appellate waiver is valid,
and indicating that she will seek leave to withdraw from the case. Ms. Chronister
was given the opportunity to file a pro se response to the motion to enforce.
In her pro se response, Ms. Chronister does not offer a rebuttal to the
government’s motion to enforce or to her attorney’s conclusion that the appeal
waiver is valid. Instead, she asks this court to consider the undue hardship that her
imprisonment has on her children and to reduce her sentence. In sentencing
Ms. Chronister, the district court varied downward from the guidelines sentence by
almost 100 months, and there is no legal basis for this court to grant her further
sentencing relief.
Ms. Chronister’s appeal falls within the scope of the waiver in her plea
agreement, she knowingly and voluntarily waiver her appellate rights, and enforcing
the waiver would not result in a miscarriage of justice. Accordingly, we grant the
motion to enforce the appeal waiver and dismiss the appeal.
Entered for the Court
Per Curiam
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