United States v. Montero

USCA1 Opinion









May 9, 1996
[NOT FOR PUBLICATION]

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT

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No. 95-2328


UNITED STATES,

Appellee,

v.

PEDRO MONTERO,

Defendant, Appellant.


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APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND

[Hon. Raymond J. Pettine, U.S. District Judge] ___________________

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Before

Boudin, Circuit Judge, _____________
Campbell, Senior Circuit Judge, ____________________
and Stahl, Circuit Judge. _____________

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Robert D. Oster and Oster & Sawyer on brief for appellant. _______________ ______________
Sheldon Whitehouse, United States Attorney, Margaret E. Curran ___________________ ___________________
and Stephanie S. Browne, Assistant United States Attorneys, on brief ____________________
for appellee.


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Per Curiam. We have carefully reviewed defendant's __________













appellate arguments, and, finding no merit in them, we affirm

the sentence imposed by the district court.

Contrary to defendant's first argument, the

sentence enhancement appears entirely proper. The procedural

requirements of 21 U.S.C. 851 were satisfied, and defendant

did nothing to dispute the existence or validity of his prior

felony drug conviction. Although the district court

expressed some initial uncertainty about the government's

motion for enhancement, the court plainly was aware of

defendant's criminal history and sentenced him accordingly.

Neither the law nor the facts support defendant's

other argument that the government should have accepted his

offer of assistance and that his sentence should have been

reduced. Nothing in the plea agreement required the

government to accept defendant's offer of assistance or to

file a motion recommending downward departure. Further,

defendant made no substantial allegation of prosecutorial

misconduct here, but only suggested that the government was

not interested in his offer. In these circumstances, the

sentencing court had no authority to grant a departure or to

review the government's decision not to file a motion. See ___

Wade v. United States, 504 U.S. 181, 185 (1992). ____ _____________

Affirmed. See 1st Cir. Loc. R. 27.1. ________ ___







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