United States v. Lombardi

USCA1 Opinion












[NOT FOR PUBLICATION]

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT
____________________


No. 96-2033


UNITED STATES,

Appellee,

v.

VINCENT LOMBARDI,

Defendant, Appellant.

____________________


APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND

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

____________________

Before

Torruella, Chief Judge, ___________
Stahl and Lynch, Circuit Judges. ______________

____________________

Vince Lombardi on brief pro se. ______________
Sheldon Whitehouse, United States Attorney, and Andrew J. Reich, __________________ ________________
Assistant United States Attorney, on brief for appellee.


____________________

October 17, 1997
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Per Curiam. Upon careful review of the briefs and __________

record, we perceive no reason to set aside appellant's plea

or sentence.

The plea proceedings reveal no fundamental defect or

miscarriage of justice. Appellant's argument regarding the

scope of 18 U.S.C. 371 is meritless. See United States v. ___ _____________

Brandon, 17 F.3d 409, 422 (1st Cir.), cert. denied, 513 U.S. _______ ____________

820 (1994). The record does not support appellant's claims

that his plea was coerced and that the plea colloquy was

confusing or inadequate. Further, as the district court

carefully ascertained the voluntariness of appellant's plea,

and his plea agreement reflected the reciprocal arrangement

with the codefendant, we are not compelled to set aside the

plea. Cf. United States v. Martinez-Molina, 64 F.3d 719, ___ _____________ _______________

732-34 (1st Cir. 1995).

The sentencing proceedings reveal no clear error as to

the adjustments under U.S.S.G. 2B1.1(b)(4)(B) & 3B1.1(c)

or otherwise. And, by providing that the restitution order

was subject to reconsideration, the district court adequately

took into account appellant's ability to pay.

Appellant's remaining arguments do not merit further

comment.

We do not address appellant's claims regarding

ineffective assistance of counsel, as such claims must be





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presented to the district court in the first instance in a

motion under 28 U.S.C. 2255.

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















































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