Opinions of the United
2006 Decisions States Court of Appeals
for the Third Circuit
8-1-2006
USA v. Powell
Precedential or Non-Precedential: Non-Precedential
Docket No. 05-1393
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"USA v. Powell" (2006). 2006 Decisions. Paper 641.
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NOT PRECEDENTIAL
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT
Case No: 05-1393
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
v.
HERBERT S. POWELL,
aka
DAVID SIMON
aka
DAVID MOODY
aka
LB
Herbert S. Powell,
Appellant
On Appeal from the United States District Court
for the District of New Jersey
District Court Criminal No.:03-cr-187-4
District Judge: The Honorable John W. Bissell
Submitted Pursuant to Third Circuit L.A.R. 34.1(a)
July 13, 2006
Before: SMITH, WEIS, and ROTH, Circuit Judges
(Filed: August 1, 2006)
OPINION
SMITH, Circuit Judge.
Herbert S. Powell pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit bank fraud in violation
of 18 U.S.C. § 371 and to bank fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344. His sentencing
was postponed until after the Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v.
Booker, 543 U.S. 220 (2005). The presentence report computed Powell’s total offense
level at 21 and his criminal history category was V, yielding a guideline range of 70-87
months. The District Court adjusted Powell’s total offense level downward to 16,
according him an additional reduction for acceptance of responsibility and by decreasing
the amount of loss for checks that had not been cashed. As a result, his guideline range
was reduced to 41-51 months. The District Court considered the adjusted guideline
range, and the various factors enumerated in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), including the fact that
the victims’ of Powell’s offenses were nursing home residents. In discussing these
factors, the District Court declared that “a substantial period of imprisonment is clearly
indicated,” acknowledged that Powell’s sentence would be greater than his co-defendants,
and pointed out that Powell was a “major player.” It imposed, inter alia, a sentence of 56
months’ imprisonment on both counts to be served concurrently and consecutive to a
New Jersey state sentence.
Appellate counsel, who did not represent Powell in the District Court,
subsequently moved to withdraw and filed a brief pursuant to Anders v. California, 386
U.S. 738 (1967), asserting that “[a]fter conscientious examination, counsel can find
nothing in the record that might arguably support Mr. Powell’s appeal.” In addition,
appellate counsel noted that he considered Booker, “but cannot avoid the conclusion that
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it would not assist Powell in light of his plea agreement, and the district court’s findings
reducing his offense level from those recommended in the Presentence Report.”
After receiving appellate counsel’s motion to withdraw and the Anders brief,
Powell filed an informal brief, contending that there was a speedy trial violation, that his
counsel in the District Court had been ineffective, and that the District Court erred by
departing upward from the adjusted guideline range.
In Anders, the Supreme Court set out a procedure for counsel to follow when he
concludes that an appeal would be frivolous. 386 U.S. at 744. In United States v. Youla,
241 U.S. 296 (3d Cir. 2001), we instructed that the Anders brief must demonstrate that
counsel has “thoroughly examined the record in search of appealable issues,” and it must
“explain why the issues are frivolous.” Id. at 300. We declared that our inquiry is
twofold: (1) whether counsel adequately fulfilled the requirements of Anders; and (2)
“whether an independent review of the record presents any nonfrivolous issues.” Id.
(citing United States v. Marvin, 211 F.3d 778, 780 (3d Cir. 2000)).
After carefully reviewing the briefs and the record in this appeal, we conclude that
counsel has adequately fulfilled the requirements of Anders. Because Powell pleaded
guilty, any challenge on appeal is limited to whether the District Court had the authority
to enter the conviction and impose a sentence, and to whether the plea was knowing and
voluntary. United States v. Broce, 488 U.S. 563, 569 (1989); Tollett v. Henderson, 411
U.S. 258, 267 (1973). In addition, he is entitled to attack under 18 U.S.C. § 3742(a) his
sentence to the extent it was imposed in violation of law. See also United States v.
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Cooper, 437 F.3d 324, 327 (3d Cir. 2006). Here, we find nothing to suggest that Powell’s
guilty plea was constitutionally infirm. Nor is there any basis for finding that Powell’s
sentence was unreasonable. He was the beneficiary of a downward adjustment in his total
offense level and a significant reduction in his guideline range, and the District Court
fully considered each of the factors enumerated in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) before imposing
what it deemed a just sentence in light of Powell’s offenses of conviction.
We recognize that Powell’s pro se submission contends that his counsel in the
District Court was ineffective because he pressured him to sign the guilty plea and to
admit his guilt in response to the Court’s questions during the plea colloquy, and because
he refused Powell’s request to file a motion to withdraw his guilty plea before sentencing.
This claim, however, “concerns conduct that occurred outside the purview of the district
court and therefore can be resolved only after a factual development at an appropriate
hearing.” Gov’t of Virgin Islands v. Zepp, 748 F.2d 125, 133 (3d Cir. 1984) (citation and
internal quotation marks omitted). Thus, the record from the District Court, which has
not been developed to litigate an ineffectiveness claim, is “incomplete or inadequate for
this purpose.” Massaro v. United States, 538 U.S. 500, 505 (2003). Powell’s
ineffectiveness argument, therefore, is best addressed in a collateral proceeding rather
than on direct review. United States v. Thornton, 327 F.3d 268, 272 (3d Cir. 2002)
(discussing Massaro, 538 U.S. at 500).
For the reasons set forth above, we conclude that Powell’s direct appeal is
frivolous. We will grant counsel’s motion to withdraw. We further certify that the issues
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presented in this appeal lack legal merit and do not require the filing of a petition for writ
of certiorari with the Supreme Court. 3d Cir. L.A.R. 109.2(b).
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