United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
F I L E D
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
September 15, 2003
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
Charles R. Fulbruge III
Clerk
No. 03-10201
Summary Calendar
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
SANDRA ROBERTS,
Defendant-Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Northern District of Texas
USDC No. 4:02-CR-00170-2-A
Before HIGGINBOTHAM, DAVIS, and PRADO, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Sandra Roberts appeals her sentence following her conviction
for bank fraud. Her conviction was the result of a scheme to
defraud her employer of money by false data entry of payments
received. She argues that the district court clearly erred in
applying a two-level increase to her sentence pursuant to U.S.
SENTENCING GUIDELINES MANUAL § 3B1.3 for abusing a position of trust.
For the following reasons, Roberts’s sentence is AFFIRMED.
*
Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that
this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except
under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4.
§ 3B1.3 of the Sentencing Guidelines allows an increase by two
levels if “the defendant abused a position of public or private
trust, or used a special skill, in a manner that significantly
facilitated the commission or concealment of the offense . . . .”1
The commentary to § 3B1.3 notes that a position of public or
private trust involves “substantial discretionary judgment that is
ordinarily given considerable deference.”2 A district court
judge’s application of § 3B1.3 “is a sophisticated factual
determination that will be affirmed unless clearly erroneous.”3
Roberts argues that the district erred by classifying her as
occupying a position of trust. Relying on the commentary to §
3B1.3, she claims that she is tantamount to a simple bank teller to
which § 3B1.3 does not apply.4 The district court rejected this
argument, accepting instead the probation officer’s presentence
report, to which there was no rebuttal:
The evidence in this case established that Roberts,
employed by Metrocall as an accounts receivable data
entry clerk, was given special access to the company’s
data base which enabled her to commit the offense and
conceal it from detection. Roberts’ position gave her
the authority to receive checks in the mail, tally the
checks, enter the amounts into the data base, and fax the
1
U.S. SENTENCING GUIDELINES MANUAL § 3B1.3 (2002).
2
Id., cmt. 1.
3
United States v. Ehrlich, 902 F.2d 327, 330 (5th Cir. 1990).
4
U.S. SENTENCING GUIDELINES MANUAL § 3B1.3, cmt. 1 (“This
adjustment does not apply in the case of . . . an ordinary bank
teller or hotel clerk because such positions are not characterized
[as discretionary].”).
2
information to Metrocall’s main office. Roberts’
position enabled her to alter the totals that she
provided to the main office. In addition, Roberts
credited the stolen payment to the customer’s account as
though the payment had been received at a Metrocall lock-
box location, thereby, making it appear that the checks
were stolen from the lock-box location, and not
necessarily by a Metrocall employee. Therefore, Roberts’
position went beyond that of an average bank teller, and
she abused a position of trust when she committed the
offense.
Considering our precedent, the district court did not clearly
err in applying the § 3B1.3 increase.5 Even a regular teller “may
engage in other activities in the course of her job that [involve]
aspects of trust which may be exploited to facilitate a crime.”6
Roberts did so here. Metrocall placed Roberts in a position with
special access to the company’s data base, with the power to
receive, deposit and record substantial sums of money, and with the
authority to relay the updated account information to the company’s
headquarters. Accordingly, the district court did not clearly err
in finding that Roberts occupied a position of trust and in
applying § 3B1.3.
AFFIRMED.
5
United States v. Smith, 203 F.3d 884, 893-94 (5th Cir. 2000)
(holding that a part-time teller occupied a position of trust
because of special knowledge of operating and security procedures,
which the teller used to facilitate a robbery); United States v.
Ehrlich, 902 F.2d 327, 330-331 (5th Cir. 1990) (holding that a loan
clerk occupied a position of trust because of specialized knowledge
and access of the computer system, as well as the power to balance
large, important accounts).
6
Smith, 203 F.3d at 893.
3