UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 09-4725
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
v.
ARTHUR SHABAZZ SANDERS, JR.,
Defendant - Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern
District of North Carolina, at Raleigh. James C. Fox, Senior
District Judge. (5:06-cr-00285-F-4)
Submitted: September 30, 2011 Decided: October 13, 2011
Before SHEDD and AGEE, Circuit Judges, and HAMILTON, Senior
Circuit Judge.
Affirmed in part, vacated in part, and remanded by unpublished
per curiam opinion.
Mark R. Sigmon, GRAEBE HANNA & WELBORN PLLC, Raleigh, North
Carolina, for Appellant. Jennifer P. May-Parker, Assistant
United States Attorney, Jennifer E. Wells, OFFICE OF THE UNITED
STATES ATTORNEY, Raleigh, North Carolina, for Appellee.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
PER CURIAM:
Arthur Shabazz Sanders pled guilty to conspiracy to
possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine and
more than fifty grams of cocaine base (“crack”) and was
sentenced to 262 months of imprisonment. On appeal, counsel
filed a brief pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738
(1967), asserting there are no meritorious grounds for appeal,
but raising the following issue: whether the district court
erred by denying Sanders’ motions to withdraw his guilty plea.
For the reasons that follow, we affirm in part, vacate in part,
and remand.
We do not find that the district court abused its
discretion by denying Sanders’ motions to withdraw his guilty
plea. United States v. Ubakanma, 215 F.3d 421, 424 (4th Cir.
2000). A defendant bears the burden of demonstrating to the
district court’s satisfaction that a “fair and just reason”
supports his request to withdraw. Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(h).
Although we have articulated certain factors a district court
should consider in determining whether to grant a motion to
withdraw, see United States v. Moore, 931 F.2d 245, 248 (4th
Cir. 1991) (providing factors), the key to determining whether a
motion to withdraw should be granted, is whether the plea
hearing was properly conducted under Fed. R. Crim. P. 11.
United States v. Puckett, 61 F.3d 1092, 1099 (4th Cir. 1995).
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Our review of Sanders’ plea hearing reveals the district court
complied with Rule 11. Therefore we find that Sanders’ claim of
error is without merit.
Next, Sanders argues, in his Fed. R. App. P. 28(j)
filing, that he should not been considered a career offender,
under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 4B1.1 (2008), in light
of our recent opinion in United States v. Simmons, 649 F.3d 237,
__, 2011 WL 3607266 (4th Cir. 2011). The Government also seeks
resentencing in light of Simmons. Accordingly, we vacate
Sanders’ sentence and remand for resentening. We do not find,
however, that Sanders is entitled to relief under Simmons,
leaving that decision to the district court in the first
instance.
In accordance with Anders, we have reviewed the record
in this case, including the issues raised in Sanders’ pro se
supplemental brief, and have found no meritorious issues for
appeal. We therefore affirm Sanders’ conviction, vacate his
sentence, and remand for resentencing. This court requires that
counsel inform Sanders, in writing, of the right to petition the
Supreme Court of the United States for further review. If
Sanders requests that a petition be filed, but counsel believes
that such a petition would be frivolous, then counsel may move
in this court for leave to withdraw from representation.
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Counsel’s motion must state that a copy thereof was served on
Sanders.
We dispense with oral argument because the facts and
legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials
before the court and argument would not aid the decisional
process.
AFFIRMED IN PART,
VACATED IN PART,
AND REMANDED
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