[DO NOT PUBLISH]
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
FILED
________________________ U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
No. 07-14626 June 13, 2008
Non-Argument Calendar THOMAS K. KAHN
________________________ CLERK
D. C. Docket No. 06-00049-CR-OC-10-GRJ
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
BRIAN DANDRIDGE,
Defendant-Appellant.
________________________
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Middle District of Florida
_________________________
(June 13, 2008)
Before ANDERSON, MARCUS and WILSON, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
Brian Dandridge (“Dandridge”) appeals his conviction and 60-month
sentence for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500
grams or more of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846. On appeal, Dandridge
argues that the district court erred in regard to three issues. First, Dandridge
argues that the district court erred at sentencing by denying his request for a
minimal role reduction, failing to rectify a sentencing disparity among
codefendants, and failing to consider fully the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors.
Second, Dandridge contends that the district court abused its discretion by denying
his motion to withdraw his guilty plea. Finally, Dandridge argues that the district
court erred by denying his motion to compel the government to file a U.S.
Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 5K1.1 substantial assistance motion for sentence
reduction. For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the judgment of the district court.
I. FACTS
Brian Dandridge was indicted in August 2006 for his role in facilitating a
drug sale between his brother, Gerald Dandridge (“Gerald”), and an acquaintance,
Noah Shackelford (“Shackleford”). The Drug Enforcement Administration
(“DEA”) had tapped Gerald’s phone, which allowed DEA agents to know the time
and place where the sale would be completed. Gerald and Shackleford were
arrested after the deal was completed; Dandridge was not present at the sale and
was arrested later for his participation as broker.
Dandridge was in a position to provide the government with information
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regarding other drug trafficking in the area. The government negotiated a plea
agreement with Dandridge, under the terms of which the government would
consider filing a § 5K1.1 motion for a sentence reduction. Dandridge accepted the
plea agreement. He was facing a five-year mandatory minimum sentence, which
could be reduced by the government’s § 5K1.1 motion. However, the government
ultimately chose not to file a § 5K1.1 motion. Dandridge filed motions to
withdraw his guilty plea and compel the government to file a § 5K1.1 motion, both
of which the district court denied. Dandridge now appeals.
II. DISCUSSION
A. Appeal Waiver and Sentence
Dandridge’s plea agreement includes a waiver of his right to appeal his
sentence.1 The government argues that Dandridge’s appeal should be dismissed
because he waived his right to appeal. We review de novo the validity of a
sentence appeal waiver. United States v. Bushert, 997 F.2d 1343, 1352 (11th Cir.
1993). We will enforce an appeal waiver contained in a plea agreement where the
government demonstrates either that: “(1) the district court specifically questioned
the defendant about the waiver during the plea colloquy, or (2) the record clearly
shows that the defendant otherwise understood the full significance of the waiver.”
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The appeal waiver includes four exceptions that are not relevant here.
3
United States v. Benitez-Zapata, 131 F.3d 1444, 1446 (11th Cir. 1997).
An enforceable sentence appeal waiver encompasses an appeal of the
government’s refusal to file a § 5K1.1 motion for sentence reduction. See id. at
1446-47. However, this Court has considered on appeal a defendant’s claim that
the government breached the plea agreement, even though the agreement
contained a sentence appeal waiver. See United States v. Copeland, 381 F.3d
1101, 1104-05 (11th Cir. 2004).
In this case, the district court specifically questioned Dandridge about the
appeal waiver during the plea colloquy. Dandridge stated that he understood the
appeal waiver and its implications. Therefore, the appeal waiver is enforceable.
As a result, Dandridge cannot challenge his sentence on appeal. Accordingly, we
reject his argument that the district erred at sentencing by denying his request for a
minimal role reduction, refusing to adjust his sentence downward in light of the
disparity between his sentence and his codefendants’ sentences, and declining to
consider the § 3553(a) factors.
Dandridge also challenges the district court’s denial of his motion to
withdraw his guilty plea and motion to compel the government to file a § 5K1.1
motion. The government contends that both of these claims fall within the appeal
waiver and therefore should not be considered on appeal. We need not decide if
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the appeal waiver extends to these claims because, as the discussion below makes
clear, Dandridge cannot prevail on the merits of either claim.
B. Motion to Withdraw Guilty Plea
Dandridge argues that the district court erred in denying his motion to
withdraw his guilty plea because Dandridge asserted a “fair and just reason” for
requesting the withdrawal. Dandridge’s reason was the government’s failure to
file a § 5K1.1 motion to reduce his sentence for providing substantial assistance to
the government. Dandridge asserts that he only agreed to the plea arrangement
because the government represented that his cooperation in regard to another
investigation would lead to a § 5K1.1 reduction in his sentence.
We review a district court’s decision to deny a motion to withdraw a guilty
plea for an abuse of discretion. United States v. Freixas, 332 F.3d 1314, 1316
(11th Cir. 2006). “The district court may be reversed only if its decision is
arbitrary or unreasonable.” United States v. Buckles, 843 F.2d 469, 471 (11th Cir.
1988). After the district court has accepted a guilty plea but before sentencing, the
defendant may withdraw the plea if he or she shows “a fair and just reason for
requesting the withdrawal.” Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(d)(2)(B). The “fair and just
reason” standard should be liberally construed, but there is no absolute right to
withdraw a guilty plea before sentencing. Buckles, 843 F.2d at 471. To
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determine whether a defendant has shown a “fair and just reason,” a district court
may consider the totality of the circumstances surrounding the plea, including the
following factors: “(1) whether close assistance of counsel was available; (2)
whether the plea was knowing and voluntary; (3) whether judicial resources would
be conserved; and (4) whether the government would be prejudiced if the
defendant were allowed to withdraw his plea.” Id. at 471-72.
Dandridge had the assistance of counsel throughout the plea negotiations
and court proceedings. He represented to the district court that he understood his
plea, that it was voluntary, and that he had not been promised anything in addition
to what was in the plea agreement. Proceeding with a trial in this case would not
conserve judicial resources and is likely to prejudice the government. Therefore,
we cannot find that the district court abused its discretion in denying Dandridge’s
motion to withdraw his guilty plea.
C. Motion to Compel the Government to File a § 5K1.1 Motion
Dandridge argues that the district court should have reviewed for bad faith
the government’s decision not to file a § 5K1.1 motion, as he cooperated with the
government and the government had no rational basis for its decision. However,
Dandridge’s plea agreement gave the government complete discretion in deciding
whether to file a § 5K1.1 motion. Dandridge told the court that he understood this
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provision of his plea agreement at the plea colloquy. In addition, “[f]ederal
district courts have authority to review a prosecutor’s refusal to file a
substantial-assistance motion and to grant a remedy if they find that the refusal
was based on an unconstitutional motive.” Wade v. United States, 504 U.S. 181,
184-85, 112 S. Ct. 1840, 1843-44 (1992). Dandridge does not allege that the
government’s refusal to file a § 5K1.1 motion on his behalf was based on an
unconstitutional motive. Therefore, the district court did not err in denying
Dandridge’s motion to compel. Accordingly, the judgment of the district court is
AFFIRMED.
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