[DO NOT PUBLISH]
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
________________________ FILED
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
No. 09-14166 ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
APRIL 26, 2010
Non-Argument Calendar
JOHN LEY
________________________
CLERK
D. C. Docket No. 06-00066-CR-RLV-1-4
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
JULIO MAGANA,
Defendant-Appellant.
________________________
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Northern District of Georgia
_________________________
(April 26, 2010)
Before TJOFLAT, WILSON and ANDERSON, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
Julio Magana appeals his 120-month sentence imposed upon resentencing
for using a firearm during a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C.
§§ 924(c)(1)(A)(ii), 2 as charged in count two of his indictment. On appeal,
Magana argues his 120-month sentence was procedurally and substantively
unreasonable.
Magana first contends that the district court incorrectly calculated his
guideline range because the court found that his guideline range was 7 years (84
months) to life imprisonment when the proper guideline range was only 7 years.
Magana also contends that his sentence was substantively unreasonable because
the 18 U.S.C. § 3553 factors supported a sentence of 84 months’ imprisonment but
did not support his ultimate 120-month sentence. Magana concedes that the
presentence investigation report “painted a rough picture” of him. However,
Magana argues that at resentencing he was a changed person based on his
post-sentence conduct. Magana contends that the district court’s consideration of
his criminal history, the seriousness of his offense, and his disrespect for the law
did not “protect” the three-year upward variance. Magana argues that a reasonable
sentence was the guideline sentence of 84 months’ imprisonment. Magana notes
that during his original sentencing hearing, the district court found that “a sentence
within the guideline range is sufficient to punish the [d]efendant, protect the
public, and is a deterrent to crime.” Therefore, Magana contends that the district
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court should not have exceeded the guidelines during his resentencing.
We review a final sentence for reasonableness according to the 18 U.S.C.
§ 3553(a) factors. United States v. Winingear, 422 F.3d 1241, 1246 (11th Cir.
2005). When reviewing a sentence, we must first determine that the “district court
committed no significant procedural error, such as failing to calculate (or
improperly calculating) the Guidelines range, treating the Guidelines as mandatory,
failing to consider the § 3553(a) factors, selecting a sentence based on clearly
erroneous facts, or failing to adequately explain the chosen sentence-including an
explanation for any deviation from the Guidelines range.” Gall v. United States,
552 U.S. 38, 51 128 S.Ct. 586, 597, 169 L.Ed.2d 445 (2007). If we conclude that
the district court made no procedural errors, “[we] should then consider the
substantive reasonableness of the sentence imposed.” Id.
There is a “range of reasonable sentences from which the district court may
choose.” United States v. Talley, 431 F.3d 784, 788 (11th Cir. 2005). “The review
for substantive unreasonableness involves examining the totality of the
circumstances, including an inquiry into whether the statutory factors in § 3553(a)
support the sentence in question.” United States v. Gonzalez, 550 F.3d 1319, 1324
(11th Cir. 2008), cert. denied, 129 S.Ct. 2848 (2009). “[W]e may not apply a
presumption of unreasonableness where a sentence is outside of the Guidelines
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range, and we must give due deference to the district court’s decision that the
§ 3553(a) factors, on a whole, justify the extent of the variance.” United States v.
Livesay, 525 F.3d 1081, 1090 (11th Cir. 2008) (quotations omitted). However, in
its consideration of the § 3553(a) factors, the district court does not need to discuss
or state each factor explicitly. United States v. Scott, 426 F.3d 1324, 1329 (11th
Cir. 2005). The weight accorded to the § 3553(a) factors is left to the district
court’s discretion. United States v. Clay, 483 F.3d 739, 743 (11th Cir. 2007).
The § 3553(a) factors include: (1) the nature and circumstances of the
offense and the history and characteristics of the defendant; (2) the need to reflect
the seriousness of the offense, to promote respect for the law, and to provide just
punishment for the offense; (3) the need for deterrence; (4) the need to protect the
public; (5) the need to provide the defendant with needed educational or vocational
training or medical care; (6) the kinds of sentences available; (7) the Sentencing
Guidelines range; (8) pertinent policy statements of the Sentencing Commission;
(9) the need to avoid unwanted sentencing disparities; and (10) the need to provide
restitution to victims. 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). Under § 3553(a), the district court
must impose a sentence that is “sufficient, but not greater than necessary,” to
comply with the purposes set forth in § 3553(a)(2). Id. In United States v.
Lorenzo, 471 F.3d 1219, 1221 (11th Cir. 2006), we held that, at resentencing, a
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district court could not consider post-sentencing rehabilitation because
consideration of such evidence would contravene two of the § 3553(a) factors by:
(1) creating sentencing disparities with defendants who do not get the opportunity
to be resentenced; and (2) violating the Sentencing Commission’s policy statement
that post-sentence rehabilitative conduct is not an appropriate basis for a downward
departure at a resentencing hearing. Id.
Magana cannot show that his upward variance 120-month sentence was
procedurally unreasonable. A violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii), carries a
mandatory minimum seven-year sentence. 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). “[T]he
guideline sentence [for 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii)] is the minimum term of
imprisonment required by the statute.” U.S.S.G § 2K2.4(b). “Every conviction
under § 924(c)(1)(A) carries with it a statutory maximum sentence of life
imprisonment, regardless of what subsection the defendant is sentenced under.”
United States v. Pounds, 230 F.3d 1317, 1319 (11th Cir. 2000). The district court
stated, during the resentencing, that “the range of sentence is seven years to life
statutorily,” demonstrating that it understood the guidelines and properly
calculated them.
Additionally, Magana cannot show that his sentence was substantively
unreasonable because the district court correctly considered the applicable factors
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in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), and imposed a sentence that was supported by the
§ 3553(a) factors. The court noted that Magana’s crimes were particularly violent
and that they involved dangerous weapons. Further, Magana had engaged in three
prior violent offenses and those previous convictions demonstrated a lack of
respect for the law. Thus, the court properly supported the sentence it chose and
did not abuse its discretion. Accordingly, we affirm.
AFFIRMED.
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