United States v. Guzman, No. 18-1506 (8th Cir. 2019)
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The Eighth Circuit affirmed Defendants Guzman and Morales' conviction for drug-related offenses. The court affirmed the district court's denial of defendants' motion to suppress evidence obtained from the stop of a minivan where defendants were specifically identified as the occupants of the van before the stop and thus the officers had probable cause to believe that they were in the vehicle.
The court affirmed Guzman's sentence and held that Dean v. United States, 137 S. Ct. 1170 (2017), was inapplicable in this case and the district court did not have to vary his sentence downward. The court rejected Morales' claims of evidentiary error and held that his sentence was not procedurally unreasonable. The district court correctly determined that Morales' base offense level, and did not err by imposing sentencing enhancements under USSG 2D1.1(b)(1) for possession of a dangerous weapon, USSG 2D1.1(b)(2) for making a credible threat of violence; and USSG 3B1.1(a) for being an organizer or leader of a criminal activity that involved five or more participants.
Court Description: Kelly, Author, with Loken and Colloton, Circuit Judges] Criminal case - Criminal law and sentencing. Traffic stop of defendants' vehicle was supported by probable cause to believe defendants were in the vehicle; the case of Dean v. U.S., 137 S.Ct. 1170 (2017)does not authorize district courts to impose a sentence below a statutory minimum and it has no application to this situation; admission of evidence of uncharged conduct showing defendant Morales possessed, used, accessed or sold marijuana and firearms was admissible under Rule 403 as the the evidence was intrinsic to the charged offense; the district court correctly determined defendant Morales' base offense level based on a drug quantity of 566 grams of methamphetamine; in sentencing Morales, the court did not err in imposing enhancements under Guidelines Sec. 2D1.1(b)(1) for possession of a dangerous weapon; under Guidelines Sec. 2D1.1(b)(2) for making a credible threat of violence; and under Guidelines Sec. 3B1.1(a) for role in the offense.
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