US v. Rodney Barne

Filing

UNPUBLISHED PER CURIAM OPINION filed. Motion disposition in opinion--denying Motion to appoint/assign counsel [999751260-2] Originating case number: 3:10-cr-00032-NKM-1,3:13-cv-80601-NKM-RSB Copies to all parties and the district court/agency. [999859004]. Mailed to: Rodney Barnes. [15-6834]

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UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

No. 15-6834

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
v.
RODNEY WAYNE BARNES, a/k/a C,
Defendant - Appellant.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western
District of Virginia, at Charlottesville.
Norman K. Moon,
Senior District Judge. (3:10-cr-00032-NKM-1; 3:13-cv-80601-NKMRSB)

Submitted:

October 28, 2015

Decided:

June 20, 2016

Before WILKINSON, KING, and DIAZ, Circuit Judges.

Affirmed in part and dismissed in part by unpublished per curiam
opinion.

Rodney Wayne Barnes, Appellant Pro Se.
Heather Lynn Carlton,
Ronald Mitchell Huber, Assistant United States Attorneys,
Charlottesville, Virginia, for Appellee.

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.

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PER CURIAM:
Rodney Wayne Barnes seeks to appeal the district court’s
orders denying relief on his 28 U.S.C. § 2255 (2012) motion and
denying his motion for reconsideration.

This Court granted a

certificate of appealability on the issue of whether Barnes’
trial counsel performed deficiently with regard to his advice
pertaining to the potential for a second 21 U.S.C. § 851 (2012)
enhancement.

For

the

reasons

that

follow,

we

conclude

that

Barnes failed to show that counsel’s performance was deficient.
In October 2010, a federal grand jury returned a 5-count
superseding indictment charging Barnes, and 7 other defendants,
with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or
more of crack cocaine, 100 grams of heroin, and 500 grams of
powder

cocaine,

(b)(1)(A),

21

in

U.S.C.

violation
§ 846

of

(2012)

21

U.S.C.

(Count

1);

§§ 841(a)(1),
conspiracy

to

commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h)
(2012) (Count 2); two counts of distribution of crack cocaine,
in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C) (2012) (Count 3
and 4); and aiding and abetting another in the distribution of
crack

cocaine,

in

violation

of

18

U.S.C.

U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C) (Count 5).

§ 2

(2012)

and

21

The Government filed

notice, pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 851, of its intent to seek an
enhanced statutory sentencing range due to Barnes’ prior felony

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drug conviction, specifically his 2001 Virginia conviction for
distribution of a controlled substance.
A

defendant

convicted

of

a

drug

trafficking

offense

is

subject to an enhanced statutory sentencing range of 20 years to
life if his instant conviction occurs “after a prior conviction
for

a

felony

drug

offense

has

become

final”

or

a

mandatory

sentence of life imprisonment if his conviction occurs “after
two or more prior convictions for a felony drug offense have
become final.”

21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A).

A “[f]elony drug

offense” is defined under 21 U.S.C. § 802(44) (2012) as “an
offense that is punishable by imprisonment for more than one
year under any law . . . that prohibits or restricts conduct
relating to narcotic drugs, marihuana [sic], anabolic steroids,
or depressant or stimulant drugs.”

Barnes contends that counsel

erroneously advised him that he was eligible for more than one
§ 851 enhancement.
To prove a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, a
“defendant

must

show

[(1)]

that

counsel’s

performance

was

deficient,” and (2) “that the deficient performance prejudiced
the

defense.”

(1984).
a

Strickland

v.

Washington,

466

U.S.

668,

687

In the context of a conviction following a guilty plea,

defendant

can

show

prejudice

only

by

demonstrating

“‘a

reasonable probability that, but for counsel’s errors, he would
not have pleaded guilty and would have insisted on going to
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trial.’”

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Missouri

v.

Frye,

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132

S.

Ct.

1399,

1409

(2012)

(quoting Hill v. Lockhart, 474 U.S. 52, 59 (1985)).
Barnes’

plea

agreement

included

a

provision

confirming

Barnes’ understanding that the Government intended to seek a
§ 851 sentence enhancement based on his 2001 Virginia conviction
for

possession

with

intent

to

distribute

cocaine.

The

plea

agreement further provided that, if Barnes complied with his
obligations under the plea agreement, “the Government will agree
not to seek additional enhancement of [Barnes’] penalty range,
pursuant

to

21

U.S.C.

§ 851,

by

reason

of

any

other

prior

convictions for felony drug offenses which [Barnes] may have,
other than [the 2001 Virginia conviction for possession with
intent to distribute cocaine].”
During the Fed. R. Crim. P. 11 hearing, defense counsel
stated

that,

although

Barnes

stipulated

to

one

§ 851

enhancement, he benefited from the plea agreement because the
Government could have, but agreed not to, file more than one
§ 851

enhancement,

mandatory

life

which

sentence.

would
After

have
the

subjected
court

Barnes

accepted

to

a

Barnes’

guilty plea, the Assistant United States Attorney stated for the
record that the Government did not think that a second § 851
enhancement would have been possible.
everyone understand that?
it.”

The court asked, “Does

It doesn’t change anything, I take

Neither Barnes nor his defense counsel answered.
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Barnes

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asserts

that

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counsel

was

ineffective

for

representing that the Government could have pursued a second
§ 851 enhancement and that he was prejudiced because he pled
guilty based on this representation.
client was
Barnes’

eligible

May

2000

conviction,

for

a

second

Maryland
which

imprisonment.
professional

for

We
judgment

Counsel concluded that his
§ 851

felonious

he

was

possession

sentenced

accord

defense

.

a

.

.

enhancement

heroin

five

to

measure

on

of

years’

counsel’s

heavy

based

“reasonable

of

deference,”

Strickland, 466 U.S. at 690-91, and hold that Barnes has failed
to show that his attorney’s performance was deficient.
We

therefore

affirm

the

district

court’s

orders

denying

relief on this ineffective assistance claim and denying Barnes’
motion for reconsideration of this issue.

We deny a certificate

of appealability and dismiss the appeal as to all other claims.
Barnes’

motion

for

dispense

with

oral

contentions

are

appointment
argument

adequately

of

counsel

because

presented

in

the
the

is

denied.

facts

We

and

legal

materials

before

this court and argument would not aid the decisional process.

AFFIRMED IN PART; DISMISSED IN PART

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