USA v. Johnny Garcia-Esparza

Filing

UNPUBLISHED OPINION FILED. [16-50539 Affirmed ] Judge: CDK , Judge: JLD , Judge: GJC Mandate pull date is 08/01/2017; denying motion for summary affirmance filed by Appellee USA [8299782-2] [16-50539]

Case: 16-50539

Document: 00514067831

Page: 1

Date Filed: 07/11/2017

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
No. 16-50539
Summary Calendar

United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit

FILED
July 11, 2017
Lyle W. Cayce
Clerk

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee
v.
JOHNNY GARCIA-ESPARZA, also known as Gira,
Defendant-Appellant
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Western District of Texas
USDC No. 5:04-CR-425-5
Before KING, DENNIS, and COSTA, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM: *

Johnny Garcia-Esparza, federal prisoner # 43813-080, pleaded guilty to
various drug, firearm, money laundering, and conspiracy offenses.

The

presentence report calculated a guidelines range of 360 months to life with a
statutory minimum of 420 months, and the district court sentenced him to 720
months of imprisonment. Garcia-Esparza later filed a motion to reduce his
sentence in light of Amendment 782 to the Sentencing Guidelines, which

Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not
be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH
CIR. R. 47.5.4.
*

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Document: 00514067831

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Date Filed: 07/11/2017

No. 16-50539
retroactively decreased base offense levels for possession of various quantities
of narcotics. See 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2). The district court determined that
Garcia-Esparza was ineligible for a § 3582(c)(2) reduction because his
guidelines range was based on his status as a career offender, not drug
quantity. See United States v. Anderson, 591 F.3d 789, 791 (5th Cir. 2009).
Garcia-Esparza contends that the district court erred in finding that his
sentence was based on the career offender guideline, thus making him
ineligible for a reduction under § 3582(c)(2). He further argues that the career
offender enhancement, among others, was wrongly applied to his sentence
initially. The Government moves for summary affirmance or, alternatively, an
extension of time to file a brief.
Although the presentence report (PSR) determined Garcia-Esparza’s
offense level of 43 based on drug quantity, which would have resulted in a term
of life, the PSR also applied the career offender guideline, U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1(b),
(c)(3), to determine that the guidelines range was 360 months to life, increased
to 420 months to life with a mandatory consecutive 60-month sentence. That
is the range that the district court adopted. Further, applying Amendment
782 to retroactively reduce his drug offense level from 43 to 41 also results in
a guidelines range of 420 months to life after application of the 60-month
consecutive sentence. See U.S.S.G. Ch. 5, Pt. A; U.S.S.G. § 1B1.10(b)(1), p.s.;
§ 2K2.4(b). Consequently, the amendment does not have the effect of lowering
Garcia-Esparza’s guidelines range. See U.S.S.G. § 1B1.10, p.s. The district
court did not abuse its discretion in denying § 3582(c)(2) relief. See United
States v. Whitebird, 55 F.3d 1007, 1009 (5th Cir. 1995). To the extent GarciaEsparza alleges errors in the initial calculation of his guidelines range, he may
not do so under § 3582(c)(2). See United States v. Evans, 587 F.3d 667, 674
(5th Cir. 2009).

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Although Garcia-Esparza’s position is without merit, summary
affirmance is not appropriate given the inconsistencies in the record regarding
how Garcia-Esparza’s range was determined. See Groendyke Transp., Inc. v.
Davis, 406 F.2d 1158, 1162 (5th Cir. 1969). However, further briefing is not
required.
The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED. The Government’s
motion for summary affirmance is DENIED, and its alternative motion for an
extension of time to file a brief is DENIED as unnecessary.

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