USA v. Charles Warren
Filing
OPINION filed to dismiss case for lack of jurisdiction, decision not for publication. R. Guy Cole , Jr., Chief Circuit Judge (AUTHORING) ; Martha Craig Daughtrey, Circuit Judge and Karen Nelson Moore, Circuit Judge.
Case: 15-6369
Document: 19-2
Filed: 09/15/2016
Page: 1
NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FULL-TEXT PUBLICATION
File Name: 16a0535n.06
FILED
Case No. 15-6369
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
CHARLES TYRONE WARREN,
Defendant-Appellant.
BEFORE:
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
Sep 15, 2016
DEBORAH S. HUNT, Clerk
ON APPEAL FROM THE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT
COURT FOR THE EASTERN
DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE
OPINION
COLE, Chief Judge; DAUGHTREY and MOORE, Circuit Judges.
COLE, Chief Judge.
Charles Tyrone Warren pleaded guilty to trafficking in crack
cocaine and was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment.
He later sought a sentence
modification under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2). The district court exercised its discretion to reduce
Warren’s sentence to 110 months’ imprisonment. Dissatisfied with the extent of that reduction,
he now appeals. Warren asked us to review the district court’s sentencing decision under a
“reasonableness” standard, but our precedents say otherwise. See United States v. Bowers,
615 F.3d 715, 716–17 (6th Cir. 2010). We dismiss the appeal for lack of jurisdiction.
I. BACKGROUND
In 2010, Warren pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to
distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base. His base offense level of 34, coupled with a
Case: 15-6369
Document: 19-2
Filed: 09/15/2016
Page: 2
Case No. 15-6369, United States v. Warren
criminal history category of IV, produced an advisory guidelines range of 235 to 293 months’
imprisonment. Warren was also subject to a 240-month mandatory minimum sentence under
21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A). This became the low end of his guidelines range. The government
moved for, and the court granted, a five-level substantial assistance departure under 18 U.S.C.
§ 3553(e) and USSG § 5K1.1. Warren’s guidelines range was thus reduced to 135 to 168
months’ imprisonment, and the district court ultimately sentenced him to 135 months’
imprisonment (a 43.75 percent departure below his guidelines range).
In March 2015, after certain amendments to the guidelines, Warren filed a motion for a
sentence modification under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c) and USSG § 1B1.10.
Under the new
guidelines, his range was 155 to 188 months’ imprisonment, and a similar 43.75 percent
downward departure for the substantial assistance would have resulted in an 85-month term. The
government did not oppose the reduction in principle but noted that 85 months’ imprisonment
was a 65 percent reduction from his original mandatory minimum of 240 months.
After
considering the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors, the district court ruled that a reduction was
appropriate but only reduced Warren’s sentence to 110 months’ imprisonment.
Warren now appeals the district court’s sentencing decision.
II. ANALYSIS
Section 3582(c)(2) “delineates a limited set of circumstances in which a sentence may be
corrected or reduced.” Dillon, 560 U.S. at 828. That provision is a “congressional act of lenity”
which allows for a “limited adjustment to an otherwise final sentence and not a plenary
resentencing.” Id. at 826, 828. The statute establishes a “two-step inquiry”: first, a court must
“determine that a reduction is consistent with [USSG] § 1B1.10” and, second, “it may consider
-2-
Case: 15-6369
Document: 19-2
Filed: 09/15/2016
Page: 3
Case No. 15-6369, United States v. Warren
whether the authorized reduction is warranted, either in whole or in part, according to the factors
set forth in § 3553(a).” Id. at 826.
Warren argues that this court should apply the Ninth Circuit’s standard, and that, under
that standard, his modified sentence was procedurally and substantively unreasonable. In United
States v. Dunn, 728 F.3d 1151 (9th Cir. 2013), the Ninth Circuit held that the second step of the
sentence modification process—application of the § 3553(a) factors—should be reviewed for
reasonableness as defined in United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220, 260–62 (2005), and Gall v.
United States, 552 U.S. 38, 51 (2007). Warren claims that the district court “did not provide
adequate explanation for the sentence” and “placed an unreasonable amount of weight on a
particular factor.” Appellant’s Br. 13.
But that is not the law in this circuit. Here, as the government aptly points out, “our
jurisdiction to consider the appeal of a § 3582(c)(2) determination, like our jurisdiction to
consider the appeal of a Rule 35(b) determination, . . . come[s] from [18 U.S.C.] §3742.”
Bowers, 615 F.3d at 722. Section 3742(a) “authorizes us to review the outcome of a sentencingreduction proceeding only where the resulting sentence ‘(1) was imposed in violation of law;
(2) was imposed as a result of an incorrect application of the sentencing guidelines; (3) is greater
than the sentence specified in the applicable guideline range; or (4) was imposed for an offense
for which there is no guideline and is plainly unreasonable.’” Id. at 723 (quoting United States v.
Moran, 325 F.3d 790, 792 (6th Cir. 2003)).
As we have held, and Warren concedes, “a defendant’s allegation of Booker
unreasonableness in a § 3582(c)(2) proceeding does not state a cognizable ‘violation of law’ that
§ 3742(a)(1) would authorize us to address on appeal.” Id. at 727. We understand that Warren
may be seeking en banc review with regard to that issue. But “[t]his panel is without authority to
-3-
Case: 15-6369
Document: 19-2
Filed: 09/15/2016
Page: 4
Case No. 15-6369, United States v. Warren
overrule binding precedent.” Sykes v. Anderson, 625 F.3d 294, 319 (6th Cir. 2010); see also 6th
Cir. R. 32.1(b).
Warren has not alleged or argued that the district court’s decision to reduce Warren’s
sentence was a cognizable “violation of law” or a “result of an incorrect application of the
sentencing guidelines.” See 18 U.S.C. § 3742(a). Nor was Warren’s sentence “greater than the
sentence specified in the applicable guideline range” or “imposed for an offense for which there
is no guideline.” See 18 U.S.C. § 3742(a). We thus lack jurisdiction over the appeal.
III. CONCLUSION
We dismiss the appeal for lack of jurisdiction.
-4-
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.
Why Is My Information Online?