Federal Defenders of New York Second Circuit Blog

Defendant Gave Implied Consent to Seizure By Disclosing Location of Gun

United States v. Simmons, No. 12-1637-cr (2d Cir. Nov. 26, 2013) (Pooler, Lohier, and Carney) (summary order), available here The panel held that the seizure of a firearm from the defendant’s room did not violate the Fourth Amendment because he gave “implied consent” to the seizure. The district court found that, by telling police officers the precise … Read more

District Court Committed No Plain Error in Setting Plea Deadline for “Acceptance Points” or Imposing Restitution Beyond Amount in Plea Agreement

United States v. Doyle, No. 11-5265-cr (2d Cir. Nov. 26, 2013) (Kearse, Jacobs, and Straub) (summary order), available here Doyle pled guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment and $880,000 in restitution. On appeal, he argued that the district judge violated Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(1) by participating in plea … Read more

Search and Seizure of Laptop Computer Did Not Violate Fourth Amendment

United States v. Howe, No. 12-4394-cr (2d Cir. Nov. 25, 2013) (Pooler, Raggi, and Wesley) (summary order), available here Convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography, Howe was sentenced to 180 months of imprisonment. On appeal, he argued that the district court should have suppressed the evidence against him because (1) the police lacked probable cause … Read more

Defendant Who Pled Guilty Under Rule 11(c)(1)(C) Plea Agreement Was Not Eligible for Resentencing Under Crack Amendments

United States v. King, No. 12-2262-cr (2d Cir. Nov. 25, 2013) (Pooler, Raggi, and Wesley) (summary order), available here This summary order affirms the district court’s ruling that the defendant was not eligible for a reduced sentence under 18 U.S.C. 3582(c) and U.S.S.G. 1B1.10. The defendant pled guilty in 1999, pursuant to a Rule 11(c)(1)(C) plea agreement, … Read more

Evidence Was Sufficient to Establish that Defendant Crossed State Lines with Intent to Commit a Sex Crime

United States v. Escobar-Gonzalez, No. 12-4657-cr (2d Cir. Nov. 21, 2013) (Pooler, Raggi, and Wesley) (summary order), available here This summary order holds that the evidence was sufficient to support the defendant’s conviction of  transporting a minor interstate to engage in illegal sexual activity. The panel also held that the district court did not improperly … Read more

Court Upholds Rule 404(b) Decision and Sufficiency of Evidence

United States v. Cartagena, No. 12-4910-cr (2d Cir. Nov. 21, 2013) (Newman, Hall, and Lynch) (summary order), available here Cartagena was convicted by a jury of attempting and of conspiring to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine. At trial, the court admitted testimony that Cartagena had been involved earlier an an uncharged 2009 drug … Read more

Restitution Order Was Not Plainly Erroneous

United States v. Schwamborn, No. 12-5125-cr (2d Cir. Nov. 21, 2013) (Pooler, Raggi, and Wesley) (summary order), available here Convicted of securities fraud, the defendant was sentenced principally to 121 months of imprisonment and about $182,000 in restitution. On appeal, he challenged the restitution order on three grounds: (1) one of the victim’s affidavits was … Read more

Sentence of Imprisonment Plus Supervised Release Following Revocation Was Reasonable

United States v. Beckett, No. 12-4233-cr (2d Cir. Nov. 20, 2013) (Pooler, Raggi, and Wesley) (summary order), available here After the defendant violated his supervised release, the district court imposed a sentence of 10 months of imprisonment, to be followed by a new, 19-month term of supervised release. On appeal, the defendant argued that the new … Read more

Circuit Affirms 300-Month Sentence for Armed Career Criminal

United States v. Roy, 12-3242-cr (2d Cir. Nov. 19, 2013) (Lynch, Chin, and Carney) (summary order), available here Convicted of distributing marijuana and of possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1), the defendant was sentenced under the Armed Career Criminal Act (“ACCA”), 18 U.S.C. 924(e), to 300 months of … Read more