Filed: Feb. 09, 2018
Latest Update: Mar. 03, 2020
Summary: UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 17-4521 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. SEAN PATRICK OSWELL, Defendant - Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, at Spartanburg. Timothy M. Cain, District Judge. (7:16-cr-00173-TMC-1) Submitted: February 5, 2018 Decided: February 9, 2018 Before GREGORY, Chief Judge, and WILKINSON and MOTZ, Circuit Judges. Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion. Steven M
Summary: UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 17-4521 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. SEAN PATRICK OSWELL, Defendant - Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, at Spartanburg. Timothy M. Cain, District Judge. (7:16-cr-00173-TMC-1) Submitted: February 5, 2018 Decided: February 9, 2018 Before GREGORY, Chief Judge, and WILKINSON and MOTZ, Circuit Judges. Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion. Steven M...
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UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 17-4521
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
v.
SEAN PATRICK OSWELL,
Defendant - Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, at
Spartanburg. Timothy M. Cain, District Judge. (7:16-cr-00173-TMC-1)
Submitted: February 5, 2018 Decided: February 9, 2018
Before GREGORY, Chief Judge, and WILKINSON and MOTZ, Circuit Judges.
Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
Steven M. Hisker, HISKER LAW FIRM, PC, Duncan, South Carolina, for Appellant.
Jamie L. Schoen, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Greenville, South
Carolina, for Appellee.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
PER CURIAM:
Sean Patrick Oswell pled guilty without a written plea agreement to using a minor
to engage in sexually explicit conduct in order to produce child pornography, 18 U.S.C.
§ 2251(a) (2012), and was sentenced to 262 months in prison. Oswell appeals. His
attorney has filed a brief in accordance with Anders v. California,
386 U.S. 738 (1967),
questioning whether the district court complied with Fed. R. Crim. P. 11 but stating that
there are no meritorious issues for appeal. Oswell was advised of his right to file a pro se
brief but has not filed such a brief. We affirm.
We conclude that Oswell’s guilty plea was knowing and voluntary. Oswell stated
at the Rule 11 hearing that he was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, was 51
years old, had a tenth-grade education, and understood the nature of the proceedings. He
expressed complete satisfaction with his attorney’s services. A factual basis for the plea
was presented to the court, Oswell stated that the factual basis was accurate, and he
admitted his guilt. Finally, the district court fully complied with the requirements of Rule
11.
With respect to sentencing, the court properly calculated Oswell’s Guidelines
range, considered the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) (2012) sentencing factors and the arguments of
the parties, and provided a sufficiently individualized assessment based on the facts of the
case. In imposing sentence, the court remarked on the seriousness of the offense, noting
the ongoing nature of the abuse perpetrated on the victim and stating that such crimes are
toxic and corrosive. We hold that the within-Guidelines sentence is procedurally and
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substantively reasonable. See Gall v. United States,
552 U.S. 38, 51 (2007); United
States v. Carter,
564 F.3d 325, 330 (4th Cir. 2009).
Pursuant to Anders, we have reviewed the entire record and have found no
meritorious issues for appeal. Accordingly, we affirm Oswell’s conviction and sentence.
This court requires that counsel inform Oswell, in writing, of the right to petition the
Supreme Court of the United States for further review. If Oswell requests that a petition
be filed, but counsel believes that such a petition would be frivolous, then counsel may
move in this court for leave to withdraw from representation. Counsel’s motion must
state that a copy thereof was served on Oswell. We dispense with oral argument because
the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before this court
and argument would not aid the decisional process.
AFFIRMED
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