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United States v. Pugliesi, 94-1909 (1994)

Court: Court of Appeals for the First Circuit Number: 94-1909 Visitors: 12
Filed: Dec. 12, 1994
Latest Update: Mar. 02, 2020
Summary: December 9, 1994 [NOT FOR PUBLICATION] UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT ____________________ No. 94-1909 UNITED STATES, Appellee, v. LUIS EDUARDO PUGLIESI, Defendant, Appellant. At Pugliesi's subsequent sentencing, the government refused to file a downward departure motion.
USCA1 Opinion









December 9, 1994
[NOT FOR PUBLICATION]
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT



____________________


No. 94-1909

UNITED STATES,

Appellee,

v.

LUIS EDUARDO PUGLIESI,

Defendant, Appellant.


____________________

APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO


[Hon. Carmen C. Cerezo, U.S. District Judge] ___________________

____________________

Before

Torruella, Chief Judge, ___________
Selya and Boudin, Circuit Judges. ______________

____________________

Miriam Ramos Grateroles on brief for appellant. _______________________
Guillermo Gil, United States Attorney, Joseph J. Frattallone, ______________ _______________________
Assistant United States Attorney, and Jose A. Quiles-Espinosa, Senior _______________________
Litigation Counsel, on brief for appellee.


____________________

____________________

















Per Curiam. Appellant Luis Eduardo Pugliesi appeals the __________

denial by the district court of his motion to compel the

government to perform its promise to file a motion for a

downward departure if appellant agreed to provide information

which did not prove to be false or misleading. We affirm.

Prior to entering into a plea agreement on November 16,

1993, Pugliesi was subject to a series of debriefings by the

government. During the course of the debriefings, Pugliesi

changed his story and admits to having provided false

information. However, he claims that the information he

provided as of the date of the agreement was truthful.

After signing the plea agreement, Pugliesi agreed to

participate in a polygraph examination on November 23, 1993.

After the completion of the examination, Pugliesi was

informed that, in the opinion of the examiner, he had

provided answers which were indicative of deception.

According to the testimony of his case agent, Pugliesi

thereupon admitted that he had lied during the polygraph

examination and that he had not "been completely truthful" in

the previous debriefings. At Pugliesi's subsequent

sentencing, the government refused to file a downward

departure motion.

The district court supportably found credible the case

agent's testimony that, on November 23, Pugliesi admitted

having lied when he provided information to the government at

















and after entering the plea agreement. See United States v. ___ _____________

St. Cyr., 977 F.2d 698, 706 (1st Cir. 1992) ("In the ________

sentencing phase, credibility determinations lie within the

domain of the district court."). According to the terms of

the plea agreement,1 the government was thereby under no

obligation to recommend a downward departure at sentencing,

and its decision not to file such a motion was neither in bad

faith nor lacking in a rational basis. See United States v. ___ _____________

Catalucci, No. 93-2129, slip. op. (1st Cir: Sept. 27, 1994). _________

Affirmed. ________






















____________________

1. The agreement states, in relevant part:

Should evidence of defendant's mendacity, and/or
misleading or incomplete replies surface after
defendant['s] change of plea, the United States
will not be bound to file any motions or make any
recommendations favorable to defendant at
sentencing.

-3-






Source:  CourtListener

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