Filed: Sep. 20, 2016
Latest Update: Mar. 03, 2020
Summary: [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT _ No. 15-13874 Non-Argument Calendar _ D.C. Docket No. 2:15-cr-00019-SPC-MRM-1 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus PATRICK TOWNS, Defendant-Appellant. _ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida _ (September 20, 2016) Before WILSON, WILLIAM PRYOR, and MARTIN, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM: Patrick Towns pleaded guilty to possessing, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922
Summary: [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT _ No. 15-13874 Non-Argument Calendar _ D.C. Docket No. 2:15-cr-00019-SPC-MRM-1 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus PATRICK TOWNS, Defendant-Appellant. _ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida _ (September 20, 2016) Before WILSON, WILLIAM PRYOR, and MARTIN, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM: Patrick Towns pleaded guilty to possessing, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(..
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[DO NOT PUBLISH]
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
________________________
No. 15-13874
Non-Argument Calendar
________________________
D.C. Docket No. 2:15-cr-00019-SPC-MRM-1
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
PATRICK TOWNS,
Defendant-Appellant.
________________________
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Middle District of Florida
________________________
(September 20, 2016)
Before WILSON, WILLIAM PRYOR, and MARTIN, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
Patrick Towns pleaded guilty to possessing, in violation of 18 U.S.C.
§ 922(g)(1), a firearm after a felony conviction. On appeal, Towns challenges his
conviction and his sentence. We affirm.
First, challenging his conviction, Towns argues that § 922(g) is
unconstitutional. However, acknowledging that United States v. Lopez,
514 U.S.
549,
115 S. Ct. 1624 (1995), forecloses his argument, Towns raises the argument
solely for the purpose of “preserving” it in the event of future reconsideration of
Lopez. See also United States v. Jordan,
635 F.3d 1181, 1189 (11th Cir. 2011)
(“We have repeatedly held that Section 922(g)(1) is not a facially unconstitutional
exercise of Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause because it contains an
express jurisdictional requirement.”). Towns fails to offer an argument justifying
reconsideration of Lopez.
Second, challenging his sentence, Towns argues that “aggravated assault”
under § 784.021 of the Florida Statutes fails to constitute a “crime of violence,” a
conviction for which contributes to the Sentencing Guidelines’ recommendation of
a lengthier sentence. See U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(a)(2). Our precedent squarely
forecloses this argument. We have held that “a Florida conviction for aggravated
assault under § 784.021 is categorically a violent felony under the” Armed Career
Criminal Act, In re Hires,
825 F.3d 1297, 1301 (11th Cir. 2016), and we interpret
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“crime of violence” “in the same manner as” “violent felony,” see United States v.
Matchett,
802 F.3d 1185, 1194–95 (11th Cir. 2015).
Finally, Towns argues that his sentence is procedurally and substantively
unreasonable.1 Arguing that his sentence is procedurally unreasonable, Towns
asserts that the district court failed to consider “the history and characteristics of
the defendant,” a factor that a sentencing court must consider under 18 U.S.C.
§ 3553(a). See Gall v. United States,
552 U.S. 38, 51,
128 S. Ct. 586, 597 (2007)
(holding that “failing to consider the § 3553(a) factors” constitutes procedural
error). Specifically, Towns asserts that the district court failed to consider the
“progressive” nature of his lupus, an autoimmune disease. The district court’s
comment that it considered the § 3553(a) factors is sufficient to fulfill its obligation
to consider the § 3553(a) factors. See United States v. Docampo,
573 F.3d 1091,
1100 (11th Cir. 2009) (citing United States v. Booker,
543 U.S. 220,
125 S. Ct. 738
(2005)). Further, the transcript of Towns’s sentencing reveals that, although the
district court during sentencing never mentioned specifically the progressive nature
of Towns’s lupus, the court discussed and considered his disease. The presentence
investigation report details the progressive nature of Towns’s lupus, and Towns
explained during sentencing this nature of his disease. Towns fails to establish that
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The government suggests applying a plain-error standard of review to the argument that
the sentence is procedurally unreasonable and applying an abuse-of-discretion standard of review
to the argument that the sentence is substantively unreasonable. Because Towns’s arguments fail
regardless of the standard of review, we need not decide which is the correct standard in this
case.
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the district court neglected to consider “the history and characteristics of the
defendant.”
Towns argues that his sentence is substantively unreasonable given the
“progressive” nature of his lupus. In considering the substantive reasonableness of
a sentence, we must consider the “totality of the circumstances.”
Gall, 552 U.S.
at 51, 128 S. Ct. at 597. If “the district court imposes a sentence within the
advisory Guidelines range, we ordinarily will expect that choice to be a reasonable
one.”
Docampo, 573 F.3d at 1101 (quoting United States v. Talley,
431 F.3d 784,
788 (11th Cir. 2005) (per curiam)). A review of the transcript of Towns’s
sentencing reveals that the district court not only extensively considered Towns’s
lupus but imposed the lowest end of the range recommended by the Sentencing
Guidelines. Given the totality of the circumstances, the sentence is substantively
reasonable.
AFFIRMED.
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