Filed: Jan. 16, 2013
Latest Update: Feb. 12, 2020
Summary: UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 12-4537 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. CONTAURUS DERMONT SMITH, a/k/a Vashon Smith, a/k/a Rammelle Spencer, Defendant - Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, at Columbia. Cameron McGowan Currie, District Judge. (3:11-cr-02333-CMC-1) Submitted: January 4, 2013 Decided: January 16, 2013 Before NIEMEYER, KING, and GREGORY, Circuit Judges. Affirmed by unpubl
Summary: UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 12-4537 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. CONTAURUS DERMONT SMITH, a/k/a Vashon Smith, a/k/a Rammelle Spencer, Defendant - Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, at Columbia. Cameron McGowan Currie, District Judge. (3:11-cr-02333-CMC-1) Submitted: January 4, 2013 Decided: January 16, 2013 Before NIEMEYER, KING, and GREGORY, Circuit Judges. Affirmed by unpubli..
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UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 12-4537
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
v.
CONTAURUS DERMONT SMITH, a/k/a Vashon Smith, a/k/a Rammelle
Spencer,
Defendant - Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of
South Carolina, at Columbia. Cameron McGowan Currie, District
Judge. (3:11-cr-02333-CMC-1)
Submitted: January 4, 2013 Decided: January 16, 2013
Before NIEMEYER, KING, and GREGORY, Circuit Judges.
Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
James P. Rogers, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Columbia,
South Carolina, for Appellant. Robert Claude Jendron, Jr.,
Assistant United States Attorney, Columbia, South Carolina, for
Appellee.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
PER CURIAM:
Contaurus Dermont Smith appeals his eighty-seven month
sentence imposed following his guilty plea, pursuant to a
written plea agreement, to one count of being a felon in
possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1),
924(a)(2) (2006). Counsel for Smith filed a written brief in
this court in accordance with Anders v. California,
386 U.S. 738
(1967), certifying that there are no meritorious issues for
appeal but questioning whether the district court complied with
Rule 11 in accepting Smith’s guilty plea, and whether Smith’s
sentence is procedurally unreasonable. Smith was given an
opportunity to file a pro se supplemental brief but has not done
so. The Government has also elected not to file a brief. For
the reasons that follow, we affirm the district court’s
judgment.
We first address the validity of Smith’s guilty plea.
Rule 11 requires the district court to perform the following
procedures prior to accepting a defendant’s guilty plea: the
court must conduct a colloquy in which it informs the defendant
of the charges against him and determines that he comprehends
the nature of those charges, any mandatory minimum penalty, the
maximum possible penalty, and the rights he is relinquishing by
pleading guilty; the court must ensure that the defendant’s plea
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is voluntary; and the court must ensure that there is a factual
basis for the guilty plea. Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(b).
Because Smith did not move to withdraw his guilty plea
in the district court or raise any objections to the Rule 11
colloquy, the colloquy is reviewed for plain error. United
States v. Martinez,
277 F.3d 517, 524-26 (4th Cir. 2002). To
demonstrate plain error, a defendant must show: (1) there was
error, (2) the error was plain, and (3) the error affected his
“substantial rights.” United States v. Olano,
507 U.S. 725,
732-34 (1992). To establish that a Rule 11 error has occurred,
the defendant “must show a reasonable probability that, but for
the error, he would not have entered the plea.” United States
v. Dominguez Benitez,
542 U.S. 74, 83 (2004). A review of the
record reveals that the district court properly ensured that
Smith’s plea was knowing, voluntary, and supported by a
sufficient factual basis. We therefore hold that the district
court fully complied with Rule 11 in accepting Smith’s guilty
plea.
We next address the reasonableness of Smith’s
sentence. Applying an abuse of discretion standard, we first
review for procedural reasonableness, and in the absence of
significant procedural error, then review for substantive
reasonableness. Gall v. United States,
552 U.S. 38, 51 (2007).
In reviewing for significant procedural error, we consider
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whether the district court improperly calculated the Guidelines
range, failed to consider the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) (2006)
factors, or failed to adequately explain its sentence.
Gall,
552 U.S. at 51. To avoid procedural error, the district court
must make an “individualized assessment,” by applying the
relevant § 3553(a) factors to the specific circumstances of the
defendant’s case. United States v. Carter,
564 F.3d 325, 328
(4th Cir. 2009). The district court also should justify its
rejection of the parties’ arguments for higher or lower
sentences based on § 3553. United States v. Lynn,
592 F.3d 572,
584 (4th Cir. 2010). We then review for substantive
reasonableness, which is determined considering the totality of
the circumstances.
Gall, 552 U.S. at 51. However, if the
sentence is within the Guidelines range, we apply a presumption
of reasonableness. See
id.
We conclude that the sentence imposed by the district
court is both procedurally and substantively reasonable. The
district court properly calculated the Guidelines range,
considered the § 3553(a) factors, provided an individualized
assessment, and explained its reasons for rejecting Smith’s
request for a downward variance, and then reasonably imposed a
within-Guidelines sentence.
In accordance with Anders, we have reviewed the record
in this case and find no meritorious issues for appeal. We
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therefore affirm the district court’s judgment. This court
requires that counsel inform Smith, in writing, of the right to
petition the Supreme Court of the United States for further
review. If Smith requests that a petition be filed, but counsel
believes that such a petition would be frivolous, then counsel
may move this court for leave to withdraw from representation.
Counsel’s motion must state that a copy thereof was served on
Smith. 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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