Filed: Apr. 09, 2019
Latest Update: Mar. 03, 2020
Summary: UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 18-4828 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. LAWRENCE CRAIG RICH, Defendant - Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, at Martinsburg. Gina M. Groh, Chief District Judge. (3:17-cr-00083-GMG-RWT-1) Submitted: April 4, 2019 Decided: April 9, 2019 Before NIEMEYER and HARRIS, Circuit Judges, and SHEDD, Senior Circuit Judge. Dismissed by unpublished per curiam
Summary: UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 18-4828 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. LAWRENCE CRAIG RICH, Defendant - Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, at Martinsburg. Gina M. Groh, Chief District Judge. (3:17-cr-00083-GMG-RWT-1) Submitted: April 4, 2019 Decided: April 9, 2019 Before NIEMEYER and HARRIS, Circuit Judges, and SHEDD, Senior Circuit Judge. Dismissed by unpublished per curiam ..
More
UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 18-4828
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
v.
LAWRENCE CRAIG RICH,
Defendant - Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia,
at Martinsburg. Gina M. Groh, Chief District Judge. (3:17-cr-00083-GMG-RWT-1)
Submitted: April 4, 2019 Decided: April 9, 2019
Before NIEMEYER and HARRIS, Circuit Judges, and SHEDD, Senior Circuit Judge.
Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
Byron Craig Manford, Martinsburg, West Virginia, for Appellant. William J. Powell,
United States Attorney, Wheeling, West Virginia, Timothy D. Helman, Assistant United
States Attorney, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Martinsburg, West
Virginia, for Appellee.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
PER CURIAM:
Lawrence Craig Rich seeks to appeal his sentence following his guilty plea to
making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm, in violation of
18 U.S.C. §§ 922(a)(6), 924(a)(2) (2012). At sentencing, Rich requested a sentence of
probation or house arrest. The district court calculated Rich’s Sentencing Guideline
range as 15 to 21 months’ imprisonment, and varied downward, sentencing Rich to 12
months and 1 day of imprisonment. Rich appeals. On appeal Rich argues that the district
court abused its discretion in denying his request for probation or home confinement.
In its response brief, the Government asserts that we should dismiss Rich’s appeal
because Rich’s claim falls within the scope of the appeal waiver contained in his written
plea agreement. As part of that agreement, Rich waived the right “[t]o appeal any order,
the conviction and the sentence or the manner in which the sentence was determined on
any ground whatsoever, including those grounds set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 3742.” J.A. 30. *
Rich does not deny the validity of the appeal waiver, but he argues that its enforcement
would constitute a miscarriage of justice. In support of this claim, Rich contends that the
district court relied on incorrect factual assumptions to determine the appropriate
sentence.
“We will refuse to enforce an otherwise valid waiver if to do so would result in a
miscarriage of justice.” United States v. Adams,
814 F.3d 178, 182 (4th Cir. 2016)
(internal quotation marks omitted). However, we have applied the miscarriage of justice
*
J.A. refers to the joint appendix submitted by the parties.
2
exception only to allow review of sentences imposed “in excess of the maximum penalty
provided by statute or based on a constitutionally impermissible factor such as race,”
United States v. Marin,
961 F.2d 493, 496 (4th Cir. 1992), and for a valid claim of actual
innocence,
Adams, 814 F.3d at 183. This case presents no such claim. Consequently, the
appeal waiver is enforceable and Rich’s appeal must be dismissed.
We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are
adequately presented in the materials before us, and argument would not aid the
decisional process. For the reasons set forth above, Rich’s appeal is dismissed.
DISMISSED
3