United States v. Sedore

COX, D. J., delivered the opinion of the court. CLAY, J. (p. 828), delivered a separate concurring opinion. MERRITT, J. (pp. 828-33), delivered a separate dissenting opinion.

OPINION

This matter is before the Court on Defendant Paul M. Sedore’s second appeal of his criminal sentence. Defendant challenges the application of sentencing enhancements based on (1) his abuse of a position of trust and (2) the number of victims. Defendant also alleges his sentence is substantively unreasonable. We find that Defendant did abuse a position of trust and waived his argument regarding the number of victims. Further, his sentence is not substantively unreasonable. Accordingly, we AFFIRM the decision of the district court.

*821I. BACKGROUND

This action arises out of the sentencing of Defendant for one count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 286; and one count of identity theft in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028(a)(7). From 1999 through 2002, Defendant engaged in a scheme to defraud the IRS by preparing false tax returns using stolen names and social security numbers. Defendant’s aunt, Katherine King, also participated in the scheme. Some of the names and social security numbers used for the false tax returns were obtained from legitimate tax returns Defendant prepared for friends and acquaintances. One such instance involved an individual named Thaddeus Taylor (“Taylor”) who Defendant met while in a rehabilitation facility. Defendant prepared a legitimate tax return for Taylor. However, Defendant filed false tax returns using the names and social security numbers of Taylor’s children, which he obtained while preparing Taylor’s tax return. Taylor was not a participant in the scheme. Other names and social security numbers were allegedly taken from a local newspaper that published such information in regard to child guardianship matters.

Defendant was incarcerated for most of the conspiracy. Defendant, along with his aunt, claimed approximately $155,869.39 in refunds, and received $51,950.33 from the IRS.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment on December 18, 2003 charging Defendant with: (1) conspiring to defraud the IRS in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 286; (2) making false tax returns to the IRS in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 287; and (3) identity theft in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028(a)(7). On March 30, 2004, Defendant pled guilty to Counts I and III, conspiracy to defraud the IRS and identity theft.

Defendant filed four objections to the initial pre-sentence report. He objected to: (1) an enhancement for abuse of trust pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 3B1.3; (2) failure to award a three-level reduction for acceptance of responsibility pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1; (3) an enhancement for obstruction of justice pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1; and (4) the finding that his crime included 50-250 victims, rather than 10-50 victims pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 2Bl.l(b)(2)(A). [J.A. at 47], The district court held a sentencing hearing on July 13, 2004, however the hearing was continued to August 3, 2004, to allow supplemental briefing regarding the applicability of the United States Sentencing Guidelines. At the August 3, 2004 sentencing hearing, the district court accepted Defendant’s argument with respect to his objections regarding acceptance of responsibility and agreed with Defendant’s argument that there were only 31 victims. The sentencing enhancement for number of victims was calculated based on 31 victims, rather than 50-250 victims. The district court did not find in Defendant’s favor on his objections to the obstruction of justice and abuse of trust enhancements. Additionally, the court found Defendant’s criminal history was underrepresented and departed upwards. The district court determined that Defendant’s offense level was 22 with a criminal history category of VI, resulting in a guideline range of 84 to 105 months. On August 3, 2004, the district court sentenced Defendant to 84 months.

Defendant appealed his sentence, arguing that the district court erred when it: (1) found he has a special skill for purposes of the abuse of trust enhancement; (2) found he obstructed justice; (3) enhanced his base offense level on facts found by a preponderance of the evidence contrary to United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220, 125 *822S.Ct. 738, 160 L.Ed.2d 621 (2005); and (4) departed upward based on his past criminal history. On April 13, 2006, this Court vacated the sentence and remanded the case for re-sentencing pursuant to Booker. In addition, we stated that, for guidance, the district court should consider the Tenth Circuit case United States v. Guidry, 199 F.3d 1150, 1160 (10th Cir.1999), with respect to whether Defendant occupied a position of trust. United States v. Sedore, 175 Fed.Appx. 714 (6th Cir.2006)

Defendant’s re-sentencing hearing was held on September 5, 2006. In his sentencing memorandum for re-sentencing, Defendant argued, in addition to his previous arguments, that the district court erred when it found at his first sentencing that there were more than ten victims. At the re-sentencing hearing, the district court addressed the abuse of trust enhancement and stated that the enhancement was applied with respect to the identity theft charge, based on Defendant’s use of Taylor’s children’s information. [J.A. at 205], The district court also reaffirmed its finding with respect to the obstruction of justice enhancement. However, the number of victims argument was not addressed at the hearing and Defendant did not raise it. The district court found that Defendant’s offense level was 21, including a two point upward departure, and extrapolated a criminal history category of VIII. The advisory sentencing guideline range was 77-96. The district court sentenced Defendant to a term of 84 months.

Defendant filed the instant appeal on September 11, 2006. Defendant argues that the district court misapplied U.S.S.G. § 3B1.3 when it enhanced his sentence based on an abuse of a position of trust. According to Defendant, the district court erred by imputing the relationship between Taylor and Defendant to Taylor’s children and Defendant. Defendant argues that under Guidry, supra, the position of trust must be found in relation to the victim of the offense, and there must be pecuniary loss. According to Defendant, the victims of the offense of identity theft are Taylor’s children, with whom Defendant did not have a position of trust and who suffered no pecuniary loss. Defendant concludes that because the § 3B1.3 enhancement was predicated on Defendant’s relationship with Taylor, whose identity was not stolen, the enhancement is improper. Defendant further contends that the district court misapplied § 2B1.1(B)(2) when it found that the number of victims was between 10-50. Defendant asserts that, consistent with Guidry, only the IRS suffered pecuniary loss and is, therefore, the only “victim.”

Finally, Defendant asks the Court to order that on remand the re-sentencing range is limited to 51 to 63 months, assuming the Court finds for Defendant on his arguments. In the alternative, Defendant asks that if this Court declines to issue a limited remand, that it require the district court to explain in detail its reasons for the sentence it imposes. Specifically, Defendant is concerned that the district court will choose to further increase the offense level, above the two points added under the previous re-sentencing, out of vindictiveness.

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW

We review a district court’s sentencing determination for reasonableness. United States v. Wilms, 495 F.3d 277, 280 (6th Cir.2007). Reasonableness has both substantive and procedural components. United States v. Liou, 491 F.3d 334, 337 (6th Cir.2007). “As to procedural reasonableness, we have held that ‘a sentence may be procedurally unreasonable if the district judge fails to consider the applicable Guidelines range or neglects to consid*823er the other factors listed in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), and instead simply selects what the judge deems an appropriate sentence without such required consideration.’ ” Id. (citing United States v. Jones, 489 F.3d 243, 250 (6th Cir.2007)). “In considering substantive reasonableness, we have held that ‘a sentence may be substantively unreasonable where the district court selects the sentence arbitrarily, bases the sentence on impermissible factors, fails to consider pertinent § 3553(a) factors, or gives an unreasonable amount of weight to any pertinent factor.’ ” Liou, 491 F.3d at 337 (citations omitted). A rebuttable presumption of substantive reasonableness applies for sentences that fall within the applicable sentencing guideline range. Id. See also Rita v. United States, — U.S. —, 127 S.Ct. 2456, 2459, 168 L.Ed.2d 203 (2007)(holding that the courts of appeals may apply a presumption of reasonableness for sentences within the advisory Guidelines range).

III. ANALYSIS

On appeal, Defendant raises three arguments: (1) the district court erred by enhancing Defendant’s sentence pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 3B1.3; (2) the district court erred by enhancing Defendant’s sentence pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 2Bl.l(b)(2)(A); and (3) Defendant’s sentence was substantively unreasonable.

A. Sentencing Enhancement Under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.3

Defendant contends that the district court erred by applying a two level enhancement to his offense level pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 3B1.3, which provides in pertinent part, “[i]f the defendant abused a position of public or private trust, or used a special skill, in a manner that significantly facilitated the commission or concealment of the offense, increase by 2 levels.”

The district court applied the position of trust enhancement specifically with respect to Thaddeus Taylor:

I overrule the objection under 3B1.3. Based on the testimony, Thaddeus Taylor was a victim. He gave the names and Social Security numbers of his children based on his trust that Mr. Sedore would be, if not a certified tax preparer, certainly a trusted tax preparer to file tax returns for his children. And Mr. Sedore violated that trust by using the names and Social Security numbers of his children for his own purposes. And, as I said, therefore, the objection is overruled.

[J.A. at 184]. In the initial appeal, we remanded for re-sentencing in light of Booker, and did not address whether the enhancement under § 3B1.3 was proper. However, we did note that:

[I]n determining whether Sedore abused a position of trust under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.3, the district court may reevaluate whether Sedore occupied a position of trust, reassessing who qualifies as a victim within the meaning of U.S.S.G. § 2B1.1 cmt n. 1 — the IRS and/or the individuals whose personal information Sedore used for his scheme. See United States v. Giddry, 199 F.3d 1150, 1160 (10th Cir.1999)(holding that a “position of trust must be found in relation to the victim of the offense” and concluding that, although the government was the victim of the defendant’s false tax-return filings, the defendant did not occupy a position of trust with the government).

Sedore, 175 Fed.Appx. at 714.

At the re-sentencing, the parties debated the intent of this Court in directing the district court to consider Guidry and the *824commentary following § 2B1.1.1 After hearing argument, the district court held:

I reconsidered it, and I’m going to rule the same way for the same reasons. And that is, if you take a look at Count 4, the theft is of the identity of one or more persons who he used without lawful authority with the intent to commit and aid and abet a violation of federal law. Forget all of the people whose names were in the newspapers where he got the information. Focus simply on Thaddeus Taylor and his family. That was an abuse of a position of trust for Thaddeus Taylor and his family, where he got the information by preparing income tax returns for Taylor at Mr. Taylor’s request and then utilized the information using the names of the children in the Taylor family to line his own pockets. And in my judgment, that’s exactly what identity theft is. It might not be a pecuniary loss, but 3B1.1, as pointed out by the government, doesn’t require it for that particular enhancement. So that’s the ruling.

[J.A. at 210-211].

The district court held that the requirement of pecuniary loss in U.S.S.G. § 2B1.1 does not apply to U.S.S.G. § 3B1.3. The district court also found Guidry inapplicable because in the instant case, the § 3B1.3 enhancement was applied based on the identity theft count, not the false claims count. Thus, the district court held that Defendant used his position of trust with Taylor to steal the identities of Taylor’s children, for use in filing false tax returns. Regardless of whether the children suffered a pecuniary loss, the district court found they were victims, justifying application of the enhancement.

In the instant appeal, Defendant contends the enhancement should not apply because he did not hold a position of trust with Taylor’s children, and they are the only victims of the charged offense. The plain language of § 3B1.3 states that “[i]f the defendant abused a position of public or private trust ... in a manner that significantly facilitated the commission or concealment of the offense,” the enhancement applies. Defendant does not deny that he held a position of trust with Taylor, or that he stole Taylor’s children’s personal information. Under the plain language of § 3B1.3, Defendant abused his position of trust with Taylor in a manner that significantly facilitated the offense of identity theft with respect to Taylor’s children — and the enhancement should apply. However, there is a line of cases that seemingly narrows the broad application of this enhancement. This Circuit has held that “[i]n order for the abuse of a position of trust enhancement to be applied to a defendant, the evidence must show that the defendant’s position with the victim of the offense significantly facilitated the commission of the offense.” United States v. Moored, 997 F.2d 139, 145 (6th Cir.1993)(emphasis added). See also United States v. White, 270 F.3d 356, 371 (6th Cir.2001)(citing Moored )(“The abuse-of-trust enhancement may only be applied where the defendant abused a position of trust with the victim of his charged conduct.”)(e mphasis added); and United States v. Duerson, 25 F.3d 376, 383 (6th Cir.1994)(“We held in Moored that a defendant’s offense level could not be increased for abuse of a position of trust *825unless the person or entity with which the defendant held such a position was a victim or intended victim of the of-/er&se. ”)(emphasis added).

It is on Moored, supra, and its progeny, that Defendant relies for his argument that the enhancement should not apply. In Moored, the defendant used his position as a trustee at a local college to bolster his credibility with lenders and fraudulently obtain a loan. The defendant pled guilty to fraud charges. The district court applied a two-level enhancement for abuse of a position of trust pursuant to § 3B1.3. The district court held “Mr. Moored’s affiliation with Jordan College as an officer, trustee, and/or affiliate was used to facilitate the commission of the fraudulent documents that were sent through the wire, and therefore, the two point addition under 3B1.3 is clearly in order in this particular matter.” Moored, 997 F.2d at 142.

This Court agreed that in the commission of the offense, the defendant abused his position of trust with the college. However, this Court disagreed that the abuse was sufficient to warrant application of the enhancement for abuse of a position of trust. The defendant argued that his position was “no different from any other loan applicant’s” and that finding his crime worthy of the abuse of trust enhancement “would permit an enhancement for any defrauding borrower who, in the course of loan negotiations, discloses a position of trust, even if that position had nothing to do with the loan decision.” Id. at 144. The Moored court noted that the situation in which a defendant abused a position of trust with someone other than the victim of the charged conduct was novel. The Moored court found that the district court’s approach was “overly broad.” Id. at 145. The court held:

Applying the standard that the lower court applied, a sentencing court would enhance the sentence of virtually every defendant who occupied any position of trust with anyone, victim or otherwise. An argument could be made in virtually every case that the position of trust, though not directly a part of the offense conduct, had some remote connection with the defendant’s crime.

In order for the abuse of a position of trust enhancement to be applied to a defendant, the evidence must show that the defendant’s position with the victim of the offense significantly facilitated the commission of the offense. In this case, the Defendant held no position of trust with the intended victims of his offense. Accordingly, we find that the district court incorrectly enhanced Defendant’s offense level.

Moored, 997 F.2d at 145.

In this case, the district court stated that it applied the § 3B1.3 enhancement based on an abuse of Defendant’s position of trust with Taylor, specifically in regards to the identity theft of Taylor’s children’s information. The first issue is whether Defendant held a position of trust with the victims of the charged offense of identity theft, i.e. Taylor’s children. The government argues that the relationship between Defendant and Taylor should be imputed to Taylor’s children, who relied upon their father’s relationship with his tax preparer to protect their confidential information.

We agree with the government’s argument under these particular circumstances. It is undisputed for purposes of this appeal, that Defendant held a position of trust with Taylor. Defendant, in the course of preparing legitimate tax returns for Taylor, obtained Taylor’s children’s personal information and used that information to file false tax returns. Where a parent provides the personal information of his children for the purpose of tax preparation, it is reasonable that any trust *826relationship between the parent and the preparer extends to the children and the preparer. This is different than the situation addressed in Moored. In Moored, this Court was concerned with application of § 3B1.3 where the position of trust relied on to support the enhancement had nothing to do with the conduct that was the substance of the charged offense. This Court sought to prevent application of the enhancement where the relied on position of trust had only “some remote connection with the defendant’s crime.” Moored, 997 F.2d at 145. Such is not the case here. Defendant’s position of trust with Taylor was his sole means of gaining Taylor’s children’s personal information. Further, Taylor only provided his children’s information to facilitate legitimate tax return preparation. Under these circumstances, the district court was correct in extending the position of trust Defendant held with Taylor to Taylor’s children.

In his Reply, Defendant also appears to argue that Taylor’s children cannot be considered victims for purposes of § 3B1.3 because they did not suffer pecuniary loss. Nothing in the language of U.S.S.G. § 3B1.3, or the commentary following it, indicates that pecuniary loss is a necessary element for application of the enhancement. The definition of “victim” provided in the commentary following § 2B1.1, cited by Defendant, specifically states the definition is for purposes of that guideline. U.S.S.G. § 2B1.1 cmt n. 1.

In this case, Defendant does not offer any basis for imposing a requirement that the victim for purposes of a § 3B1.3 enhancement must suffer pecuniary loss, and we do not find any.

Accordingly, application of the two point enhancement pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 3B1.3 was proper.

B. Sentencing Enhancement Under U.S.S.G. § 2Bl.l(b)(2)(A)

Defendant contends the district court erred by applying a two level enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 2Bl.l(b)(2)(A). Section 2Bl.l(b)(2)(A) provides that when 10 or more victims are involved, the offense level is increased by 2 levels. For purposes of § 2B1.1, “victim” is defined as “(A) any person who sustained any part of the actual loss determined under subsection (b)(1); or (B) any individual who sustained bodily injury as a result of the offense.” U.S.S.G. § 2B1.1 cmt n. 1. “Actual loss” is defined as “the reasonably foreseeable pecuniary harm that resulted from the offense.” Id. at cmt n. 3. At the initial sentencing on August 3, 2004, counsel for Defendant stated that it is his position “and Mr. Sedore’s position that when we totaled up the information submitted from the Probation Department, that there were thirty-one actual victims ... [s]o it was our position that the actual number of victims itself was thirty-one.” [J.A. 147], The court accepted Defendant’s admission that the number of victims was 31 and applied a two level enhancement.

Following this Court’s ruling in Defendant’s first appeal, as outlined above, the case was remanded for re-sentencing. In his re-sentencing memorandum, filed June 30, 2006, Defendant asserted that this Court suggested that the IRS was the victim, rather than the individual taxpayers. Based on Defendant’s interpretation of this Court’s “suggestion,” Defendant contends that the number of victims is one. However, Defendant did not raise the issue at the re-sentencing hearing and it was not addressed by the district court.

The government argues that Defendant waived any argument that the IRS was the only victim because he did not raise the issue in his first appeal to this Court and because Defendant is bound by *827his admission at his initial sentencing that there were 31 victims.

We agree that Defendant is bound by his admission. It would be unreasonable to allow a defendant to admit to a particular fact during sentencing, and then argue against the existence of that fact on appeal. Further, Defendant did not present any evidence to this Court that he argued in his initial appeal that the enhancement pursuant to § 2B1.1(b)(2)(A) was improper because the IRS was the only victim.2 If Defendant did not raise the argument in his first appeal, he is now foreclosed from making such a claim. Generally, “on remand following a direct appeal, a district court can consider de novo any arguments regarding sentencing if the remand order does not limit its review.” United States v. Saikaly, 207 F.3d 363, 369 (6th Cir.2000). However, “when a party fails to seek review of a district court’s final order, it is barred from reasserting that issue in any subsequent appeals occurring in that case.” United States v. McKinley, 227 F.3d 716, 718 (6th Cir.2000). In McKinley, the Court ruled that the government waived its argument for application of a sentence enhancement that was available in the first appeal but not pursued. Id. at 718-719. “While the district court may entertain any issues it feels are relevant to the overall sentencing decision (following a general remand), this does not give the parties license to re-assert issues that they should have raised during an earlier appeal.” Id. at 718 (internal citation omitted). The court noted that the waiver doctrine “exists to forestall this kind of perpetual litigation by notifying parties that they will forfeit their claims if they fail to seek review in the first appeal.” Id. at 719.

Accordingly, because Defendant admitted at his initial sentencing on August 3, 2004 that the number of victims was 31, and does not offer evidence that an argument to the contrary was raised on his appeal of that sentence, Defendant is bound by his admission and any argument to the contrary is waived.

C. Substantive Reasonableness

Defendant argues that his sentence is substantively unreasonable because Defendant’s “conduct does not warrant a sentence of this length ...” [Brief, p. 9], However, Defendant’s brief was submitted before the Supreme Court decided Rita, supra, and Gall v. United States, — U.S. -, 128 S.Ct. 586, 169 L.Ed.2d 445 (2007). In Rita and Gall, the Supreme Court upheld the application of a presumption of reasonableness to sentences that fall within the applicable Sentencing Guidelines range. Liou, 491 F.3d at 338 (citing Rita, 127 S.Ct. at 2459). Defendant does not convince us that this presumption of reasonableness does not apply to his case simply by stating that his sentence was too long. See United States v. Crowell, 493 F.3d 744, 751 (6th Cir.2007)(“[The defendant] contends the sentence is longer than it need be, but the ‘mere allegation that the sentence imposed is greater than necessary to achieve the goals of punishment in § 3553(a) is insufficient to rebut the presumption of reasonableness.’ ”) (citation omitted). Defendant fails to offer any explanation as to why 84 *828months is an unreasonably lengthy sentence. Accordingly, we find that the sentence imposed by the district court was not unreasonable.

IV. CONCLUSION

For the foregoing reasons, we AFFIRM the decision of the district court.