Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
No. 14-4565
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western
District of North Carolina, at Charlotte. Max O. Cogburn, Jr.,
District Judge. (3:13-cr-00056-MOC-1)
Submitted:
Decided:
May 6, 2015
PER CURIAM:
Ruben Perez-Ruiz appeals from his conviction and 200-month
sentence imposed pursuant to his guilty plea to conspiracy to
possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base.
On
appeal,
to
Perez-Ruizs
counsel
submitted
brief
pursuant
no
meritorious
issues.
grounds
for
appeal,
but
raising
several
Perez-Ruiz
first
assistance of counsel.
asserts
that
290,
295
(4th
received
ineffective
he
Cir.
1997).
allow
for
adequate
assistance
claims
in
record
U.S.C.
2255
(2012)
conclusively
28
establishes
ineffective
assistance.
Cir. 2006).
Perez-Ruiz contends that counsel discussed the presentence
report with him in an untimely manner.
indication
from
performance
the
record
that
below
an
falling
However, there is no
trial
counsel
objective
rendered
standard
of
The court
To succeed on a
States
counsel
v.
Allen,
does
not
prosecutorial
misconduct,
disclosed
evidence
no
of
491
F.3d
point
and
to
our
178,
any
(4th
specific
review
misconduct.
meritless.
191
of
Thus,
the
Cir.
2007).
instance
of
record
has
this
claim
is
III.
Perez-Ruiz argues that the district court erred in applying
the
enhancement
under
U.S.
Sentencing
Guidelines
Manual
challenge
to
the
district
courts
In assessing
application
of
the
United States v.
to
increase
defendants
offense
level
by
two
levels
enhancement
is
proper
when
the
weapon
at
issue
was
course
of
conduct
or
common
scheme
as
the
offense
of
2010)
(internal
quotation
marks
omitted),
even
in
the
850,
omitted).
852
(4th
Cir.
1997)
quotation
marks
is
sufficient,
and
the
Government
is
entitled
to
rely
on
at
to
629.
The
defendant
bears
the
burden
show
that
F.3d 1156, 1159-60 (4th Cir. 1994) (internal quotation marks and
alteration omitted) (upholding application of enhancement under
USSG
2D1.1(b)
firearm).
dangerous
based
Moreover,
weapon
is
on
co-conspirators
co-conspirators
foreseeable
when
possession
possession
their
of
of
the
a
collaborative
750 F.3d 370, 381 (4th Cir.), cert. denied, 135 S. Ct. 305
(2014).
and actions at the stash trailers and their curtilage, and the
large scope of the drug activity, it was fairly inferable that
the presence of the firearm was foreseeable.
See Kimberlin, 18
In addition,
in
large
scale
drug
conspiracy,
Perez-Ruiz
transporting
three-level
conspiracy.
The
enhancement
district
based
courts
on
his
imposition
role
of
in
a
the
role
leader)
and
participants.
the
criminal
To
qualify
activity
for
6
such
involved
an
five
or
enhancement,
more
the
The enhancement is
185, 190 (4th Cir. 2011) (citing United States v. Bartley, 230
F.3d 667, 673-74 (4th Cir. 2000)).
In determining whether an
568
F.3d
at
148
(quoting
USSG
3B1.1,
cmt.
n.4).
United States v.
the
Perez-Ruiz
leadership
exercised
enhancement
control
over
to
Perez-Ruizs
his
wife
and
sentence.
another,
Accordingly, this
in
the
Perez-Ruiz
conspiracy,
offense.
was
the
However,
manager
district
because
as
or
supervisor
court
properly
discussed
in
his
found
above
criminal
him
to
be
ineligible.
VI.
In
accordance
with
Anders,
we
have
reviewed
affirm
requires
Perez-Ruizs
that
counsel
conviction
inform
and
the
Accordingly,
sentence.
Perez-Ruiz,
in
entire
This
writing,
court
of
the
review.
but
If
counsel
Perez-Ruiz
believes
requests
that
such
that
a
petition
petition
would
be
be