United States v. Hayward, 177 F. App'x 214 (3d Cir. 2006). · Go Syfert
United States v. Hayward, 177 F. App'x 214 (3d Cir. 2006). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
11 citation events (11 in the last 25 years) across 4 distinct courts.
Cited for
At page 215 Permissibility of considering acquitted conduct at sentencing7 citing casesthe applicable guideline range. Hayward appealed, arguing that the District Court erred by considering the conduct of which he was acquitted. 2 For the reasons…opening of page *215 (no citing court says what it cites this page for) · 6 listed here
  • People of Michigan v. Tj Lee Rose, No. 139201 (Mich. Jan. 15, 2010).published
    The majority concluded that it does not, under Booker, as long as the resulting sentence does not exceed “the statutory ceiling set by the jury’s verdict. . . .”5 2 519 US 148 (1997) (per curiam). 3 United States v Magallanez, 408 F3d 672,…
  • United States v. White, 551 F.3d 381 (6th Cir. 2008).published 5 cites
    See, e.g., United States v. Magallanez, 408 F.3d 672, 684-85 (10th Cir.2005); United States v. Vaughn, 430 F.3d 518, 526 (2d Cir.2005); United States v. Price, 418 F.3d 771, 787-88 (7th Cir.2005); United States v. Ashworth, 139 Fed.Appx. 5…
  • United States v. Four Pillars Enter. Co., 253 F. App'x 502 (6th Cir. 2007).unpublished
    See United States v. Mendez, 498 F.3d 423, 427 (6th Cir.2007); see also United States v. Tello-Nicio, 242 Fed.Appx. 892, 893 (4th Cir.2007) (even after Booker , “a district court is free at sentencing to consider acquitted conduct proved b…
  • United States v. Mercado, No. 05-50624 (9th Cir. Jan. 22, 2007).published
    See United States v. Gobbi, No. 06-1643, slip. op. at 22-23 (1st Cir. Dec. 28, 2006) (Watts survives Booker); United States v. Farias, 469 F.3d 393, 399-400 (5th Cir. 2006) (same); United States v. Hayward, 177 Fed.
  • United States v. Robert Mercado, Jr., United States of Am. v. Daniel Bravo, Aka's Sporty Seal G, 474 F.3d 654 (9th Cir. 2007).published 2 cites
    See United States v. Gobbi, 471 F.3d 302 , 2006 WL 3804388 (1st Cir. Dec. 28, 2006) ( Watts survives Booker ); United States v. Farias, 469 F.3d 393, 399-400 (5th Cir.2006) (same); United States v. Hayward, 177 Fed.Appx. 214, 215 (3d Cir.)…
  • United States v. Ballard, 855 F. Supp. 2d 406 (E.D. Pa. 2012).published
    See United States v. Watts, 519 U.S. 148, 153-54 , 117 S.Ct. 633 , 136 L.Ed.2d 554 (1997) (observing that USSG § 1B1.3 “directs sentencing courts to consider all other related conduct, whether or not it resulted in a conviction,” including…
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
UNITED STATES of America
v.
Scott HAYWARD, Appellant
05-2451.
Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Apr 25, 2006.
Unpublished opinion
177 F. App'x 214
Laura S. Irwin, Office of United States Attorney, Pittsburgh, PA, for Appellee., Thomas J. Farrell, Reich, Alexander, Reisinger & Farrell, Pittsburgh, PA, for Appellant.
Rendell, Smith, Becker.
Cited by 10 opinions  |  Unpublished
Citation check: this opinion cites a case at a citation that does not lead to it (marked in red below).

OPINION OF THE COURT

SMITH, Circuit Judge.

Scott Hayward was convicted by a jury of one count of traveling with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a juvenile in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(a). He was acquitted of a second count which charged him with violating 18 U.S.C. § 2421 by transporting an individual in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in sexual activity. At re-sentencing post-Booker, 1 the District Court considered the conduct underlying both counts and sentenced Hayward to 78 months, the top of[*215] the applicable guideline range. Hayward appealed, arguing that the District Court erred by considering the conduct of which he was acquitted. [2] For the reasons set forth below, we will affirm.

The government contends that the District Court did not err because the Supreme Court determined in United States v. Watts, 519 U.S. 148, 117 S.Ct. 638[incorrect citation], 136 L.Ed.2d 554 (1997), that a “sentencing court may consider conduct of which a defendant has been acquitted.” Id. at 154, 117 S.Ct. 633. In the government’s view, Watts remains good law after Booker. Several of our sister courts of appeals agree with this view. See United States v. Vaughn, 430 F.3d 518, 526-27 (2nd Cir.2005); United States v. Price, 418 F.3d 771, 787-88 (7th Cir.2005); United States v. Duncan, 400 F.3d 1297, 1304-05 (11th Cir.2005). We find no reason to follow a different path.

The Supreme Court explained in Watts that it was permissible to consider at sentencing the conduct of which a defendant was acquitted. It relied upon § 3661 of the Federal Crimes Code which “codifie[d] the longstanding principle that sentencing courts have broad discretion to consider various kinds of information.” Watts, 519 U.S. at 151, 117 S.Ct. 633. Section 3661 states that “[n]o limitation shall be placed on the information concerning the background, character, and conduct of a person convicted of an offense which a court of the United States may receive and consider for the purpose of imposing an appropriate sentence.” 18 U.S.C. § 3661. This provision, the Watts Court pointed out, was consistent with sentencing guideline § 1B1.4, providing that a sentencing court was not limited in the information it could consider in imposing a sentence, as well as guideline § 1B1.3 which directs sentencing courts to consider all other related conduct. Watts, 519 U.S. at 152-53, 117 S.Ct. 633 (citing U.S.S.G. § 1B1.3 and § 1B1.4).

Although the Supreme Court was “convinced that a sentencing court may consider conduct of which a defendant has been acquitted,” id. at 154, 117 S.Ct. 633, it reiterated that the consideration of acquitted conduct for sentencing did not offend the Double Jeopardy Clause as it had explained in Witte v. United States, 515 U.S. 389, 115 S.Ct. 2199, 132 L.Ed.2d 351 (1995). It again instructed that “sentencing enhancements do not punish a defendant for crimes of which he was not convicted, but rather increase his sentence because of the manner in which he committed the crime of conviction.” Watts, 519 U.S. at 154, 117 S.Ct. 633. Thus, a “jury’s verdict of acquittal does not prevent the sentencing court from considering conduct underlying the acquitted charge, so long as that conduct has been proved by a preponderance of the evidence.” Id. at 157, 117 S.Ct. 633.

In Booker, Justice Stevens’s majority opinion declared in a footnote that “none of our prior cases,” including Witte and Watts, were “inconsistent with today’s decision.” 543 U.S. at 241, 125 S.Ct. at 754 n. 2. In light of Justice Stevens’s observations and the fact that § 3661 was not invalidated by Booker, we too conclude that Wafis remains good law.

Accordingly, we find no error by the District Court in considering the conduct of which Hayward was acquitted. We will affirm the judgment of the District Court.

1

. See United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220, 125 S.Ct. 738, 160 L.Ed.2d 621 (2005) (declaring that United States Sentencing Guidelines are only advisory).

2

. The District Court had jurisdiction pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3231. We exercise jurisdiction under 18 U.S.C. § 3742(a). United States v. Cooper, 437 F.3d 324, 327-28 (3d Cir.2006). We exercise plenary review over questions of law concerning the application of the sentencing guidelines. United States v. Newsome, 439 F.3d 181, 183 (3d Cir.2006).