United States of America v. Mark Achin

NOT FOR PUBLICATION
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
MARK ACHIN,
Defendant-Appellant.
No. 18-50077
D.C. No.
3:15-cr-00307-BEN-1
MEMORANDUM*
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of California
Roger T. Benitez, District Judge, Presiding
Argued and Submitted January 11, 2019
Pasadena, California
Before: TASHIMA and WATFORD, Circuit Judges, and ROBRENO,** District
Judge.
Mark Achin appeals the revocation of his supervised release and imposition
of additional custody with subsequent supervision. We have jurisdiction pursuant
to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 and 18 U.S.C. § 3742. We strike Standard Condition 4 from
the judgment but otherwise affirm the district court’s sentence.
* This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent
except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.
** The Honorable Eduardo C. Robreno, United States District Judge for
the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, sitting by designation.
FILED
JAN 22 2019
MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS

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Because Achin failed to raise his arguments before the district court, plain
error review applies. United States v. Valencia-Barragan, 608 F.3d 1103, 1108
(9th Cir. 2010).
First, Achin contends that the district court violated his due process rights by
failing to provide him with a specific opportunity to be heard on whether
modification or extension (rather than revocation) of supervised release was
warranted and by failing to consider independently all three options.
The record indicates that after announcing its tentative sentence, the district
court gave Achin and his counsel the opportunity to challenge the sentence, present
mitigating evidence, and persuade the court to impose a different sentence. Both
Achin and his counsel took this opportunity and argued for modification of
supervised release rather than revocation. Moreover, given that (1) the revocation
petition provided that the district court could modify, extend, or revoke supervised
release, and (2) Achin and his counsel both argued for modification, it is clear that
the court understood that it could continue Achin on supervision, but instead
elected to revoke supervised release. As a result, we conclude that the district court
did not plainly err and, instead, provided Achin with all of the due process required
by Morrissey v. Brewer, 408 U.S. 471 (1972).
Second, Achin contends that, in setting his custodial sentence, the district
court plainly erred by impermissibly considering: (1) rehabilitation as a basis for

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elevating the custodial sentence;1 and (2) the need to punish the underlying offense
or to promote respect for the law.2 Additionally, Achin asserts that the district court
erred in failing to explain the increase to an eighteen-month custodial sentence
from the Guidelines recommendation of four to ten months. See United States v.
Carty, 520 F.3d 984, 992 (9th Cir. 2008) (en banc).
The record shows that the district court sentenced Achin to eighteen months
of incarceration based on its legitimate desire to deter repeat violations of
supervised release and to punish the current violations. Although the district court
announced the prison sentence immediately after discussing Achin’s drug abuse, it
is apparent from the hearing transcript that the court’s concerns regarding
substance abuse treatment were targeted at the term of supervised release rather
than the term of incarceration. There is no suggestion in the record that the district
court extended Achin’s custodial sentence to accommodate rehabilitation.
Similarly, the record does not suggest that the district court was attempting to
punish Achin for any underlying violations of the law rather than for his immediate
and flagrant violations of the terms of his supervised release.
Contrary to Achin’s argument, the district court provided reasons for varying
upwards from the custodial sentence recommended by the Guidelines, including
1 See Tapia v. United States, 564 U.S. 319, 332 (2011).
2 See United States v. Miqbel, 444 F.3d 1173, 1181-82 (9th Cir. 2006).

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that: (1) the prior identical term did not deter Achin; (2) Achin repeatedly flouted
the court’s rules and breached its trust; and (3) Achin was cavalier to the
obligations the court imposed to address substance abuse. An adequate explanation
for a sentence “may also be inferred from the PSR or the record as a whole.” Id.
Here, the revocation petition contains an additional reason for the upward variance:
quoting Sentencing Guideline § 7Bl.4, Application Note 4, the revocation petition
provides that because “the original sentence was the result of a downward
departure . . . an upward departure may be warranted.” These reasons are sufficient
to permit judicial review. Id.; see also 18 U.S.C. § 3553(c). Because the district
court provided adequate explanation for Achin’s custodial sentence, we conclude
that it did not commit plain error.
Third, Achin argues that in setting his period of supervised release, the
district court plainly erred by varying upwards to five years from the Guidelines
recommendation of three years without calculating or stating the Guidelines
recommendation on the record or explaining the need for the increase. We
acknowledge that the district court did not mention what Achin contends is the
Guidelines recommendation for the length of supervision,3 nor did it explicitly
explain why five years, rather than three, was appropriate. Ideally, the district court
3 At the sentencing hearing, the district court stated only that the maximum
term of supervised release was life. The original pre-sentence investigation report
appears to be the only relevant document providing that the Guidelines
recommendation is three years.

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should have clearly documented its reasons for the variance on the record. United
States v. Hammons, 558 F.3d 1100, 1104 (9th Cir. 2009). However, unlike in
Hammons, a reading of the sentencing hearing transcript, and the record as a
whole, provides sufficient explanation for the court’s decision to increase the term
of supervised release such that the decision is reviewable. Carty, 520 F.3d at 992.
The record indicates that the district court considered, for example: (1) Achin’s
history of recidivism; (2) his inability to control his substance abuse; (3) his
exceptionally poor adjustment to supervision (including immediately violating the
terms upon release); and (4) the fact that the previous sentence imposed (which
included three years of supervised release) was ineffective. The record also
indicates that the district court considered but rejected a three-year term of
supervised release as that was the recommendation espoused by the probation
officer. Lastly, the district court explained that it would consider reducing the term
of supervised release if Achin performed well, providing Achin with an incentive
for compliance. This statement illuminates an additional reason why the court
concluded that the increased supervision period was warranted. Given the
sufficiency of reasons supporting the district court’s imposition of five years of
supervised release, we conclude that the district court did not commit plain error.
Finally, both parties agree that Standard Condition 4 in the judgment, that
Achin support his dependents and meet other family responsibilities, should be

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stricken. We agree. Achin has no dependents, and the phrase “other family
responsibilities” has been found to be unconstitutionally vague and was
subsequently removed from the Sentencing Guidelines. United States v. Evans, 883
F.3d 1154, 1162-63 (9th Cir. 2018). Therefore, we strike Standard Condition 4
from the judgment.
Standard Condition 4 is STRICKEN from the judgment, and as
modified, the judgment is AFFIRMED.

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