Nonprecedential Disposition

United States Court of Appeals
FortheSeventhCircuit
Chicago,Illinois60604
SubmittedDecember10,2009
DecidedJanuary7,2010
Before
WILLIAMJ.BAUER,CircuitJudge
TERENCET.EVANS,CircuitJudge
ANNCLAIREWILLIAMS,CircuitJudge
No.084290
UNITEDSTATESOFAMERICA,
PlaintiffAppellee,
v.
SUNDAYO.AYANGADE,
DefendantAppellant.
AppealfromtheUnitedStatesDistrict
CourtfortheSouthernDistrictofIndiana,
IndianapolisDivision.
No.1:08CR00019001
SarahEvansBarker,
Judge.
ORDER
SundayAyangadewaschargedundertheInternationalParentalKidnappingCrime
Actwithinterferingwiththeparentalrightsofhisformerwifebyremovingtheirtwo
childrenfromtheUnitedStates.18U.S.C.§1204.Despiteongoingmarriagedissolution
andcustodyproceedingsinIndianastatecourt,AyangadetookthechildrentoNigeriaand
gavehisbrotherlegalguardianshipoverthemunderNigerianlaw.Uponhisreturntothe
UnitedStates,Ayangadewasarrested,pleadedguiltytoonechargeofparentalkidnapping,
andreceivedasentenceof24months’imprisonmentanda$2,000fine.Ayangadefileda
noticeofappeal,buthisappointedattorneyisunabletofindanonfrivolousbasisforthe
appealandhasmovedtowithdrawunderAndersv.California,386U.S.738(1967).
Ayangaderespondedtothemotionwithashortlettergenerallydisagreeingwithhis
NONPRECEDENTIAL DISPOSITION
To be cited only in accordance with
Fed. R. App. P. 32.1

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No.08 4290 Page2
convictionandsentence.Thatleavesus,then,withonlythepotentialissuesidentifiedin
counsel’sfaciallyadequatesupportingbrief.SeeUnitedStatesv.Schuh,289F.3d968,97374
(7thCir.2002).
BecauseAyangadehastoldcounselthathewantshisguiltypleasetaside,counsel
firstaddresseswhetherthereisanybasistochallengetheplea.SeeUnitedStatesv.Knox,287
F.3d667,67172(7thCir.2002).ButAyangadedidnotseektowithdrawhispleainthe
districtcourt,sowewouldexaminethepleacolloquyforplainerror.UnitedStatesv.Vonn,
535U.S.55,59(2002);UnitedStatesv.Sura,511F.3d654,658(7thCir.2007).
CounselinitiallyconsiderswhetherAyangademightchallengethevoluntarinessof
hispleawhenthedistrictcourtdidnotwhollycomplywithRule11oftheFederalRulesof
CriminalProcedureinconductingthepleacolloquy.First,thedistrictcourtdidnotwarn
Ayangadethathisstatementsunderoathcouldsubjecthimtoperjurycharges.FED. R.
CRIM . P.11(b)(1)(A).ButAyangadewasnotharmedbytheomissionbecauseheisnot
facingperjurycharges.SeeUnitedStatesv.Graves,98F.3d258,259(7thCir.1996).Second,
Ayangadewasnotinformedofhisrighttoagovernmentappointedlawyer.FED. R. CRIM .
P.11(b)(1)(D).Butthatruleinformsapartymerelyofhisrighttoappointedcounsel“if
necessary.”Id.WhenAyangadepleadedguiltyhewasrepresentedbyprivatelyobtained
counsel,soappointedcounselwasnotnecessary,andtheomissionwasharmless.See
UnitedStatesv.Lovett,844F.2d487,49192(7thCir.1988).Last,thecourtdidnottell
Ayangadethathehadtherighttotestifyandpresentevidenceattrial.FED. R. CRIM . P.
11(b)(1)(E).ButthecourtdidadviseAyangadehedidnothavetotestifyifhedidnotwant
toandcouldsubpoenawitnessestotestify.FromthisAyangadecouldinferthathecould
choosetotestifyandpresentevidenceattrial,andAyangadedoesnotclaimtohavebeen
unawareoftheserights.Thecourt’sfailuretosaymoredoesnotrisetothelevelofplain
error.UnitedStatesv.Driver,242F.3d767,771(7thCir.2001).Weagreewithcounselthat
anychallengetothepleacolloquywouldbefrivolous.
CounselnextexamineswhetherAyangadecouldchallengethecourt’sfailureto
granthismotiontodismisstheindictmentbecausetherewereinsufficientfactstoestablish
anoffenseandthekidnappingstatutewasunconstitutionallyvague.ButAyangade’splea
waivedonappealanychallengetotheindictment.SeeUnitedStatesv.Kingcade,562F.3d
794,797(7thCir.2009);UnitedStatesv.Campbell,324F.3d497,499(7thCir.2003).
CounselalsoexamineswhetherAyangadecouldarguethatthegovernment
breachedthepleaagreementbyaskingthecourttosentencehim“tothefullestextentofthe
law”ratherthanrecommendawithinrangesentence,assetforthintheagreement.The
districtcourt,though,construedthegovernment’srequestasrecommendingasentenceat
thehighendof—butwithin—theguidelinesrange,andthegovernmentconfirmedthis

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No.08 4290 Page3
interpretation.Accordingly,weagreethatthegovernmentdidnotbreachtheagreementby
seekingawithinrangesentence.
CounselnextevaluateswhetherAyangadecouldarguethatthedistrictcourterred
inapplyinga3levelupwardadjustmentunderU.S.S.G.§2J1.2(b)(2)onthegroundthat
Ayangade’skidnappingoffenseresultedinasubstantialinterferencewiththe
administrationofjustice.ThecourtappliedthisadjustmentbecauseAyangade’sremovalof
thecouple’schildrenfromtheUnitedStatesinterferedwiththeongoingmarriage
dissolutionandcustodyproceedingsinIndianastatecourt.Bytakingthechildrenoutof
thecountryandrefusingtoreturnthemtoIndiana,Ayangadeeffectivelypreventedthe
statecourtfromenteringanyenforceableordersgivingAyangade’swifecustodyor
visitationrights.CounselconsiderswhetherAyangadecouldarguethathisconductwas
notenoughtoconstituteasubstantialinterferencewiththeadministrationofjustice,butwe
wouldagreewiththeSecondCircuitthatanupwardadjustmentunder§2J1.2(b)(2)is
appropriatewhenthedefendant,bytakingorretaininghischildoutsidethecountry,
interferedwithastatecourt’sabilitytodecidewhereandwithwhomthechildshould
reside.SeeUnitedStatesv.Hasan,586F.3d161,169(2dCir.2009);UnitedStatesv.Amer,110
F.3d873,885(2dCir.1997).
CounselalsoexamineswhetherAyangademightarguethatthecourt’ssentenceof
24months’imprisonmentwasimproperbecauseitexceededthemaximumsentenceof21
monthsrecommendedbytheguidelines.Butasentenceoutsidetheguidelinesis
permissibleifitconformstothesentencingfactorsunder18U.S.C.§3553(a)andthecourt
providescompellingjustificationfortheincrease.UnitedStatesv.Gooden,564F.3d887,890
91(7thCir.2009).Herethecourtadequatelysubstantiatedthethreemonthincreaseby
explainingthatAyangadecompoundedthedegreeofharmbygivinghisbrother
guardianshipoverthechildren,therebyputtingthembeyondthereachoftheirmotherin
anyway.
Last,counselexamineswhetherAyangadecouldchallengethecourt’simpositionof
a$2,000finebecauseitwasbelowtheminimumrecommendedfineof$4,000.Wehave
noted,however,“[i]tishardtoconceiveofbelowrangesentencesthatwouldbe
unreasonablyhigh.”UnitedStatesv.George,403F.3d470,473(7thCir.2005).Weagreewith
counselthatAyangadewouldhavenobasistocontesthissentence.
Accordingly,themotiontowithdrawisGRANTED,andtheappealisDISMISSED.

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