U.S. v. Sienkowski, 01-CR-108.

252 F.Supp.2d 780

UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff, v. Thomas SIENKOWSKI, Defendant,

No. 01-CR-108.

United States District Court, E.D. Wisconsin.

March 19, 2003.

Carol Kraft, Stephanie Rothstein, Milwaukee, WI, for Plaintiff.

Michelle Roberts, for Defendant.

DECISION AND ORDER

ADELMAN, District Judge.

Defendant Thomas Sienkowski was charged, along with five other members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, with racketeering and drug-related offenses. He entered a plea of guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d), and a presentence report (PSR) was prepared in anticipation of sentencing.

According to the PSR, defendant's offense level under the sentencing guidelines was 33. The base offense level was computed under U.S.S.G. § 2El.l(a)(2), which directs the court to examine the specific activity underlying the racketeering conspiracy. Each racketeering act should be treated as if it were a separate offense, and the adjusted level determined via application of the grouping rules of chapter 3 of the guidelines manual. U.S.S.G. § 2E1.1 cmt. n. 1.

In defendant's case, the indictment alleged seven racketeering acts—six conspiracies to commit murder and one act of distribution of controlled substances. The conspiracies to murder each carried a base offense level of 28 under U.S.S.G. § 2A1.5(a), and the drug distribution act a base level of 24 under U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(c)(8). The combined offense level under § 3D1.4 was determined to be 33.

The PSR then recommended that defendant receive a three level enhancement under § 3B 1.1(b) because he was a manager or supervisor of criminal activity involving more than five people. Finally, the PSR recommended a three level reduction for acceptance of responsibility under § 3E1.1. Therefore, the final offense level was 33.

Neither party objected to the guideline determinations in the PSR.¹ However, after reviewing the evidence I concluded that the three level enhancement under § 3B1.1 was not justified. In this decision I explain why.

I.

Section 3B1.1 provides for various offense level enhancements based on the defendant's aggravating role in the offense:

(a) If the defendant was an organizer or leader of a criminal activity that involved five or more participants or was otherwise extensive, increase by 4 levels.

(b) If the defendant was a manager or supervisor (but not an organizer or leader) and the criminal activity involved five or more participants or was otherwise extensive, increase by 3 levels.

(c) If the defendant was an organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor in any criminal activity other than described in (a) or (b), increase by 2 levels.

Application note 2 states: "To qualify for an adjustment under this section, the defendant must have been the organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor of one or more other participants." Note 3 states: "A `participant' is a person who is criminally responsible for the commission of the offense, but need not have been convicted. A person who is not criminally responsible for the commission of the offense (e.g., an undercover law enforcement officer) is not a participant."

It was undisputed that this conspiracy involved more than five people. The question was whether defendant managed or supervised other participants. Application note 4 explains:

In distinguishing a leadership and organizational role from one of mere management or supervision, titles such as "kingpin" or "boss" are not controlling. Factors the court should consider include the exercise of decision making authority, the nature of participation in the commission of the offense, the recruitment of accomplices, the claimed right to a larger share of the fruits of the crime, the degree of participation in planning or organizing the offense, the nature and scope of the illegal activity, and the degree of control and authority exercised over others. There can, of course, be more than one person who qualifies as a leader or organizer of a criminal association or conspiracy. This adjustment does not apply to a defendant who merely suggests committing the offense.

The government bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that an enhancement under § 3B1.1 is warranted. United States v. Joiner, 183 F.3d 635, 644 (7th Cir.1999).

The evidence the government relied upon was essentially as follows. Defendant was vice-president of the Milwaukee chapter of the Outlaws during the time period covered by the indictment. In that capacity, he substituted for the president, Edward Anastas, and exercised all of the presidential powers when Anastas was absent. Anastas and other cooperating witnesses stated that defendant attended "bosses" meetings and was privy to discussions about the Outlaws "war" with the Hell's Angels and affiliated motorcycle gangs, and that he both assisted with that war and directed other members in Anastas's absence.² Defendant reportedly assisted in the planning of the racketeering acts in the indictment and directed the activities of others in carrying out those acts.

I found that the above evidence was insufficient to warrant application of the enhancement. First, application note 4 makes clear that titles are not controlling. Therefore, the fact that defendant was vice-president of his Outlaws chapter does not mean that he was a manager or supervisor under § 3B1.1. Even if that title gave him certain power in the absence of Anastas, the enhancement applies only to supervision of others in the commission of criminal conduct; it is insufficient that the defendant may have supervised or controlled other participants in their noncriminal activities. See, e.g., United States v. DeGovanni 104 F.3d 43, 46 (3d Cir. 1997). Neither was it sufficient that defendant attended "bosses" meetings absent evidence that he occupied one of the roles specified in § 3B1.1.

Although the PSR made the general statement that defendant directed the activities of others in carrying out the predicate acts listed in the indictment, it never specified who he managed. I could not apply the enhancement without this information. See United States v. Schweihs, 971 F.2d 1302, 1318 (7th Cir.1992); United States v. Jewel, 947 F.2d 224, 236 (7th Cir.1991). In United States v. Mansoori, 304 F.3d 635, 668-69 (7th Cir.2002), the court stated that the district judge need not identify by name the participant the defendant directed, so "long as the court's findings and the underlying evidence make clear that the criminal enterprise involved at least five culpable participants and that the defendant actually did manage or supervise one or more of these individuals." Even under this loose standard, in reviewing each individual predicate act, I was unable to determine that defendant managed or supervised anyone. I considered each in turn.

Act One—Conspiracy to Murder Patrick Matter³

It appeared that defendant's involvement in act one was limited to participation in two meetings at which the murder of Patrick Matter was discussed. There was no evidence that defendant directed anyone to do anything. To the contrary, the PSR stated that Kevin O'Neill, who at the time was a chapter president, "directed Mr. [James] Schneider and Mr. [Randall] Miller to meet with Edward Anastas, to discuss the trip to Minneapolis." (PSR, 1131.) Then, according to Schneider, "Mr. Anastas directed they were to kill a Hell's Angel if they got the opportunity." (PSR, 1131.) Anastas gave money, a weapon, and surveillance notes to Scott Hammond, Schneider, and Miller, who traveled to Minneapolis but never "got a shot at" Matter. (PSR, 1133.) Defendant directed no one regarding this act.

Act Two—Patrick Matter Truck Bomb Conspiracy

This act involved another attempt to kill Matter, this time by placing a bomb under his truck. The PSR stated that the bomb was assembled at defendant's home and that defendant was there when his cohorts arrived to do the assembling, but there was no indication he supervised anyone in its construction. It appears that O'Neill was in charge of this operation.

Act Three—Conspiracy to Murder "Hell's Henchmen" in Rockford

Act three involved an incident in which various Outlaws, including defendant, traveled to Rockford, Illinois in search of members of the Hell's Henchmen, whom they planned to shoot at while the Henchmen rode their motorcycles through the City. The PSR stated that "instructions were given by Kevin O'Neill." (PSR, f 37.) There was no indication defendant managed or supervised anyone.⁴

Act Four—Conspiracy to Murder "Invaders" at the Illiana Speedway

Act four involved a plan to travel to the Illiana Speedway in Shereville, Indiana for the purpose of confronting the Invaders, another rival motorcyle gang. According to the PSR, Anastas was in charge of this operation. Defendant's role was to assist Hammond, who "supervised" a "fortified van" brought by the Milwaukee chapter of the Outlaws. There was no evidence defendant directed anyone in this matter.

Act Five—Conspiracy to Bomb Hell's Henchmen Clubhouse

Act five involved a conspiracy to place a bomb outside the clubhouse of the Hell's Henchmen in Chicago. Defendant purchased explosives and provided them to Anastas and Alan Venus, who assembled the bomb. Defendant was also present at meetings where the plan to place and detonate the bomb was discussed. But, again, there was no indication that defendant managed or supervised anyone.

Act Six—Conspiracy to Murder at the Morocco Speedway

Act six involved a conspiracy to confront and attack members of Hell's Angel's affiliated clubs at the Morocco Speedway in northern Indiana. Anastas directed the others in this operation. According to 1151 of the PSR, he "put Mr. Hammond and Mr. Sienkowski in charge of `security.' Security involved organizing a schedule for the various Outlaws participants to stand armed guard duty." But the PSR did not specify that defendant directed or supervised any identifiable...