Charlie Hageon appeals his conviction following a bench trial of possession of a firearm by a felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), and the resulting sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA), 18 U.S.C. § 924(e), of 252 months of imprisonment. Hageon argues that there is insufficient evidence to support the district court’s finding of guilt. He also challenges his sentence under the ACCA by arguing that he does not have the requisite number of prior convictions that qualify as violent felonies, his prior burglary convictions are not separate prior convictions, his due process rights were violated because he did not receive adequate notice that his prior convictions would be used to enhance his sentence,
This court’s standard of review for sufficiency of the evidence in a bench trial is “whether the finding of guilt is supported by substantial evidence, i.e., evidence sufficient to justify the trial judge, as the trier of fact, in concluding beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty.” United States v. Turner,
Hageon’s challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence is not persuasive. Kelli Pope and David Moore both testified that they saw the pistol in question in Hageon’s possession on the night of April 29, 2009, and that the pistol, which ATF agents found at the residence of Pope and Moore, partially hidden on the couch, was not in their residence before Hageon arrived there on May 1, 2009. Additionally, ATF agents testified that on May 1, 2009, when they arrived at the residence of Pope and Moore, Pope and Hageon were on the front porch. The arrival of the ATF agents prompted Hageon’s quick entry into the house. Hageon reemerged on the porch just a few seconds later. An ATF Agent searched the residence, with Pope’s permission, and discovered the firearm at issue, partially hidden behind a couch cushion, in the living room, near the front door. Possession of a weapon may be proved by circumstantial evidence. See United States v. Salinas,
Sentencing pursuant to the ACCA
Under the ACCA, a defendant who is convicted under § 922(g) as a felon in possession of a firearm who has three prior convictions “for a violent felony or a serious drug offense, or both, committed on occasions different from one another” is subject to a mandatory minimum prison sentence of fifteen years. § 924(e)(1). This court reviews the sentencing court’s findings of fact for clear error and reviews de novo the legal conclusions underlying the application of the ACCA. United States v. Hawley,
Hageon’s argument that he does not have the requisite number of prior qualifying convictions is without merit, for the following reasons. Hageon’s reliance upon U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(a) (2009) is misplaced. A person who is an armed career criminal pursuant to § 924(e)(1) qualifies as an armed career criminal who is subject to sentencing under § 4B1.4, the armed career criminal guideline. See § 4B1.4(a). The language that governs classification of Hageon’s prior offenses is the definition of violent felony that is set forth in § 924(e)(2)(B), not the definition of crime of violence that is set forth in guideline § 481.2(a). See 924(e)(1); § 4B1.4(a); § 4B1.2, comment, (n.l). Also, Begay v. United States,
In Taylor,
Hageon does not argue that the documents that were submitted with the PSR Addendum are inadequate under Shepard. The documents indicate that, in each case, Hageon was convicted of burglary of a building “with intent to commit a theft.” The documents therefore establish that Hageon was convicted, in four cases, of burglary of a building under § 30.02(a)(1) of the Texas Penal Code. The language of the current version of § 30.02(a)(1), and the 1992 and 1994 versions that were effective at the time of Hageon’s prior convictions, substantially correspond to the Taylor definition. See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 30.02(a)(1); Taylor,
Hageon further argues that his three violent felony convictions were not “committed on occasions different from one another,” as required by § 924(e). The Shepard documents that were submitted with the PSR Addendum establish, as the district court concluded, that Hageon’s
Hageon also contends that he received inadequate notice that the ACCA was applicable at sentencing. A defendant is “not entitled to any formal notice of the possibility of an enhanced sentence under the ACCA other than that required by due process.” United States v. Howard,
For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.
Notes
Pursuant to 5th Cir. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5th Cir. R. 47.5.4.
