United States v. Powers

Mar 26, 2009
08-12764
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Black
PER CURIAM:

Defendant Robert D. Powers was indicted for failing to register as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), 42 ‍‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​​​​‍U.S.C. § 16913, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2250(a). Powers moved to dismiss the indictment, and, after hearing argument, the district court declared 18 U.S.C. § 2250 facially unconstitutional, dismissed the indictment, and ordered Powers released. United States v. Powers, 544 F.Supp.2d 1331, 1336 (M.D.Fla.2008). On appeal, the Government ‍‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​​​​‍argues the district court erred in holding 18 U.S.C. § 2250(a) facially uncon *1344 stitutional as an invalid exercise of Congress’s Commerce Clause power.

In United States v. Ambert, 561 F.3d 1202, No. 08-13139, 2009 WL 564677 (11th Cir. March 6, 2009), this Court held both the registration provisions set forth at 42 ‍‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​​​​‍U.S.C. § 16913 and the failure to register offense set forth at 18 U.S.C. § 2250(a) do not violate the Commerce Clause. Id. at *8-9, 1211-12. We concluded § 2250 falls within Congress’s power to regulate “both the use of channels of interstate commerce and the instrumentalities of interstate commerce.” Id. at *8, 1211. ‍‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​​​​‍We also concluded “the requirement that sex offenders register under § 16913 is necessary to track those offenders who move from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.” Id. at *10,1212.

Ambert controls here. The district court erred in dismissing the indictment against Powers on the ground that SOR-NA exceeded Congress’s authority under ‍‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​​​​‍the Commerce Clause. Accordingly, we vacate the order of the district court and remand for reinstatement of the indictment.

VACATED AND REMANDED.