Lead Opinion
This is defendant Randall Muhlenbruch’s second appeal in this child pornography case. In the first appeal, United States v. Muhlenbruch,
1. BACKGROUND
On remand, pursuant to our instructions in Muhlenbruch I, the district court held a hearing to decide which conviction to vacate and to resentence Muhlenbruch on the remaining count. At the hearing, the government argued that the court should vacate the lesser-included possession con
The district court then proceeded to re-sentence Muhlenbruch on the receipt count. Initially, the court calculated Muhlenbruch’s advisory Guidelines range at 151 to 188 months’ imprisonment based on a criminal history category of II and an offense level of 33. Then, the court sustained Muhlenbruch’s motion for a downward departure based on an overstated criminal history and, applying a criminal history category of I, calculated a Guidelines range of 135 to 168 months’ imprisonment. Muhlenbruch requested a downward variance, claiming the child pornography Guideline is not based on empirical research and emphasizing Muhlenbruch’s good behavior in prison. The district court declined to vary downward on these bases, but did vary downward to a sentence of 120 months’ imprisonment because the case had been pending for a long time. The court also imposed a five-year term of supervised release with various special conditions. Muhlenbruch appeals.
II. DISCUSSION
A. Vacatur of the Possession Conviction
Muhlenbruch argues that the district court erred when it vacated the lesserineluded possession count instead of the receipt conviction. We review the district court’s decision for an abuse of discretion. See United States v. Fischer,
When the district court vacated the possession count, it explained that “it would be an inappropriate exercise of discretion to vacate [the receiving count]” given the jury’s verdict and the evidence introduced at trial, including Muhlenbruch’s videotaped confession. Based on this statement, Muhlenbruch contends the court failed to exercise its discretion and operated under the erroneous assumption that it was required to vacate the possession conviction. The record belies this argument. In addition to the statement highlighted by Muhlenbruch, the district court also expressly acknowledged that it had discretion to decide which count to vacate and reasoned that it had to “exercise that discretion with due regard for what the record shows.” Therefore, Muhlenbruch’s argument on this point is without merit.
Next, Muhlenbruch claims that, based on the rule of lenity and other “principles of leniency,” the district court should have vacated the receipt conviction. We disagree. The rule of lenity “is not applicable unless there is a grievous ambiguity or uncertainty in the language and structure of [a statute],” Chapman v. United States,
Our review of the resentencing transcript reveals that the district court carefully considered the parties’ arguments and vacated the lesser-included possession conviction based on the jury’s verdict and
B. 120-Month Sentence
Muhlenbruch argues that his 120-month below-Guidelines sentence is procedurally unsound and substantively unreasonable. In reviewing a sentence, we must first ensure that the district court committed no significant procedural error. United States v. Burnette,
1. Procedural Error
During resentencing, Muhlenbruch requested a downward variance based on his postsentencing good behavior in prison. See Pepper v. United States, — U.S. —,
Assuming without deciding that the district court committed error that is plain, Muhlenbruch cannot demonstrate that the error affects substantial rights — that is, he cannot show “there is a reasonable probability [he] would have received a lighter sentence but for the error.” Id. The district court considered the parties’ argu
2. Substantive Reasonableness
Muhlenbruch raises several arguments challenging the substantive reasonableness of his sentence, all of which are meritless. First, he argues that the district court gave too much weight to proper sentencing factors — i.e., the seriousness of the offense and the need for deterrence. But, the record reveals that the district court carefully considered the parties’ arguments, considered all the § 3553(a) factors, and even granted a downward variance based on the length of time the case had been pending. The district court simply did not commit a “clear error of judgment” while weighing the § 3553(a) factors. United States v. Black,
We hold that Muhlenbruch’s 120-month sentence is procedurally sound and substantively reasonable.
C. Conditions of Supervised Release
Finally, Muhlenbruch argues that the district court erred when it imposed several conditions of supervised release. We review the imposition of conditions of supervised release for an abuse of discretion. United States v. Richart,
1. Sex Offender Treatment with Polygraph Testing
Muhlenbruch challenges a condition of supervised release that requires him to attend sex-offender treatment and to submit to polygraph examinations. He contends that these conditions are not reasonably related to his offense and result in a greater deprivation of liberty than is reasonably necessary. We disagree. In United States v. Wiedower,
2. Contact with Minors
Next, the district court imposed a condition providing that Muhlenbruch cannot have unsupervised contact with minors and may not have any contact with minors without prior approval. Muhlenbruch contends that these restrictions are unnecessary and unreasonable because he has no history of abusing minors and there is no empirical research suggesting that persons who view child pornography pose a risk to minors. We disagree.
While Muhlenbruch emphasizes that he has no history of abusing minors, “the absence of such a history is not necessarily determinative when deciding whether the district court erred in imposing contact conditions” in child pornography cases. United States v. Kerr,
After careful review, we hold that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it imposed the no-contact restrictions at issue. Muhlenbruch received between 150 and 800 images of child pornography, some of which depicted the sort of molestation described in Thompson, and Muhlenbruch referred to child pornography as an enticing “forbidden fruit.” In addition, the restrictions are not a total ban on Muhlenbruch’s contact with minors. See Thompson,
3. Computer and Internet Restrictions
Muhlenbruch next challenges conditions that bar him from possessing a computer or accessing the internet without prior approval from a probation officer. Muhlenbruch contends that, because his offense was limited to receiving child pornography, such conditions are overly restrictive. We disagree. As an initial matter, the computer and internet restrictions are no doubt reasonably related to the nature and circumstances of Muhlenbruch’s offense — he downloaded between 150 and 300 images of child pornography from the internet and stored them on his computer. United States v. Durham,
Further, we find that the restrictions do not involve a greater deprivation of liberty
4. Pornography Restrictions
Muhlenbruch also challenges conditions that bar him from viewing and possessing pornography or sexually oriented material, or entering establishments where pornography, erotica, or adult entertainment is the primary product. He generally contends, without citing any case law, that these restrictions are not related to his offense and result in a greater deprivation of liberty than is reasonably necessary under the circumstances. We disagree.
Restrictions on pornographic materials are “not unusual special conditions” in child pornography cases, Wiedower,
5. Mail and Residence Restrictions
Finally, Muhlenbruch challenges a condition that requires him to obtain a residence approved by a probation officer, notify the probation office of any location where he may receive mail, and get prior approval before obtaining a new mailing address or post office box. Again, without citing any case law, Muhlenbruch generally claims these restrictions are unreasonable and unnecessary. The residence re
III. CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, we affirm.
Notes
. The Honorable James E. Gritzner, United States District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa.
. For background regarding Muhlenbruch's substantive offenses, see Muhlenbruch I,
. The government urges us to adopt a per se rule that the lesser-included offense must be vacated following remand in cases such as this. Compare United States v. Peel,
. At the first sentencing hearing, the district court flatly rejected Muhlenbruch’s empirical-based objections to the child pornography Guideline as "not accurate.” The court did not waiver from this position at the resentencing hearing, noting that it had previously addressed Muhlenbruch’s argument that the child pornography Guidelines were "inherently flawed.”
. In Muhlenbruch I, Muhlenbruch did not appeal the restrictions pertaining to computer and internet use, pornography, or residence and mail. Thus, the government argues that Muhlenbruch has waived his ability to challenge such conditions on this appeal. Compare United States v. Walterman,
. Muhlenbruch filed a pro se motion to supplement the appellate brief filed by his counsel. "We generally do not accept pro se motions or briefs when an appellant is represented by counsel.” United States v. McIntosh,
Concurrence Opinion
concurring in part and dissenting in part.
I concur in the majority’s decision to affirm the district court on all issues except the computer and Internet restrictions discussed in Part II.C.3. Because I believe these special conditions of supervised release involve a greater deprivation of liberty than is reasonably necessary, I would vacate the challenged conditions. Therefore, I respectfully dissent on this issue.
In assessing challenges to conditions barring computer and Internet access, we have drawn a line distinguishing cases where a defendant merely possessed or received child pornography from those where a defendant “used his computer to do more than merely possess child pornography[.]” United States v. Boston,
The majority cites three facts it concludes amount to more than mere possession or receipt of child pornography: (1) Muhlenbruch saved child pornography images on a disk a year before the instant offense; (2) the images involved prepubescent minors engaged in sadistic or masochistic violence; and (3) Muhlenbruch saved the images in a hidden folder on his computer. None of these facts transform Muhlenbruch’s conduct into more than mere possession or receipt, however, regardless of where in particular the images were stored or what was depicted therein. See generally id. (“The mere fact that [the defendant] may have [received and possessed child pornography] frequently or for an extended period of time does not change our conclusion.”). For instance, there was no evidence to show Muhlenbruch distributed child pornography or used his computer to entice minors to engage in illicit sexual conduct, which we have cited in past cases affirming related conditions. See, e.g., United States v. Munjak,
Nor is this case similar to United States v. Koch,
Finally, I agree with the majority that the instant restrictions are not absolute because they allow computer and Internet access with prior approval from Muhlenbruch’s probation officer. Nonetheless, “Crume, with a similar prior-approval provision, forecloses this argument, at least where the defendant only received and possessed child pornography.” Wiedower,
Ultimately, I believe this case is more similar to Wiedower and Crume, where there was little beyond mere possession or receipt, than those cases affirming computer and Internet restrictions. Like Wiedower and Crume, I am “confident that the district court can impose a more narrowly-tailored restriction on [Muhlenbruch’s] computer use through a prohibition on accessing certain categories of websites and Internet content and can sufficiently ensure his compliance with this condition through some combination of random searches and software that filters objectionable material.” Crume,
For the foregoing reasons, I would vacate the special conditions restricting Muhlenbruch’s computer and Internet access and remand to the district court. I therefore respectfully dissent from the majority’s decision to affirm the district court on this issue.
. United States v. Crume,
