U.S. v. Munro, 04-4051.

• Decision Date: 05 January 2005
• Docket Number: No. 04-4051.,04-4051.
• Citation: 394 F.3d 865
• Parties: UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Jonathan James MUNRO, Defendant-Appellant.
• Court: U.S. Court of Appeals — Tenth Circuit

394 F.3d 865

UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Jonathan James MUNRO, Defendant-Appellant.

No. 04-4051.

United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit.

January 5, 2005.

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W. Andrew McCullough, McCullough & Associates, LLC, Midvale, UT, for Defendant-Appellant.

Michele M. Christiansen, Assistant United States Attorney (Paul M. Warner, United States Attorney, with her on the brief) Office of the United States Attorney, Salt Lake City, UT, for Plaintiff-Appellee.

Before KELLY, ANDERSON, and TYMKOVICH, Circuit Judges.

TYMKOVICH, Circuit Judge.

A jury convicted Jonathan James Munro of using a computer to attempt to persuade a minor to engage in illegal sexual acts, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b) (2000), and carrying a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) (2000). Munro appeals his conviction arguing that the government presented insufficient evidence to convict him of either crime and that using a device of interstate commerce, i.e., a computer, to attempt to persuade a minor to engage in sexual acts is not a crime of violence. Taking jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 (2000), we affirm.

I. BACKGROUND

On September 10, 2003, Munro, a 25-year-old resident of Salt Lake City, Utah, entered a Salt Lake City-specific Yahoo! chatroom using the screen name-g-unit-8012002. (Aplt.Br. p. 3) He began a private chat with an undercover police officer who used the screen name chantelle3101 (Chantelle). (Aplt.Br. p. 3) Soon after the chat began, Chantelle identified herself as a 13-year-old girl, and Munro told her he was 21. (Aplt. Br. p. 3, Add. 1 p. 1) Throughout the chat Munro asked Chantelle questions about her physical features, clothing preferences, and personal background. (Add. 1 p. 1-12) Munro also told Chantelle about his personal possessions such as his car, home, XBox gaming system, DVD player, Play Station 2 gaming system, and money. (Add. 1 p. 1-12) In addition, Munro asked Chantelle several questions about her sexual history and her willingness to engage in risky behavior (sexual or otherwise). (Add. 1 p. 2-12) Specifically, Munro asked about Chantelle's virginity, her experience with oral sex, and the possibility of the two of them making a movie together. (Add. p. 2-12) Further, Munro told Chantelle about his desire to perform oral sex on her so that he could make her "feel the best [she] ever have b4." (Add. 1 p. 9)

Munro eventually proposed that the two of them meet. (Add. p. 5) After further discussions, they arranged to rendezvous at an elementary school near Chantelle's house at 11:00 p.m. (Add. p. 9-10) Munro requested that Chantelle wear something "sexy" underneath her clothes "or nothing at all" and kiss him when they met. (Add. p. 11)

That night, Munro arrived at the school, parked his car a block away, and approached an undercover officer whom he presumed to be Chantelle. (Aple.Br. p. 7-8) The police arrested Munro, and during a search incident to the arrest they found a loaded semi-automatic handgun in Munro's pocket. (Aple.Br. p. 8)

After the government indicted Munro for violating 18 U.S.C. §§ 2422(b) and 924(c), he moved to dismiss the firearms charge, arguing that he did not commit a crime of violence. (Aple.Br. p. 8-9) The court denied his motion and, after a two-day jury trial, the jury found Munro guilty of violating both statutes. (Aple.Br. pp. 9-10, 17) The district court sentenced Munro to 120 months in prison and 60 months of supervised release. (Aple.Br. p. 17)

II. ANALYSIS

Munro raises a number of issues on appeal, but only two warrant extensive discussion. First, Munro argues that the government presented insufficient evidence at trial to convict him of the crimes. Second, Munro argues that a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b) is not a crime of violence and thus he cannot be guilty of carrying a firearm during the commission of a violent crime under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). Munro also raises several issues related to the district court's failure to instruct the jury on entrapment and the constitutionality of his sentence under the Eighth Amendment.

A. Section 2422(b): Attempted Sexual Activity with a Minor

Munro argues that the evidence at trial was insufficient to sustain his conviction. We review sufficiency of the evidence claims de novo. United States v. Vallo, 238 F.3d 1242, 1246 (10th Cir.2001). In doing so, we view all evidence in the light most favorable to the prevailing party below, which in this instance is the government. United States v. Hooks, 780 F.2d 1526, 1529 (10th Cir.1986). Ultimately, we must determine whether the evidence and all reasonable inferences drawn therefrom could allow a reasonable jury to find Munro guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Magleby, 241 F.3d 1306, 1311-12 (10th Cir.2001).

A defendant is guilty of violating 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b) if he (1) used a "facility ... of interstate ... commerce... (2) to knowingly persuade [ ], induce[ ], entice[ ], or coerce[ ](3) any individual who has not attained the age of 18 years, (4) to engage in ... any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, or attempt[ed] to do so." In the present case, Munro never actually engaged in sexual activity with a minor, therefore the prosecution charged him with attempt. To prove attempt, the government had to show that Munro took a "substantial step" towards the commission of the ultimate crime, and that such step was more than mere preparation. United States v. Ramirez, 348 F.3d 1175, 1180 (10th Cir.2003).

Having conducted our own de novo review of the evidence, it is apparent that Munro initiated the sexual conversations with and otherwise attempted to entice Chantelle to engage in sexual activity. At trial, both parties presented the transcript of the online chat between Munro and the undercover officer as the main piece of evidence. The officer who posed as Chantelle also testified about the online conversation. As a preliminary matter, he testified that as a part of police training officers are instructed not to initiate conversations about sex or meeting the person with whom they are chatting. (App. Vol. IV p. 31-32, 64) This training is apparent in the transcript, for Munro not only initiated the conversation, but also first broached the topics of sex and meeting in person.

The transcript also reveals evidence of enticement by Munro. As the chat progressed, Munro's sexual comments became more detailed, while Chantelle merely responded to Munro's statements and questions. Munro's statements and questions regarding virginity, sexual experiences, and his desire to perform oral sex on Chantelle are evidence of Munro's knowing attempt to persuade a minor to have sex with him. Further, Munro's statements that he had money, his own place, a car, an XBox, a Play Station 2, and a DVD player could reasonably be interpreted as attempts to impress Chantelle and give her incentives to meet and engage in sexual activities with Munro. Finally, Munro took a substantial step towards completion of the crime by actually going to the prearranged meeting place.

In short, the government presented sufficient evidence at trial from which a reasonable juror could have found Munro guilty of attempting to persuade a minor to engage in sexual acts through use of a computer connected to the Internet. See Magleby, 241 F.3d at 1312 (jury verdict will only be overturned when "no reasonable juror could have reached the disputed verdict") (quoting United States v. Whitney, 229 F.3d 1296, 1300-01 (10th Cir.2000)).

B. Section 924(c): Firearms Violation

Having found that there existed sufficient evidence to convict Munro of violating 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b), we turn to the question of whether the government presented sufficient evidence to convict Munro of carrying a firearm during the commission of a violent crime in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). To answer this question, we must first determine whether it is a crime of violence to use a device of interstate commerce to persuade a minor to engage in sexual acts, and then attempt to meet that minor for the purpose of engaging in such sexual acts. We review de novo the district court's legal conclusion that a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b) is a crime of violence. United States v. Vigil, 334 F.3d 1215, 1218 (10th Cir.2003).

When "determining whether a particular felony offense constitutes a crime of violence ... [we] employ a `categorical' approach that omits consideration of the particular facts of the case." Id. (interpreting crimes of violence under sentencing guidelines). We use this approach in evaluating § 2422. See Taylor v. United States, 495 U.S. 575, 600, 110 S.Ct. 2143, 109 L.Ed.2d 607 (1990) (determining whether burglary constitutes a predicate crime of violence under 18 U.S.C. § 924(e) "mandates a formal categorical approach, looking only to the statutory definitions of the prior offenses, and not to the particular facts underlying those convictions"). The language of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3) defines a crime of violence as one that "by its nature involves a substantial risk that physical force ... may be used in the course of committing the offense." (emphasis added).

In cases involving sex crimes against minors, we have found that "there is always a substantial risk that physical force will be used to ensure [a] child's compliance" with an adult's sexual demands. Vigil, 334 F.3d at 1221 (quoting United States v. Reyes-Castro, 13 F.3d 377, 379 (10th Cir.1993)). As a result, we have previously held that actual sex with or sexual abuse of a minor is a violent act. See United States v. Coronado-Cervantes, 154 F.3d 1242, 1244-45 (10th Cir.1998) (finding that sexual contact with a minor is a violent crime for purposes of the career offender sentencing guideline). This case, however, involves no actual abuse, but rather an attempt at such abuse.

Nonetheless, we...