US v. Beck:
Beck, already a registered sex offender, was charged with multiple counts
arising from the abuse of a minor, including the production of child
pornography and doing so while required to register as a sex offender. Beck
pleaded guilty to both charges (others were dropped) and was told that the
district court was required to imposed the 10-year mandatory sentence on the
sex offender count consecutively to whatever sentence was imposed on the
production count. The district court imposed the statutory maximum 40-year term
on the production count, plus the ten years. After remand because there was no consecutive
requirement the district court reimposed the same sentence.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed Beck’s
sentence in a second appeal. This time, Beck argued that the statute under
which the sex offender conviction was sustained, 18 USC 2260A, does not
actually state an offense at all – it was merely a sentencing enhancement. As a
result, his conviction on that count was invalid (because the other offense to
which he pleaded guilty was not one of the listed predicate offenses for which
a sentence could be enhanced). The court rejected that argument, looking the
language of 2260A and concluding that it did state an offense. In particular,
because liability under 2260A requires proof that a minor was involved in the
offense (not all of the listed predicate offenses involve minors) which was an
element of an offense.
Judge Harris wrote a concurring opinion
to “emphasize some of the peculiar features of this case that have muddled the
statutory question,” while Judge Rushing dissented, arguing that the court should
have dismissed the appeal pursuant to the waiver provision in Beck’s plea
agreement (she agreed that 2260A is a substantive offense, however).
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