United States v. Victor Chichande

FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, No. 23-50041

Plaintiff-Appellee, D.C. No. 3:18-cr-00421- v. BEN-

VICTOR GASPAR CHICHANDE,

OPINION

Defendant-Appellant.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of California Roger T. Benitez, District Judge, Presiding

Submitted May 10, 2024 * Pasadena, California

Filed August 15, 2024

Before: Kim McLane Wardlaw, Morgan Christen, and Mark J. Bennett, Circuit Judges.

Opinion by Judge Bennett

* The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2). SUMMARY **

Criminal Law

The panel affirmed Victor Gaspar Chichande’s 180- month sentence following his jury conviction for conspiring to distribute cocaine on board a vessel, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute on board a vessel, and aiding and abetting. In a prior appeal, this court affirmed Chichande’s conviction but vacated his sentence and remanded for resentencing because the district court had erred in analyzing…