United States v. Kamalu Gonzales

MEMORANDUM

Kamalu Gonzales appeals the sentence imposed following his guilty plea to two counts of mail fraud, six counts of wire fraud, and two counts of money laundering. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 and 18 U.S.C. § 3742 (a). We affirm.

The district court did not err — and certainly did not clearly err, see United States v. Aragbaye, 234 F.3d 1101, 1107 (9th Cir.2000), superseded by statute on other grounds as stated in United States v. McEnry, 659 F.3d 893 , 899 n. 8 (9th Cir.2011)—in imposing a two-level enhancement on the basis that Gonzales’s offense involved sophisticated means. See U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 2Bl.l(b)(10)(C) (2013). “Conduct need not involve highly complex schemes or exhibit exceptional brilliance to justify a sophisticated means enhancement.” United States v. Jennings, 711 F.3d 1144, 1145 (9th Cir.2013). The district court’s finding that Gonzales used shell corporations was sufficient to support imposition of the enhancement. See U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 2B1.1 cmt. n. 9(B) (2013). Additionally, in general, Gonzales’s conduct was comparable to conduct that we have held sufficient to support imposition of the enhancement.…