United States v. Brandon Lee

MEMORANDUM

Brandon Che Lee appeals his conviction and sentence. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 . We affirm.

This case involves a bank fraud and check-kiting scheme. A jury convicted Lee of mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341 , producing false identification documents in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028 (a)(1), possessing five or more false identification documents in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028 (a)(3), and possessing document-making implements in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028 (a)(5). The district court sentenced Lee to 240 months imprisonment and ordered him to pay restitution of approximately $4.9 million.

I

Lee claims that the district court violated his Sixth Amendment right to counsel when the court denied his motions to substitute counsel. We review a district court’s denial of a motion to substitute counsel for abuse of discretion. United States v. Rivera-Corona, 618 F.3d 976, 978 (9th Cir.2010).

At a status conference six weeks before trial, Lee requested a new attorney. Lee did not specify that he wanted to retain new counsel rather than receive newly-appointed counsel. But Lee contends that he was not assisted by an interpreter at the status…