U.S. v. Sullivan

Dist. Ct. did not err in sentencing defendant to 168-month term of incarceration on wire fraud charge arising out of scheme to induce victims to refinance their homes to provide money for remodeling projects that defendant and others did not complete. Dist. Ct. could properly find that loss arising out of scheme totaled $756,924.90 after subtracting per job labor and material costs at $15,000, and defendant offered only unsubstantiated claims that he incurred more substantial costs to refute govt.’s calculation of loss. Moreover, Dist. Ct. could properly impose vulnerable victim and sophisticated means enhancements where: (1) certain victims testified as to being on disability income when approached by defendant and record showed that defendant targeted his victims; and (2) defendant falsified construction contracts and lied to homeowners while coordinating various individuals including subcontractors and mortgage brokers to fool said homeowners.