U.S. v. Pons

Dist. Ct. did not err in sentencing defendant to 78-month term of incarceration on wire fraud charge, where said sentence was based in part on Dist. Ct.’s decision not to reduce defendant’s offense level based on his entry of guilty plea, where defendant had previously fled country and remained fugitive for approximately one year before turning himself in. While defendant argued that, although he obstructed justice by fleeing country, he should have received reduction for acceptance of responsibility under section 3E1.1 of USSG in light of his prompt entry of guilty plea after his voluntary return to U.S., Dist. Ct. could properly find that defendant’s conduct in fleeing country was so egregious that awarding credit for acceptance of responsibility was unjustified.