U.S. v. Martinez

Dist. Ct. did not err in sentencing defendant to 240-month term of incarceration on drug conspiracy and crack distribution charge where said sentence was based in part on imposition of obstruction of justice enhancement due to defendant's failure to appear at original sentencing hearing. Dist. Ct. properly rejected defendant's claim that said enhancement was improper, even though defendant claimed that he skipped original sentencing hearing out of fear of his former gang members, since: (1) defendant's personal motivations for not showing up for sentencing hearing are generally irrelevant; and (2) defendant's flight of several years defeats any claim that he lacked reasonable opportunity to cease his obstructionist behavior. Ct. also rejected defendant's claim that his sentence was unreasonable even though certain co-defendants received relatively lighter sentences since said co-defendants did not flee their sentencing hearings and had cooperated with govt.