United States v. DeSouza ( 1998 )


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  •                             UNPUBLISHED
    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
    No. 97-6219
    UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
    Plaintiff - Appellee,
    versus
    DAYMIONE DESOUZA, a/k/a Fata, a/k/a Demione
    DeSouza,
    Defendant - Appellant.
    Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern Dis-
    trict of North Carolina, at Raleigh. Malcolm J. Howard, District
    Judge. (CR-93-53-H, CA-96-162-4-H)
    Submitted:   May 19, 1998                 Decided:   October 22, 1998
    Before NIEMEYER, HAMILTON, and WILLIAMS, Circuit Judges.
    Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
    Daymione DeSouza, Appellant Pro Se. Bruce Charles Johnson, OFFICE
    OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Raleigh, North Carolina, for
    Appellee.
    Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
    See Local Rule 36(c).
    PER CURIAM:
    Daymione DeSouza appeals the district court’s order denying
    relief on his motion filed under 
    28 U.S.C.A. § 2255
     (West 1994 &
    Supp. 1998). DeSouza challenges the validity of his conviction,
    entered pursuant to his guilty plea, of using and carrying a
    firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime in violation of 
    18 U.S.C. §§ 2
    , 924(c) (1994). DeSouza contends that in light of the
    Supreme Court’s decision in Bailey v. United States, 
    516 U.S. 137
    (1995), interpreting the meaning of “use” under § 924(c), the
    requisite factual basis for his plea was lacking and his plea was
    involuntary.
    We reject DeSouza’s contention that the record demonstrates
    that he did not “use” or “carry” a firearm within the meaning of
    § 924(c)(1) as that statute was interpreted by Bailey. DeSouza is
    liable for the acts of his co-conspirators which constitute use or
    carry under § 924(c). See United States v. Wilson, 
    135 F.3d 291
    ,
    305-06 (4th Cir. 1998); United States v. Phan, 
    121 F.3d 149
    , 152
    n.2 (4th Cir. 1997), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 
    66 U.S.L.W. 3388
    (U.S. Feb. 23, 1998) (No. 97-863). Accordingly, we deny DeSouza’s
    motion for a certificate of appealability and dismiss the appeal.
    We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal conten-
    tions are adequately presented in the materials before the court
    and argument would not aid the decisional process.
    DISMISSED
    2