United States v. Gregory Neeman ( 2022 )


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  •                  United States Court of Appeals
    For the Eighth Circuit
    ___________________________
    No. 22-1666
    ___________________________
    United States of America,
    lllllllllllllllllllllPlaintiff - Appellee,
    v.
    Gregory A. Neeman,
    lllllllllllllllllllllDefendant - Appellant.
    ____________
    Appeal from United States District Court
    for the District of Nebraska - Omaha
    ____________
    Submitted: November 8, 2022
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    [Unpublished]
    ____________
    Before COLLOTON, GRUENDER, and GRASZ, Circuit Judges.
    ____________
    PER CURIAM.
    Gregory Neeman pleaded guilty to drug trafficking offenses, and the district
    1
    court sentenced him to 180 months in prison. On Neeman’s appeal, his counsel has
    1
    The Honorable Joseph F. Bataillon, United States District Judge for the
    District of Nebraska.
    moved to withdraw, and has filed a brief under Anders v. California, 
    386 U.S. 738
    (1967), challenging the application of a sentencing enhancement under 
    21 U.S.C. § 851
    . Neeman has filed a pro se brief raising additional challenges, and has
    requested new counsel on appeal.
    We conclude that Neeman’s prior drug conviction met the relevant criteria for
    an enhancement under § 851, including that Neeman was released from prison within
    fifteen years of the commencement of the instant offense. See 
    21 U.S.C. § 802
    (57);
    
    18 U.S.C. § 924
    (e)(2). Contrary to counsel’s argument, Neeman’s supervised release
    term was properly counted as part of the original sentence, see United States v.
    Wilson, 
    939 F.3d 929
    , 931-32 (8th Cir. 2019), and in any event, the record shows that
    Neeman was originally released within the relevant period.
    As to Neeman’s pro se arguments, we conclude that the district court’s
    drug-quantity determination was not clearly erroneous, and that the court reasonably
    credited a detective’s testimony over Neeman’s. See United States v. Moore, 
    212 F.3d 441
    , 446 (8th Cir. 2000); United States v. Karam, 
    37 F.3d 1280
    , 1286 (8th Cir.
    1993). Neeman asserts for the first time on appeal that his rights were violated under
    Brady v. Maryland, 
    373 U.S. 83
     (1963), because the detective “altered” the original
    police report regarding drug quantity, and because the video of the search of his car
    had been lost. We see no plain error. The detective testified about revisions to his
    report that occurred during process of dictation and typing, and he was subject to
    cross-examination about them. Neeman fails to explain how the disputed video
    evidence would have been favorable to him. See United States v. Shepard, 
    462 F.3d 847
    , 870 (8th Cir. 2006); United States v. Stuart, 
    150 F.3d 935
    , 937 (8th Cir. 1998).
    By pleading guilty, Neeman waived his claims that the government’s filing of the §
    851 notice was retaliatory, and that his rights under Miranda v. Arizona, 
    384 U.S. 436
    (1966), were violated. See United States v. Muratella, 
    843 F.3d 780
    , 783 (8th Cir.
    2016). Any claim of ineffective assistance of counsel should be raised in a collateral
    proceeding under 
    28 U.S.C. § 2255
    .
    -2-
    We have independently reviewed the record under Penson v. Ohio, 
    488 U.S. 75
     (1988), and we find no non-frivolous issues for appeal. Accordingly, we affirm,
    grant counsel’s motion to withdraw, and deny Neeman’s request for new counsel.
    ______________________________
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