
Extracted Text
Case 22-1426, Document 109-1, 09/17/2024, 3634097, Page24 of 26
We review a sentence for both procedural and substantive
reasonableness, which “amounts to review for abuse of discretion.” 2
We have explained that procedural error is found when a district court
“fails to calculate (or improperly calculates) the Sentencing Guidelines
range, treats the Sentencing Guidelines as mandatory, fails to consider
the [Section] 3553(a) factors, selects a sentence based on clearly
erroneous facts, or fails adequately to explain the chosen sentence.” *?
The District Court did none of that. It is important to emphasize that
the Sentencing Guidelines “are guidelines—that is, they are truly
advisory.”*+ A District Court is “generally free to impose sentences
outside the recommended range” based on its own “informed and
individualized judgment.”*>
With respect to the four-level leadership enhancement, the District
Court found that Maxwell “supervised” Sarah Kellen in part because
of testimony from two of Epstein’s pilots who testified that Kellen was
Maxwell’s assistant. The District Court found that testimony credible,
in part because it was corroborated by other testimony that Maxwell
was Epstein’s “number two and the lady of the house” in Palm Beach,
52 Linited States v. Cavera, 550 F.3d 180, 187 (2d Cir. 2008) (en banc). “Regardless of whether
the sentence imposed is inside or outside the Guidelines range, the appellate court must
review the sentence under an abuse-of-discretion standard.” Gall v. United States, 552 U.S.
38, 51 (2007).
3 United States v. Robinson, 702 F.3d 22, 38 (2d Cir. 2012).
54 Cavera, 550 F.3d at 189.
38 Id.
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