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FILED
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
JUNE 13, 2011
JOHN LEY
CLERK
the severity of the 16-level enhancement for a previous illegal re-entry after
conviction of a drug-trafficking offense and the district courts failure to weigh his
history and characteristics properly.
A district court must impose a sentence that is both procedurally and
substantively reasonable.1 Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38, 51 (2007). We
review the reasonableness of a sentence under a deferential abuse-of-discretion
standard. Id. at 41. The party challenging the sentence bears the burden to
show it is unreasonable in light of the record and the 3553(a) factors. United
States v. Tome, 611 F.3d 1371, 1378 (11th Cir. 2010).
A sentence is substantively unreasonable if it fails to achieve the purposes
of sentencing as stated in section 3553(a). United States v. Talley, 431 F.3d 784,
788 (11th Cir. 2005). Pursuant to 3553(a), the sentencing court must impose a
sentence sufficient, but not greater than necessary, to reflect the seriousness of
the offense, promote respect for the law, provide just punishment for the offense,
deter criminal conduct, protect the public from future criminal conduct by the