UNITEDSTATESDISTRICTCOURTFORTHE

WESTERNDISTRICTOFNORTHCAROLINA
ASHVILLEDIVISION

DocketNo.1:06CR160

UNITEDSTATESOFAMERICA

v.

NORMANWILFREDVIGUE,
Defendant

SENTENCINGMEMORANDUM

Nowcomesthedefendant,NormanWilfredVigue,throughcounseland
submitsthisSentencingMemoranduminsupportofhisposition,specifically,
thatthisCourtsentenceMr.Viguetothemandatoryminimumsentenceof60
monthsincarceration.
Asentencegreaterthan60monthswouldbeunjustandwouldbefargreater
thannecessarytocomplywiththepurposesof18U.S.C.3553.

I.

Facts
Mr.Viguespendsmostofhisfreetimemakingsurethathousebound

seniorcitizensreceiveanutritiousmeal.Bychairingthevolunteerprogram
forhischurchtoassistinthedeliveryofFriendshipTrays1,NormVigue

Friendship Trays is CharlottesMealsonWheelsaffiliate.

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ensuresover1600nutritiousmealsamonthwillbedeliveredtotheelderly
andinfirmwhowouldotherwisenotreceiveanythingtoeat.
In2004,NormanViguefoundhisfaith.Likemanypeople,itwasinhis
darkesthour.Mr.Vigueslonelinessfollowinghisdivorceledtoanaddiction
topornography.BeforeNormantrulyhitbottom,heorderedavideo
purportingtocontainyoungteenshavingsexthatwassolicitedtohimaspart
ofanundercovergovernmentinvestigation.Thereceiptofthisvideoisthe
conductthatMr.VigueistobesentencedforbeforethisCourt.
Immediatelyafterthevideowasdeliveredtohishouse,thegovernment
agentsidentifiedthemselves,andMr.Viguespokefreelywiththem.They
foundnootherillegalorevenpornographicvideos.Hewasnotarrested.
Normwenttohischurch.Hebegancounselingwithadoctoraswellas
spiritualcounselingtoaddresshisproblemwithpornographyandtofindthe
root.Hispastorrequiredthatheinstallantipornsoftwareonhiscomputer
thatwouldnotifyothersifheweretoventuredownthisdarkroad.Norm
didsoandsetupbothhissoninlawandastaffmemberofthechurchto
receivereportsfromthesoftware.Pretrialserviceshavealsoreceived
reports.
Normbegantothriveinchurch.Hewasnolongerlonely,hebegantofeel
thathislifehadnewmeaningandthathewasmakingadifferenceinothers

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lives.Hisfaithhasbroughthimfriendship,peace,andstrengthtoovercome
hisaddictiontopornography.
Ayearandahalfafterthevideowasdeliveredtohishome;hewas
arrestedontheinstantcharges.
TheSundaybeforeNormanenteredhisguiltyplea,hespoketoacrowdof
almosttwothousand.Hisministeraskedhimtotellthecongregationhis
storyoffailureandfaith.2Hetoldthecongregationthepathhehadgone
down,thathisfaithhassavedhimfromalifeofbothsinandcrime,andthat
itishisfaiththatcontinuestocarryhimandwillgivehimstrengthashe
spendsthenextfiveyearsofhislifeinprison.Itishisfaiththatremindshim
hecanstillmakeadifference,thathecandogood.

SummaryoftheArgument
Asentenceof60months,thestatutoryminimum,isappropriate.Any

greatersentencewouldbefargreaterthannecessarytoreflecttheseriousness
oftheoffense,promoterespectforthelaw,providejustpunishment,afford
adequatedeterrencetocriminalconduct,protectthepublicfromfurther
crimescommittedbythedefendant,andprovidethedefendantwith
correctionaltreatment.Theappropriateguidelinesentenceisasentence
2

Letters from members of the congregation are attached as Appendix A to demonstrate the impact Mr.
Vigue has had on their lives.

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belowthestatutoryminimumofsixtymonths.Therefore,theappropriate
sentenceisasentenceofsixtymonths.

Sentencingobjections
1.

A4levelenhancementunderUSSG2G2.2(b)(4)shouldnotapply.

(PreSentenceReport,Paragraph34).
BoththeGovernmentanddefenseagreethatthisenhancementfor
sadomasochisticconduct,shouldnotapply.
Theenhancementwasappliedbasedonconductinthevideothatwas
actuallydeliveredbytheGovernmenttoMr.Vigueshome.Thisvideowas
neverorderedbyMr.Vigueandhadnosimilaritiestotheoneherequested
exceptthatitcontainedchildpornography.ThedescriptionofthevideoMr.
Vigueorderedwasavideoofyoungteenshavingsex.Theadvertisement,which
wasgeneratedbytheGovernment,didnotpurporttocontainsadomasochistic
conduct.
ThevideodeliveredbytheGovernmentcontainedveryyoungchildrenand
sadomasochisticconduct.TheGovernmentneededtodeliveravideowithchild
pornographyonittosatisfytheelementsoftheoffenseintheirundercover
investigation.Itistheunderstandingofthedefensethatthisvideowas
randomlychosensimplytomeettherequirementofcontainingchild

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pornography,notforthepurposeofsatisfyingarequestmyMr.Viguetoreceive
sadomasochisticimages.
Whilethecircuitsdisagreeonwhetherintentofthedefendantisrelevant
(See:UnitedStatesv.Saylor,959F.2d198(11thCir.1992)andUnitedStatesv.
Cole,61F.3d24(11thCir.1995),whichheldthatthecourterredinenhancing
defendantssentencewhenevidencedidnotsupportdefendantsintenttoreceive
materialinvolvingchildrenundertheageoftwelve),eventhecourtsthatapply
strictliabilitytotheviewerexceptenhancementsoncasesinvolvingsentencing
entrapment.UnitedStatesv.Richardson,238,F.3d837,840(7thCir.2001).
Casesthatinvolvesadomasochisticmaterialsentbythegovernmentwithout
evidenceofintentbythedefendantarenotheldtoastrictliabilitystandard.The
defendantdoesnotallegethatthegovernmentwasintendingtoentraphimby
includingsadomasochisticconductonthevideobecausethegovernmentagrees
thisenhancementshouldnotapply.ThedefensepresentsthistotheCourtinthe
eventthatthisCourttakesadifferentviewthanbothparties.
Thespecificnatureofwhateverwasonthedeliveredvideoshouldhaveno
bearingonspecificguidelineenhancements.Thisenhancementshouldnot
apply.

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2.

A2levelenhancementunderUSSG2G2.2(b)(6)shouldnot

apply.(PreSentenceReport,Paragraph35).
BoththeGovernmentanddefenseagreethatthisenhancementforuseofa
computerduringtheoffense,shouldnotapply.Mr.Viguedidnotusethe
internettocommitanyportionofthisoffense.
InUnitedStatesv.Dotson,324F.3d256(4thCir.2003),theCourtheldthata
computerenhancementappliedwhenthedefendantinitiallycontactedthepostal
inspectorviatheinternet,eventhoughallcorrespondenceconcerningthe
specificmaterialoftheoffensewasdonethroughthemail.UnitedStates
v.Dotson324F.3d256,257.
Thiscaseisdifferent.Allconductthatledtothecommissionofthiscrime
transpiredthroughtheUnitedStatesMail.Nocomputerwasusedforthe
possession,transmission,receipt,ordistributionofthisoffense.
WhilethegovernmentreceivedMr.Viguesnameandaddressfromwebsite
customerdatabases,thereisnoevidencethatMr.Viguepossessed,transmitted,
received,ordistributedillegalimagesfromthosewebsites.Further,the
governmentsuasponteretrievedMr.Viguesphysicaladdressfromacomputer
server,Mr.Viguemadenocontactwiththegovernmentviacomputer.

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3.

A2levelenhancementunderUSSG2G2.2(b)(7)(C)shouldapply.

(PreSentenceReport,Paragraph36).
BoththeGovernmentanddefenseagreethatMr.Vigueshouldbesentenced
basedon75images,thenumberofimagesattributedtoonevideo.
Mr.Vigueshouldonlybesentencedbasedonthevideothathereceived
throughthemail.
Theevidencedoesnotsupportthepresentenceinvestigators
recommendationthatMr.Viguepossessedadditionalillegalimagesonhis
computer.
Thereisnoevidencethattheimagesreliedonfortheadditionalonepoint
enhancementwereimagesofminors.Noevidenceexiststodemonstratetheir
ageorshowthattheyarenotcomputergeneratedimages.
Further,Mr.Viguedidnotpossesstheseimages.Hedidnotintentionally
downloadthemnorwasheawarethattheyweresavedinanylocationonhis
computer.Mostlikely,theseimageswereautomaticallysavedtohiscomputer
withouthisknowledge.
Theimagesthatwerefoundonhiscomputerwerethumbnailimagesand
foundonhistemporaryinternetfile.Imagesareautomaticallysavedtoyour
temporarilyinternetfile,withoutausersknowledgeorintent.Imagesina
temporaryinternetfilearenotintentionallydownloaded.

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Thumbnailimagesareapproximatelyinchbyinchandhaveaverylow
resolution.Ifthesizeoftheimagewasenlarged,thelowresolutionwouldnot
allowtheimagetobevisible.Thumbnailsaretypicallyusedwhenalarge
numberofimagesaredisplayedonasinglepage.
EvidencethattheimagescamefromMr.Viguestemporaryinternetfileand
thattheimageswerethumbnailimagessupporttheconclusionthatMr.Vigue
didnotpossesstheseimages.

4.

A2levelenhancementunderUSSG2G2.2(b)(2)shouldnotapply.

(PreSentenceReport,Paragraph33).
Mr.Vigueshouldnotreceiveatwopointenhancementformaterialthat
involvedaminorwhohadnotattainedtheageoftwelvewhenthevideothat
wassolicitedbytheGovernmentandorderedbyMr.Vigueclearlyadvertised
minorsovertheageof12.
InUnitedStatesv.Cole,61F.3d24(11thCir.1995),theCourtheldthe
districtcourtsapplicationofthetwolevelenhancementwasclearerrorwhen
thedefendantrequestedonevideothatspecificallydescribedminorsoverthe
ageoftwelveandonlysentmoneyforonevideo.
TheinstantcaseissimilartoColeasMr.Viguespecificallyrequested
materialthatcontainedminorsovertheageoftwelve.Further,noevidence

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existsthatMr.Viguehadanyintenttoreceivematerialofminorsundertheage
oftwelve.
ThevideoorderedbyMr.Viguewasdescribedasfollows:Thisvideohas
twoyoungcheerleadersandtwoyoungfootballplayers,allabout12or13years
old.
ThereisnoindicationthatMr.Vigueintendedtopossessmaterialsthat
involvedaminorundertheageof12.Therefore,thisenhancementshouldnot
apply.

CONCLUSION
Basedontheaboveobjections,thisCourtshouldfindaguidelinerangeof
3037months.Becausethesentencingrangeisbelowthestatutoryminimumof
fiveyears,thedefenseaskstheCourttoimposeasentenceoffiveyears.
Thisthe18thdayofJune,2007.

Respectfully submitted,
s/ C. Melissa Owen
Bar No. 29803
Attorney for Norman Vigue
Tin Fulton Greene & Owen, PLLC
212 South Tryon Street, Suite 1700
Phone: 704-338-1220
Fax: 704-338-1312
E-mail: cmowen@tfgolaw.com

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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I certify that I have served the foregoing SENTENCING MEMORANDUM on
opposing counsel by submitting a copy through the Electronic Case Filing System, to be
sent to:
Kimlani Ford
Assistant United States Attorney
227 West Trade Street
Suite 1700
Charlotte, NC 28202
Robert.gleason@usdoj.gov
This the 18th day of June, 2007.
s/ C.Melissa Owen
Bar No. 29803
Attorney for Antonio Briggs
Tin Fulton Greene & Owen, PLLC
212 South Tryon Street, Suite 1700
Phone: 704-338-1220
Fax: 704-338-1312
E-mail: cmowen@tfgolaw.com

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