United States of America v. Matthew Leroy Anderson

United States Court of Appeals
For the Eighth Circuit
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No. 23-3278
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United States of America
Plaintiff - Appellee
v.
Matthew Leroy Anderson
Defendant - Appellant
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Appeal from United States District Court
for the Southern District of Iowa - Central
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Submitted: May 6, 2024
Filed: July 16, 2024
[Unpublished]
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Before COLLOTON, Chief Judge, SHEPHERD and STRAS, Circuit Judges.
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PER CURIAM.
After Matthew Anderson pleaded guilty to three federal crimes, he received
consecutive sentences totaling 321 months. He argues that his sentence was
substantively unreasonable.

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We conclude otherwise. Anderson received 24 months for trying to escape,
see 18 U.S.C. § 371; 99 months for participating in a drug conspiracy, see 21 U.S.C.
§§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), 846; and 198 months for possessing a firearm, see 18 U.S.C.
§ 924(c)(1)(A)(i), (B)(ii). The district court1 made the sentences consecutive
because of the “separate serious offense” of trying to escape custody and his
leadership role in a drug conspiracy that trafficked a “staggering” amount of drugs.
Its view was that a total of 321 months was “sufficient but not greater than
necessary” given his “serious [criminal] conduct.” In reaching that conclusion, it
sufficiently considered the statutory sentencing factors, id. §§ 3553(a), 3584(b), and
did not rely on an improper factor or commit a clear error of judgment. See United
States v. Boyum, 54 F.4th 1012, 1015 (8th Cir. 2022) (reviewing the
concurrent-versus-consecutive decision for an abuse of discretion). We accordingly
affirm the judgment of the district court.
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1 The Honorable Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger, United States District Judge for
the Southern District of Iowa.

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