As noted in this previous post, this past April, Stuart and Hong Carson (husband and wife) pleaded guilty in the DOJ’s long-standing case against them.  The guilty pleas came after the trial court judge (Judge James Selna – C.D. Cal.) issued a pro-defendant jury instruction relating to knowledge of foreign official.  (See here).  On the brink of the DOJ being put to its ultimate burden of proof on “foreign official” and other elements as well, the DOJ offered plea agreements to substantially reduced charges and the defendants, likely mindful of the high costs of testing their innocence, did what most rationale, risk averse actors in their position would do – agreed to plead guilty.

Last week, Judge Selna sentenced Stuart Carson to four months imprisonment, followed by eight months of home detention, and ordered him to pay a $20,000 fine.  Judge Selena sentenced Hong Carson to three years probation, to include six months of home detention, and ordered her to pay a $20,000 fine.

This post provides an overview of the Carson sentencing issues and highlights two issues from Judge Selna’s H. Carson sentencing memo.

First, Judge Selna stated as follows. “The Court also does not give credit to the fact that she was educated in China, and has spent her career in a business environment that at a minimum raises potential conflicts with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.  There is no cultural defense to the present crime or any other under black letter law.”

Second, Judge Selna seemingly questioned the strength of the DOJ’s case.  He stated as follows.  “The Court also takes into account the strength of the Government’s case had the matter gone to trial.  While the Court found no legal impediment to the prosecution in the face of numerous challenges, the ultimate outcome of a number of issues on appeal was uncertain to a greater or lesser degree.”

As many readers know, in February 2011, the Carsons (along with other defendants in the case) filed a “foreign official” challenge (see this prior post) based in part on my “foreign official” declaration (see here).  As noted in this prior post, Judge Selna denied the pre-trial motion and concluded that the question of whether state-owned companies qualify as instrumentalities under the FCPA is a question of fact.

All of the below mentioned original source documents from the Stuart and Hong Carson sentencing can be accessed here.

Stuart Carson

In its sentencing brief, the DOJ recommended a six month sentence and a $20,000 fine.  The six month sentence factored in the DOJ’s request for a downward departure given Stuart Carson’s plea agreement and his cooperation and assistance to the DOJ including his willingness to testify at the trial of co-defendants Cosgrove and Edmonds.  The DOJ stated as follows.  “In the wake of defendant’s guilty plea and disclosure of his willingness to testify, co-defendants Cosgrove and Edmonds each entered into their own plea agreements with the government and subsequently pleaded guilty.  Defendant’s guilty plea and his willingness to testify as a government witness altered the landscape for the remaining defendants.  It enabled the government to focus its trial preparation on the two remaining defendants, wich would have resulted in a better trial presentation if those defendants had gone to trial.  And defendant’s testimony would have aided the government in its chances of obtaining a conviction.”

In its brief, the DOJ acknowledged that a guidelines range of zero to six months normally results in probation without any time in custody, but stated that “such an outcome is not appropriate for this defendant, because a sentence of straight probation or even a sentence that includes a component of home confinement would not adequately address defendant’s offense conduct or deter others from similar conduct.  As the President of CCI from 1989 through 2005, defendant was the highest-ranking CCI executive charged in this case.”

In recommending a six month sentence, the DOJ disagreed with the Probation Officer who concluded that a non-custodial sentence was warranted.  The DOJ stated as follows.  “The government sees a significant problem with the Probation Officer’s analysis, which seems largely driven by an effort to achieve some kind of parity with Cosgrove’s sentence.  It ignores the fact that it was Cosgrove’s serious and well-documented medical condition which compelled the Court to impose home confinement in lieu of imprisonment.”  [As noted in this prior post, in September, Judge Selna sentenced Cosgrove to 13 months home confinement].

In its brief the DOJ stated as follows.  “While the dollar amount involved in defendant’s offense conduct may not be large, it is the government’s view that any violations of the FCPA represents a ‘serious offense’ …”.

Judge Selna sentenced Stuart Carson to four months imprisonment, followed by eight months of home detention and a $20,000 fine.

Judge Selna stated as follows.  “In a typical case [involving a guidelines range of 0-6 months] probation with a term of home detention would be the appropriate sentence.  This case is not typical.  Although S. Carson pled to a single transaction, which was not listed in the Indictment, it is evident that the scheme was far broader, and that as chief executive officer of CCI, he played a major role in crafting and implementing the bribery scheme.  This case has garnered substantial attention in the general press and the business press.  Others in S. Carson’s position will be looking at the sentence which the Court imposes.  Deterrence is the overriding factor in the Court’s conclusion that a term of imprisonment is required here.  The Court needs to make clear that the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has a serious purpose, and that it will be enforced.  […]  A sentence of probation with home detention would be a minor inconvenience to a person in S. Carson’s circumstances.  It would not reflect the seriousness of the crime, and clearly would fall short of achieving the goal of deterrence.”

Judge Selna ordered that Stuart Carson surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on or before May 31, 2013.

Hong Carson

In its sentencing brief, the DOJ recommended a sentence of three years probation with a term of six months of home confinement.  Its recommendation factored in a two-level variance from the guidelines range of 10 to 16 months based on the same acceptance of responsibility and cooperation factors referenced above in connection with Stuart Carson as well as defendant’s circumstances.

The DOJ’s brief further states as follows.  “Defendant additionally argues that she is differently situated from her c0-defendants, in that she ‘viewed business [in China] through very different lenses based on her upbringing, education, and professional experience.’  The government cannot disagree that defendant, who was born in China and lived there until age 26, lacked the American education and early business training of her co-defendants.”

Judge Selna sentenced Hong Carson to three years probation to include six months of home detention and a $20,000 fine.  However, in his ruling Judge Selna rejected the DOJ’s recommendation of a variance based on Hong Carson’s circumstances.  Judge Selna stated as follows.  “The Court also does not give credit to the fact that she was educated in China, and has spent her career in a business environment that at a minimum raises potential conflicts with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.  There is no cultural defense to the present crime or any other under black letter law.”

In his sentencing memo, Judge Selna further stated as follows.  “The Court also takes into account the strength of the Government’s case had the matter gone to trial.  While the Court found no legal impediment to the prosecution in the face of numerous challenges, the ultimate outcome of a number of issues on appeal was uncertain to a greater or lesser degree.”

Judge Selna recommended that H. Carson’s home detention be served either before or after S. Carson’s serves his term of imprisonment so that one parent is available to meet the needs of the Carson children.