United States v. Susan Costello

POSNER, Circuit Judge.

The defendant was convicted of conspiracy to violate, and of violating, 18 U.S.C. § 1952(b), which makes it a federal crime to use the mails, or instrumentalities of interstate commerce, to commit offenses relating to prostitution that are criminal under the law of the state in which the offenses were committed. The federal sentencing guidelines provide for a four-level increase in the defendant’s base offense level “if the offense involved (A) prostitution and (B) the use of physical force, or coercion by threats or drugs or in any manner.” U.S.S.G. § 2Gl.l(b)(l). The…