United States v. Alexander Beattie

── United States v. Alexander Beattie ── Court: Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Date: May 18, 2026 Category: General NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PUBLICATION File Name: 26a0218n.06 No. 25-3708 UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FILED FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT May 18, 2026 KELLY L. STEPHENS, Clerk ) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ) Plaintiff-Appellee, ) ON APPEAL FROM THE ) UNITED STATES DISTRICT v. ) COURT FOR THE ) NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALEXANDER BEATTIE, ) OHIO Defendant-Appellant. ) ) OPINION ) Before: SUTTON, Chief Judge; LARSEN and MURPHY, Circuit Judges. LARSEN, Circuit Judge. Alexander Beattie was indicted on four firearm counts and one count of possessing child pornography. Beattie pleaded guilty as charged. The district court sentenced him to an above-Guidelines sentence of 210 months’ imprisonment. Beattie now appeals, challenging the procedural reasonableness of his sentence. We AFFIRM. I. In February 2024, a confidential informant (CI) reported to an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that Alexander Beattie was manufacturing firearms and machine gun conversion devices using a 3D printer. The CI provided the agent with Beattie’s phone number. The agent began communicating with Beattie regarding the potential sale and purchase of firearms or firearm pieces. Beattie eventually invited the agent to his home to see his production operation and told the agent he could prepurchase a firearm at that time. The agent met Beattie at his home and paid Beattie $400 to make an AR-style rifle. When talking with the agent about the legality of manufacturing such a weapon, Beattie explained, “If I get caught with No. 25-3708, United States v. Beattie any of these, I’m f*cked.” R. 25, Final PSR, PageID 225. Over the next two months, the agent and Beattie continued to communicate. The agent eventually returned to Beattie’s residence, where he obtained the assault rifle he had ordered, purchased a second firearm, and pre-ordered a third. The agent picked up the third firearm from Beattie in September 2024. Each firearm lacked an identifiable serial number. Investigators searched Beattie’s residence in November 2024 and seized the 3D printer, ammunition, and electronic devices. A grand jury indicted Beattie on four firearm counts. After a search of Beattie’s electronic devices uncovered over 900 still images and 50 videos of child pornography, the government added a count for possessing child pornography. Beattie pleaded guilty as charged. The PSR calculated Beattie’s Sentencing Guidelines range at 151 to 188 months. Prior to sentencing, the district court provided notice that it was considering an upward variance. At sentencing, the court agreed with the PSR’s calculation of Beattie’s Guidelines range. Beattie asked for a downward variance of 120 months, while the government asked for an above- Guidelines 210-month sentence. The district court agreed with the government and sentenced Beattie to 210 months’ imprisonment. Beattie now appeals, challenging the procedural reasonableness of his sentence. II. For a sentence to be procedurally rea