Correspondent
Capitol Hill correspondent, covers legislative and political stories.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed Rami Mhana's convictions for money laundering and related crimes but reversed the district court's refusal to enter a forfeiture judgment. The appellate court held that forfeiture is mandatory under federal statute when the government meets specific prerequisites, regardless of restitution orders.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a forty-six-month sentence for conspiracy to defraud the United States and aiding in the preparation of false tax returns. The court held that the district court did not commit plain error in explaining its sentence or abuse its discretion in selecting a below-guidelines term.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed district court rulings that the government unlawfully detained noncitizens under a mandatory detention statute. The court held that the statute applies only to those actively seeking admission, not to individuals already in the interior who entered without inspection.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed a within-Guidelines sentence imposed on a defendant who pleaded guilty to an illegal reentry offense. The court granted counsel leave to withdraw after finding no non-frivolous issues for appeal.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a federal prisoner's motion for compassionate release, finding no abuse of discretion in the lower court's weighing of sentencing factors.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit dismissed an appeal after appointed counsel filed a brief asserting no nonfrivolous issues existed. The court granted the motion to withdraw and denied the defendant's request to proceed pro se.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the sentence of a defendant convicted of traveling in interstate commerce to engage in a sexual act with a minor. The court rejected challenges to a sentencing enhancement for a vulnerable victim and a claim regarding conditional sentencing language.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of Sean Christopher Williams for manufacturing child pornography. The court rejected Williams's challenges regarding the admission of prior bad acts evidence, the sufficiency of evidence for interstate commerce, and the length of his within-Guidelines sentence.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the district court's revocation of Devin Allen Wolfe's supervised release. The court held that Wolfe was barred from challenging the reimposed conditions and that the conditions were not erroneous on the merits.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed a district court order hospitalizing a defendant for a dangerousness evaluation after finding him incompetent and unrestorable for trial. The court reversed the portion of the order that directed a formal psychiatric examination and report, ruling that step was premature and beyond the district court's authority.
