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Criminal

Every decision we've filed under Criminal.

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Civil 3419 Summary Judgment 812 Sentencing Guidelines 724 Civil Rights - Section 1983 655 Immigration (Civil) 650 Constitutional 538 Supervised Release 475 Drug Trafficking 445 Civil Rights - Employment 371 Firearms 324 Qualified Immunity 253 Anders Brief 243
Mar 11 2026
10th Cir. 5:24-CR-00250-PRW-1 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. MALYK JAJUAN RANSBURG

The Tenth Circuit dismissed Malyk Jajuan Ransburg's appeal because he signed a valid plea agreement containing an enforceable waiver of his right to appeal. The court held that the government did not breach the plea agreement by failing to support a downward sentencing adjustment, as Ransburg's false denial of relevant conduct precluded him from receiving that benefit.

Criminal Firearms
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Mar 10 2026
11th Cir. 6:23-cr-00052-CEM-RMN-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ALBERT AYALA

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a 168-month sentence for firearm possession by a convicted felon, rejecting claims that the sentence was procedurally or substantively unreasonable. The court held that the district court did not clearly err in finding the defendant contributed to his girlfriend's death during a high-speed chase and that the upward variance was justified under the abuse-of-discretion standard.

Criminal Sentencing Guidelines
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Mar 10 2026
11th Cir. 2:24-cr-00087-TPB-NPM-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. JUAN SEBASTIAN PEREZ

The Eleventh Circuit dismissed Juan Sebastian Perez's appeal of his 360-month sentence because he signed a knowing and voluntary plea agreement containing an enforceable waiver of his right to appeal. The court found the waiver barred Perez's challenge to the sentence's reasonableness and the district court's consideration of sentencing factors.

Child Sexual Abuse Material Criminal Sentencing Guidelines
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Mar 10 2026
9th Cir. 3:24-CR-02115-JAH Unpublished

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. JUAN GONZALEZ-LOPEZ

The Ninth Circuit affirmed a forty-month sentence for transporting aliens, rejecting claims that the district court failed to properly apply the advisory Sentencing Guidelines. The court held that the judge adequately explained the upward variance and considered statutory factors without committing procedural error.

Criminal Sentencing Guidelines
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Mar 10 2026
United States Court… 24-3098 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. CALVIN SMITH, ALSO KNOWN AS A-SAY

The D.C. Circuit vacated Calvin Smith's life sentences for drug conspiracy and racketeering, finding the drug sentence exceeded statutory limits and the racketeering sentence lacked required factual findings. The court also vacated a felony murder conviction on double jeopardy grounds and remanded the case for a new sentencing hearing.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Guidelines
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Mar 10 2026
4th Cir. 24-4546 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. NICO AARON LOWERS

The Fourth Circuit held that individuals maintain a reasonable expectation of privacy in files stored in private cloud-based accounts, requiring law enforcement to obtain a warrant before searching them. Although the court found the warrantless search of the defendant's Google Drive files unconstitutional, it affirmed the conviction because the evidence was sufficiently attenuated from the illegal search.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Supervised Release
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Mar 10 2026
7th Cir. 23-1249 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. DERRICK DAVIS

The Seventh Circuit affirmed a 84-month prison sentence for a felon in possession of a firearm, rejecting claims that the district court committed procedural error or imposed a substantively unreasonable sentence on remand. The court held that the judge properly relied on the defendant's boastful jail call and extensive criminal history to justify an above-Guidelines sentence, even after agreeing that evidence was insufficient to prove he fired a weapon.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Sentencing Guidelines
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