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Sentencing Guidelines

Every decision we've filed under Sentencing Guidelines.

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Civil 2101 Criminal 1228 Summary Judgment 471 Civil Rights - Section 1983 399 Immigration (Civil) 358 Constitutional 353 Supervised Release 289 Drug Trafficking 275 Firearms 215 Civil Rights - Employment 205 Intellectual Property 160 Qualified Immunity 153
Apr 7 2026
5th Cir. 24-10436 Per Curiam

United States of America v. Acacedric Rashod Ware

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the denial of a § 2255 motion, holding that a defendant cannot prove ineffective assistance of counsel based on a conflict of interest without showing that the conflict adversely affected the defense strategy. Although the attorney's dual representation created an actual conflict, the record showed the lawyer withdrew immediately upon discovery and took no substantive actions that harmed the client.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Sentencing Guidelines Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Apr 7 2026
10th Cir. 5:22-CR-00425-J-1) Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. EDWARD TERRELL GLAZE

The Tenth Circuit affirmed a 10-month prison sentence imposed after the revocation of Edward Terrell Glaze's supervised release for multiple drug violations. The court found the district court's sentence procedurally and substantively reasonable, noting the mandatory nature of revocation under federal statute.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Sentencing Guidelines Supervised Release
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Apr 7 2026
11th Cir. 0:21-cr-60213-RS-3 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. JUAN CARLOS AGUIAR PARADA

The Eleventh Circuit vacated a district court's denial of a compassionate release motion because the lower court failed to apply the correct standard for determining if a defendant is the only available caregiver. The court held that this determination requires a fact-intensive inquiry into whether any other person is qualified and free to provide care.

Compassionate Release Criminal Sentencing Guidelines
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Apr 7 2026
11th Cir. 1:24-cv-00016-CG-B Per Curiam

JONATHON HOWARD BECK v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of Jonathon Howard Beck's habeas motion, ruling that the record conclusively showed he received effective assistance of counsel. The court held that Beck's sworn statements during his plea colloquy created a formidable barrier to his claim that he did not understand his mandatory minimum sentences.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Guidelines
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Apr 6 2026
5th Cir. 25-30104 Per Curiam

United States of America v. Shaquaila Lewis

The Fifth Circuit affirmed Shaquaila Lewis's twenty-seven-month sentence, rejecting her argument that the district court erred in applying a sophisticated-means enhancement. The court held that Lewis's use of fictitious tax forms, fake payroll checks, and delayed business registration constituted especially complex conduct designed to conceal her fraud.

Criminal Fraud Sentencing Guidelines
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Apr 3 2026
6th Cir. 25-5319 Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. DAVID LYNN VANNELLI

The Sixth Circuit affirmed David Lynn Vannelli's 252-month sentence and the district court's rejection of his plea agreement, ruling that the judge acted within discretion given the egregious nature of the child exploitation offenses. The court held that a sentencing judge is not bound to accept a Rule 11(c)(1)(C) plea recommendation and may impose a higher sentence if the agreed-upon term is inadequate.

Child Sexual Abuse Material Criminal Sentencing Guidelines Supervised Release
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Apr 3 2026
11th Cir. 1:24-cr-20173-JB-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. TOMAS ALKSNYS

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a thirty-six-month sentence for bank fraud and money laundering, rejecting the defendant's challenges to the sentencing guidelines calculations. The court found no plain error in the district court's application of the mass-marketing enhancement and its denial of a minor-role reduction.

Criminal Fraud Sentencing Guidelines
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