Topic
Every decision we've filed under Sentencing Guidelines.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the revocation of Maurice Bell's supervised release, ruling that the district court did not commit plain error by relying on public safety considerations. The court found the sentencing factors applied were permissible under the law.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed a firearms trafficking sentencing enhancement, holding that the defendant need only have reason to believe the transferee was an unlawful possessor, not that the transferee was actually unlawful. The court rejected arguments relying on other criminal statutes, emphasizing that the plain text of the Sentencing Guidelines focuses on the defendant's subjective belief.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed a 120-month sentence for firearm possession by a felon, ruling that any error in calculating the Sentencing Guidelines was harmless. The court held that the district court would have imposed the same sentence regardless of the Guidelines calculation and that the sentence was substantively reasonable given the defendant's conduct.
The Eleventh Circuit vacated an 18-month sentence because the district court failed to provide a specific explanation for imposing a significant upward variance from the Sentencing Guidelines. The court held that when a judge departs from the agreed-upon guidelines range, they must articulate the specific reasons for that departure on the record.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed a 300-month sentence for a defendant who coordinated the importation of hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine from Mexico. The court held that the district court did not clearly err in applying enhancements for the defendant's role as a manager and for engaging in drug trafficking as a livelihood.
The Third Circuit vacated a conviction under the Procurement Integrity Act because the District Court accepted a guilty plea without a sufficient factual basis. The court held that disclosing information from a past procurement only violates the statute if that information is substantively identical to data submitted for a pending procurement.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the revocation of Anthony Brown's supervised release after finding he committed assault and violated a no-contact order. The court upheld the district court's 11-month prison sentence, concluding the government met its burden of proof under the applicable legal standards.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the denial of Arturo Solis's motion for a sentence reduction because his criminal history score remained unchanged under Amendment 821. The court held that challenges to the original conviction and arguments regarding sentencing factors were not cognizable or necessary given his ineligibility.
The Third Circuit affirmed Bryan Doreian's conviction and sentence for filing false tax returns, ruling that his appellate waiver in the plea agreement was valid and enforceable. The court rejected Doreian's arguments that the agreement lacked consideration or would cause a miscarriage of justice, noting the government provided valuable benefits in exchange for his guilty plea.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed Richard Price's conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, rejecting his Second Amendment challenge to the indictment. The court further held that Price's prior Arkansas convictions properly supported an enhanced base offense level under the sentencing guidelines.