Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ared-4_05-cr-00101/USCOURTS-ared-4_05-cr-00101-2/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Tierrie Jones
Defendant
United States of America
Plaintiff

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

WESTERN DIVISION

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

VS. 4:05-CR-00101-01-BRW

4:16-CV-00401-BRW

TIERRIE JONES 

 

ORDER

Pending is Defendant’s Motion to Vacate, Set Aside, or Correct Sentence based on Johnson

v. United States1

 (Doc. No. 89). The Government has responded.2 For the reasons set out below, the

motion is GRANTED.

I. BACKGROUND

On June 20, 2007, Defendant pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.3

 On

November 14, 2007, he was sentenced to 180 months in prison and 4 years supervised release.4

Defendant’s sentence was enhanced under the Armed Career Criminal Act (“ACCA”) based on prior

convictions for residential burglary, aggravated robbery, and aggravated assault. 

II. DISCUSSION

Under the ACCA a defendant receives an increased sentence if he had three separate,

previous convictions for “a violent felony or a serious drug offense, or both . . . .”5

 “Violent felony”

was defined, in part, as a felony that:

1

135 S. Ct. 2551 (2015). In Welch v. United States, 136 S. Ct. 1257 (2016), the Supreme

Court ruled that Johnson could be applied retroactively.

2

Doc. No. 91.

3

Doc. No. 52..

4

Doc. Nos. 57, 58.

5

18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(1).

1

Case 4:05-cr-00101-BRW Document 92 Filed 07/14/16 Page 1 of 2
(i) has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force

against the person of another; or 

(ii) is burglary, arson, or extortion, involves use of explosives, or otherwise involves

conduct that presents a serious potential risk of physical injury to another . . . .6

The phrase “or otherwise involves conduct that presents a serious potential risk of physical

injury to another” is known as the “residual clause.” In United States v. Johnson,

7

 the Supreme Court

held that the “residual clause” of the ACCA was unconstitutionally vague and violated due process. 

The Government concedes that Defendant’s prior conviction for aggravated assault falls

under the residual clause found unconstitutional in Johnson. Accordingly, the ACCA does not apply,

because Defendant no longer has three prior qualifying convictions.

Without the ACCA enhancement, Defendant’s total offense level is 218

 and his criminal

history category is VI. This results in a guideline range of 77-96 months.

CONCLUSION

For the reasons set out above, Defendant’s Motion to Vacate, Set Aside, or Correct Sentence

(Doc. No. 89) is GRANTED. Under the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, and considering provisions

found in 18 U.S.C. § 3553, Defendant’s sentence is reduced to 96 months. Supervised release is 3

years. All other conditions from the original judgment remain the same.9

IT IS SO ORDERED this 14th day of July, 2016.

 /s/ Billy Roy Wilson 

 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

6

18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(2)(B).

7

135 S. Ct. 2551 (2015). 

8

Defendant’s base offense level is 24 under USSG § 2K2.1. After a 3-point reduction for

acceptance of responsibility, the total offense level is 21.

9

Doc. No. 58.

2

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