Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-10-01186/USCOURTS-ca8-10-01186-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Brandon Lamarr Smith-Cushingberry
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

1

The Honorable Raymond C. Clevenger, III, Judge of the United States Court

of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, sitting by designation.

2

 The Honorable Warren K. Urbom, United States District Judge for the District

of Nebraska. 

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 10-1186

___________

United States of America, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the

* District of Nebraska.

Brandon Lamarr Smith-Cushingberry, *

* [UNPUBLISHED]

Defendant - Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: June 14, 2010

Filed: June 22, 2010

___________

Before BYE, CLEVENGER,1

 and COLLOTON, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Brandon L. Smith-Cushingberry appeals his sentence reduction granted by the

district court2

 pursuant to the government’s motion under Federal Rule of Criminal

Procedure 35(b) to reduce his sentence based on his assistance with multiple

investigations. We dismiss this appeal for lack of jurisdiction.

Appellate Case: 10-1186 Page: 1 Date Filed: 06/22/2010 Entry ID: 3676454
-2-

Smith-Cushingberry pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to sixty months

imprisonment followed by five years supervised release, to conspiracy to possess with

intent to distribute crack cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846. Smith-Cushingberry

cooperated with the government and provided information which led to the

prosecution of two individuals. Thereafter, the government filed a motion to reduce

Smith-Cushingberry’s sentence pursuant to Rule 35(b). The government provided

detailed information involving the nature of assistance provided by SmithCushingberry. Following a hearing, the district court reduced Smith-Cushingberry’s

sentence to forty months imprisonment followed by five years supervised release. On

appeal, Smith-Cushingberry argues the sentence is unreasonable because the district

court did not give enough weight to his assistance and cooperation.

This court is without jurisdiction to review Rule 35(b) sentence reductions

unless one of four criteria are met under 18 U.S.C. § 3742(a). United States v.

Haskins, 479 F.3d 955, 957 (8th Cir. 2007) (per curiam) (holding that jurisdiction over

appeal of a Rule 35(b) sentence reduction is governed by 18 U.S.C. § 3742(a)). These

four criteria are:(1) the sentence was imposed in violation of the law, (2) the sentence

was imposed using an incorrect application of the sentencing guidelines, (3) the

sentence is greater than the applicable guidelines range, or (4) the sentence is imposed

for an offense without a sentencing guideline and is plainly unreasonable. 18 U.S.C.

§ 3742(a)(1)-(4). This court lacks jurisdiction to hear the appeal of the district court’s

ruling on the Rule 35(b) motion because Smith-Cushingberry’s claim does not satisfy

any of the criteria of § 3742(a). See United States v. Williams, 590 F.3d 579, 581 (8th

Cir. 2009) (“Because [defendant’s] claims do not satisfy any of the criteria listed in

18 U.S.C. § 3742(a), we conclude that they are unreviewable by this court.”).

Accordingly, we dismiss the appeal.

______________________________

Appellate Case: 10-1186 Page: 2 Date Filed: 06/22/2010 Entry ID: 3676454