Source: http://il.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20090623_0000881.SIL.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2016-12-03 20:01:23
Document Index: 190265350

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 3582', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 851', '§ 841', '§ 5', '§ 2', '§ 3582', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 5', '§ 2', '§ 3582', '§ 5', '§ 2', '§ 3582', '§ 3582']

| United States v. Sample
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, PLAINTIFF,v.GEORGE L. SAMPLE, DEFENDANT.
This matter comes before the Court on defendant George L. Sample's pro se motion for a reduction of his criminal sentence pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2) and United States Sentencing Guideline Manual ("U.S.S.G.") § 1B1.10 (Doc. 157). The Court appointed counsel for Sample, and counsel has moved to withdraw on the basis that she can make no non-frivolous arguments in support of the defendant's request (Doc. 160). See Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 744 (1967). The government has responded to the motions (Doc. 162). Sample failed to respond to counsel's motion although he was given an opportunity to do so.
Sample pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of crack cocaine. At sentencing, the Court found by a preponderance of the evidence that Sample's relevant conduct was at least 3,000 kilograms but less than 10,000 kilograms of marijuana equivalency units, which under United States Sentencing Guideline Manual ("U.S.S.G.") § 2D1.1 yielded a base offense level of 33. No adjustments were made to that level. Considering Samples's criminal history category of IV, this yielded a sentencing range of 188 to 235 months in prison. However, because the government had filed an enhancement pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 851, Sample's statutory minimum sentence was 20 years. See 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A). Consequently, pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 5G1.1(b), his guideline sentence became 240 months. Sample now asks the Court to apply recent changes to U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1 to lower his sentence.
Sample cannot satisfy the first criterion because he was not "sentenced to a term of imprisonment based on a sentencing range that has subsequently been lowered by the Sentencing Commission pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 994(o)." 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2). Amendments 706 and 711 amended U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(c) as of November 1, 2007, to lower by two points the base offense levels associated with various amounts of crack cocaine. The Sentencing Commission amended U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(c) intending to alter the disparity in sentences involving crack cocaine and sentences involving powder cocaine. The amendments did not, however, reduce the sentencing range of defendants whose minimum guideline sentence was determined under U.S.S.G. § 5G1.1(b) based on a statutory minimum rather than under U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1 based on relevant conduct amounts. See Forman, 553 F.3d at 588 ("Nothing in § 3582(c)(2) permits a court to reduce a sentence below the mandatory minimum."). Because Sample was sentenced based on his statutory minimum sentence in accordance with U.S.S.G. § 5G1.1(b), not his base offense level set forth in U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1, under the old and amended guidelines, his guideline sentence would have been 240 months. Thus, the amendments did not lower his guideline range, and he cannot satisfy the first criterion under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2) for obtaining a sentence reduction.
Because Sample cannot satisfy the first criterion under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2) for obtaining a sentence reduction, the Court does not have subject matter jurisdiction to consider his reduction request. See Forman, 553 F.3d at 588; Lawrence, 535 F.3d at 637-38. The Court therefore GRANTS counsel's motion to withdraw (Doc. 160) and DISMISSES Sample's motion for a sentence reduction (Doc. 157) for lack of jurisdiction. The Clerk is DIRECTED to mail a copy of this order to Defendant George L. Sample, #21985-424, FCI Milan, P.O. Box 1000, Milan, MI 48160.