Source: http://il.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20100204_0000194.SIL.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2017-03-31 00:55:36
Document Index: 432243763

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 3582', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 4', '§ 4', '§ 2', '§ 3582', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 4', '§ 2', '§ 3582', '§ 3582']

| United States v. Larkin
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, PLAINTIFF,v.BRYANT R. LARKIN, DEFENDANT.
This matter comes before the Court on Defendant Bryant Larkin's pro se Motion (Doc. 42) for a reduction of his criminal sentence pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2) and United States Sentencing Guidelines Manual (hereinafter "U.S.S.G.") § 1B1.10. The Court appointed counsel for Larkin, and said counsel has since moved to withdraw on the basis that she can make no non-frivolous arguments in support of Larkin's request. (See Doc. 46); see also Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 744 (1967). Despite the allowance of a response period by this Court (see Doc. 47), neither Larkin nor the Government responded to defense counsel's motion.
Larkin pled guilty to three counts*fn1 of distribution and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. At sentencing, the Court found by a preponderance of the evidence that Larkin's relevant conduct was at least 50 grams but not more than 150 grams of crack cocaine, which under U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1 yielded a base offense level of 32. His offense level was reduced by three points under U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1 for acceptance of responsibility. However, the Court found that Larkin was a career offender under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1 based on prior drug or violent felony convictions, which raised his offense level to 34, again reduced by 3 to 31 for acceptance of responsibility. Considering Larkin's criminal history category of VI, established by his career offender status under U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1, this yielded a sentencing range of 188 to 235 months in prison. The Court imposed a sentence of 235 months. Larkin now asks the Court to apply recent changes to U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1 to lower his sentence.
Larkin 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) (2006). 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. Larkin, however, was sentenced based on his base offense level set forth in U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1, not his base offense level set forth in U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1. See Forman, 553 F.3d at 589-90. Thus, his guideline range has not been lowered, and he cannot satisfy the first criterion under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2) for obtaining a sentence reduction.
Because Larkin 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 (Doc. 46) to withdraw and DISMISSES Larkin's pro se Motion (Doc. 42) for a sentence reduction for lack of jurisdiction.
The Court DIRECTS the Clerk of Court to mail a copy of this Memorandum and Order to Bryant Larkin, Reg. #03406-025, FCI Jesup, Federal Correctional Institution, 2680 301 South, Jesup, GA 31599.