Opinion ID: 213193
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Cedric Henderson, Jr.

Text: Cedric Henderson, Jr., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base (crack cocaine) in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The applicable Guidelines range of imprisonment was 188 to 235 months and the statutory minimum sentence was ten years. Pursuant to the Government's 18 U.S.C. § 3553(e) motion for downward departure, the district court sentenced Henderson to 100 months of imprisonment. This sentence constituted a 47% departure from the low end of Henderson's Guidelines sentence. Following the amendment to base offense levels for crack cocaine offenses, the probation officer recalculated Henderson's Guidelines range and determined that he was subject to an amended range of 151 to 188 months of imprisonment and no statutory minimum sentence. Henderson then filed a sentencing memorandum arguing that the district court was authorized to grant a comparable reduction of his sentence pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 1B1.10(b)(2)(B). He requested that the court grant him a comparable reduction and raised several § 3553(a) arguments that the district court did not have before it at his original sentencing: the unwarranted sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine recognized by Amendment 702; the still-existing unwarranted sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine; and his post-conviction rehabilitation efforts. The district court ultimately concluded that a further reduction was not warranted: Having reviewed the Probation Office's re-calculation of the applicable Guideline range of imprisonment and the record in this matter, including the Pre-Sentence Report, the Court finds that the defendant previously received adjustment under a Government 5K1.1 Motion, at which time the Court determined a total sentence pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors. Accordingly, the Court will not reduce the Defendant's sentence further. Henderson filed a timely notice of appeal.