Opinion ID: 3011387
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: This matter comes before this court on an appeal by the government from a judgment of conviction and sentence entered in the district court on August 26, 1999, against the defendant Deneen Sweeting (Sweeting). This appeal presents the sole question of whether the district court abused its discretion in awarding Sweeting a 12-level downward departure from the sentencing range applicable under the United States Sentencing Guidelines (the Guidelines or U.S.S.G.) for extraordinary family ties and responsibilities pursuant to U.S.S.G. S 5H1.6, p.s. (hereinafter cited in the text as section 5H1.6). After a careful review of the facts and circumstances of this case, we are constrained to agree with the government's position that Sweeting's family ties and responsibilities were not extraordinary in any degree to warrant a departure under section 5H1.6, and that the district court thus abused its discretion in departing downward on this basis. Accordingly, we will vacate the sentence and remand the case to the district court for sentencing in accordance with this opinion.