Verdict . News

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

10th Circuit Enforces Appeal Waiver in Federal Sex Trafficking Case

The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals is addressing a government motion to enforce an appeal waiver in the case of Jackie Antonio Duncan, who received a 30-year sentence for child sex trafficking. Duncan pleaded guilty but now seeks to appeal despite waiving that right in his plea agreement.

•Duncan pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of children and received a 30-year sentence

•Government moved to enforce appeal waiver from Duncan's plea agreement

•Fourth Circuit affirmed Frederick Beaufort's 27-month sentence for felon firearm possession

4th Circuit Affirms Felon Firearm Conviction Post-Bruen

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the conviction and 27-month sentence of Frederick Siou Beaufort for illegal firearm possession by a convicted felon. The unpublished per curiam decision rejected Beaufort's constitutional challenge based on the Supreme Court's Second Amendment ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Ass'n v. Bruen.

•Court rejected constitutional challenge based on Supreme Court's Bruen decision

•Knox pled guilty to conspiracy, carjacking, and firearm charges under federal law

4th Circuit Affirms Knox Conviction in Federal Carjacking Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit dismissed in part and affirmed in part the conviction of Michael Joseph Knox in a federal carjacking and conspiracy case. Knox had pled guilty to multiple federal charges including conspiracy and brandishing firearms in furtherance of violent crimes.

•The Fourth Circuit dismissed part of his appeal while affirming the conviction

•Fourth Circuit dismissed part of Smith's appeal while affirming other portions in mixed ruling

4th Circuit Dismisses Part of Criminal Appeal in Travis Smith Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued a mixed ruling in United States v. Travis Smith, dismissing part of the defendant's appeal while affirming other portions. Smith had pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity and was sentenced to 151 months imprisonment.

•Smith pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of minor, sentenced to 151 months imprisonment

•Fourth Circuit dismissed part of appeal while affirming Travis Smith's conviction for child exploitation charges

4th Circuit Issues Split Ruling in Child Exploitation Case

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed part of Travis Smith's appeal while affirming his conviction for coercing a minor into criminal sexual activity. Smith received 151 months in prison following a guilty plea under a written agreement.

•Smith pleaded guilty and received 151 months in prison for coercing a minor into criminal sexual activity

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

6th Circuit Upholds Conviction in $461K Corporate Credit Card Fraud

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the conviction of Erica Crabb, who embezzled over $460,000 from her employer using corporate credit cards for personal expenses. The court upheld her sentence of one year and a day in prison plus three years of supervised release.

•Erica Crabb embezzled over $460,000 using corporate credit cards for personal expenses

•She concealed the fraud through carefully timed payments and false accounting entries

Second Circuit Court of Appeals

2nd Circuit Affirms Conviction, Remands Noah Kitchens Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued a mixed ruling Thursday in United States v. Noah Kitchens, affirming the defendant's criminal conviction while ordering the trial court to strike a risk-notification condition from his supervised release terms.

•Second Circuit affirmed Kitchens' criminal conviction but vacated problematic supervised release condition

•Court ordered district court to strike risk-notification requirement from supervised release terms

First Circuit Court of Appeals

1st Circuit Upholds 60-Month Sentence for Re-Entry Program Escape

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed a 60-month prison sentence for Christian Del-Valle-Camacho, who escaped from a court-ordered re-entry program and possessed firearms. The appeals court rejected his challenge to a 19-month upward sentencing variance.

•First Circuit affirmed concurrent 60-month sentences for re-entry program escape and felon in possession charges

•Appeals court rejected challenge to 19-month upward sentencing variance as both procedurally and substantively reasonable

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

6th Circuit Affirms Drug Conspiracy Conviction, 200-Month Sentence

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the conviction and 200-month prison sentence of Eric Jason Clark on drug conspiracy charges. Clark had challenged both the denial of pretrial suppression motions and the reasonableness of his lengthy sentence following a bench trial.

•Eric Jason Clark was convicted of drug conspiracy after a bench trial and sentenced to 200 months in federal prison

•The Sixth Circuit rejected Clark's appeals challenging pretrial suppression motion denials and sentence reasonableness