Filed: Jul. 21, 2020
Latest Update: Jul. 21, 2020
Summary: FILED United States Court of Appeals UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS Tenth Circuit FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT July 21, 2020 _ Christopher M. Wolpert Clerk of Court UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. No. 20-3050 (D.C. No. 2:05-CR-20018-JWL-1) CARLOS JACKSON, (D. Kan.) Defendant - Appellant. _ ORDER AND JUDGMENT * _ Before LUCERO, BACHARACH, and MORITZ, Circuit Judges. _ Mr. Carlos Jackson appeals the denial of his motion to reduce his sentence under the First Step Act of 2018. We affirm
Summary: FILED United States Court of Appeals UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS Tenth Circuit FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT July 21, 2020 _ Christopher M. Wolpert Clerk of Court UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. No. 20-3050 (D.C. No. 2:05-CR-20018-JWL-1) CARLOS JACKSON, (D. Kan.) Defendant - Appellant. _ ORDER AND JUDGMENT * _ Before LUCERO, BACHARACH, and MORITZ, Circuit Judges. _ Mr. Carlos Jackson appeals the denial of his motion to reduce his sentence under the First Step Act of 2018. We affirm...
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FILED
United States Court of Appeals
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS Tenth Circuit
FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT July 21, 2020
_________________________________
Christopher M. Wolpert
Clerk of Court
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
v. No. 20-3050
(D.C. No. 2:05-CR-20018-JWL-1)
CARLOS JACKSON, (D. Kan.)
Defendant - Appellant.
_________________________________
ORDER AND JUDGMENT *
_________________________________
Before LUCERO, BACHARACH, and MORITZ, Circuit Judges.
_________________________________
Mr. Carlos Jackson appeals the denial of his motion to reduce his
sentence under the First Step Act of 2018. We affirm.
Mr. Jackson pleaded guilty to two counts: (1) conspiracy to
manufacture, to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute 280
grams or more of a mixture containing cocaine base, 21 U.S.C.
*
We conclude that oral argument would not materially help us in
deciding the appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2)(C); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G).
So we have decided the appeal based on the record and the parties’ briefs.
Our order and judgment does not constitute binding precedent except
under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel.
But the order and judgment may be cited for its persuasive value if
otherwise appropriate under Fed. R. App. P. 32.1(a) and 10th Cir. R.
32.1(A).
§§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846, and (2) unlawful use of a firearm
during a drug trafficking crime, 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). The two counts
triggered mandatory minimum sentences of ten years and five years, and
the court imposed the mandatory minimum sentences for both counts.
Mr. Jackson moved for a sentence reduction under the First Step Act.
This Act permits the sentencing court to reduce a sentence “as if sections 2
and 3 of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 . . . were in effect at the time the
covered offense was committed.” First Step Act of 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-
391, § 404, 132 Stat. 5194, 5222 (2018). But Mr. Jackson was sentenced in
2013. At that time, sections 2 and 3 of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010
were already in effect. So Mr. Jackson has already received the benefit of
sections 2 and 3.
He was given ten years and five years in prison because the district
court had no authority to impose a shorter prison term; these were the
mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment. As we said in Mr. Jackson’s
prior appeal, “federal courts are powerless to decrease [a] sentence below
the statutory mandatory minimum.” United States v. Jackson, 787 Fed.
Appx. 543, 545 n.2 (10th Cir. 2019); see U.S.S.G. § 5G1.1(c)(2). Given
our inability to decrease the sentence below the statutory mandatory
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minimum, we affirm the denial of Mr. Jackson’s motion to reduce the
sentence.
Entered for the Court
Robert E. Bacharach
Circuit Judge
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