Federal Defenders of New York Second Circuit Blog

District Court Erred in Denying Motion to Reduce Sentence

In United States v. Bethea, No. 12-961-cr (2d Cir. Oct. 13, 2013) (Winter, Jacobs, and Straub) (per curiam), available here, the Circuit vacated the district court’s decision denying the defendant’s motion to reduce his sentence under 18 U.S.C. 3582(c). Convicted of distributing cocaine, Bethea was originally sentenced in September 2010 to 80 months of imprisonment, … Read more

Alleyne v. United States Is Not Retroactive

In United States v. Redd (Shue), No. 13-2971 (2d Cir. Nov. 5, 2013) (Jacobs, Straub, and Pauley) (per curiam), available here, the Circuit held that Alleyne v. United States, 113 S. Ct. 2151 (2013), does not apply retroactively to cases on collateral review. Alleyne held that “any fact that increases the mandatory minimum [sentence] is … Read more

United States v. Nunez-Banuelos: Circuit Upholds Convictions for Misusing Social Security Number and for Wire Fraud

In United States v. Nunez-Banuelos, No. 12-85-cr (2d Cir. Nov. 4, 2013) (summary order), the Circuit upheld the defendant’s convictions of misusing a social security number in violation of 42 U.S.C. 408(a)(7)(B) and of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1341. The evidence at trial showed that the defendant used a social security number that he had … Read more