Justia Criminal Law Opinion Summaries

In this case, the petitioner, a state prisoner, challenged the dismissal of his federal habeas petition, which alleged violations of his constitutional rights under the Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments. The petitioner, along with two accomplices, planned and executed a robbery that resulted in the murder of a pizza delivery driver. The petitioner was convicted of first-degree murder, armed robbery, and breaking and entering, and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) affirmed the petitioner's conviction, rejecting his claims of insufficient evidence, improper admission of redacted statements from a co-defendant, and errors in jury instructions. The SJC found that the evidence was sufficient to support the petitioner's conviction under theories of felony-murder and extreme atrocity or cruelty. It also held that the redacted statements did not violate the petitioner's Confrontation Clause rights and that the trial court's jury instructions were appropriate.The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reviewed the district court's denial of the habeas petition de novo. The court applied the standards set forth in the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA), which requires deference to state court decisions unless they are contrary to or involve an unreasonable application of clearly established federal law, or are based on an unreasonable determination of the facts.The First Circuit affirmed the district court's decision, holding that the SJC's rulings were not unreasonable. The court found that the evidence was sufficient to support the petitioner's conviction, the redacted statements did not violate the Confrontation Clause, and the jury instructions were proper. The court also concluded that any errors in the trial court's rulings were harmless and did not prejudice the petitioner. View "St. Jean v. Marchilli" on Justia Law

Federal agents executed a search warrant at Corey Donovan's rural property in New Hampshire, discovering a shotgun, ammunition, and modified oil filters suspected to be homemade silencers. Donovan, a convicted felon, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. His girlfriend, Kelley Finnigan, claimed ownership of the shotgun but invoked her Fifth Amendment right when called to testify.The United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire denied Donovan's motion to grant Finnigan immunity and allowed her to invoke a blanket Fifth Amendment privilege. The court also permitted the introduction of evidence related to Donovan's prior arrest and possession of non-firearm weapons, offering to provide limiting instructions if requested during the trial. Donovan did not object to the lack of contemporaneous limiting instructions or the final jury instructions.The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reviewed Donovan's appeal, which challenged the district court's decisions on Finnigan's Fifth Amendment invocation, the lack of limiting instructions, and the application of a sentencing enhancement for the modified oil filters. The appellate court found no clear or obvious error in allowing Finnigan to invoke her Fifth Amendment right, as her testimony could reasonably incriminate her. The court also determined that Donovan waived his right to challenge the lack of limiting instructions by failing to object during the trial.Regarding the sentencing enhancement, the appellate court upheld the district court's finding that the modified oil filters qualified as homemade silencers under 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(25). The court affirmed Donovan's conviction and sentence, concluding that the evidence supported the application of the sentencing enhancement. View "US v. Donovan" on Justia Law

In May 2021, a police officer in Goffstown, New Hampshire, observed a vehicle driving without headlights. When the officer attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver, later identified as Brian Elliott, fled, leading to a high-speed chase. Elliott eventually stopped and fled on foot, during which he allegedly pointed a firearm at the officer and threatened to shoot. Elliott was later apprehended, and a search revealed firearms, ammunition, and fentanyl in his possession.A federal grand jury in the District of New Hampshire indicted Elliott on four counts, including drug and firearm charges. Elliott pled guilty to three counts in exchange for the dismissal of one count and a sentencing recommendation within the guideline range. The district court accepted the plea agreement and, after a hearing, applied a six-level enhancement for assaulting a police officer during the offense. The court found the officer's testimony credible and calculated a guideline range of 108 to 135 months, ultimately sentencing Elliott to 120 months.The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reviewed Elliott's appeal, which challenged the procedural and substantive reasonableness of his sentence. Elliott argued that the district court erred in applying the enhancement and that his sentence was substantively unreasonable. The First Circuit found no clear error in the district court's credibility determination regarding the officer's testimony and upheld the application of the enhancement. The court also held that the 120-month sentence was substantively reasonable, given the seriousness of the offense and Elliott's criminal history. Consequently, the First Circuit affirmed the district court's judgment. View "US v. Elliott" on Justia Law

Carlos Gonzalez's residence was searched by the government for evidence of an illegal pill-making operation. Gonzalez moved to suppress the evidence found during the search, arguing that the search warrant was based on stale information and lacked probable cause. The district court agreed, finding that the facts supporting the search warrant were too old and that the affidavit was so bare bones that no reasonable officer could have relied on it. The court noted that the mastermind of the operation had moved out months earlier, there was little suspicious activity afterward, and the equipment was portable.The United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted Gonzalez's motion to suppress the evidence. The court concluded that the information in the affidavit was too stale to support probable cause and that the connection between the residence and any recent criminal activity was extremely thin. The court also determined that the good-faith exception did not apply because the affidavit was too conclusory and lacked sufficient detail to justify reliance on the warrant.The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reviewed the case. The court decided to bypass the probable-cause determination and focused on whether a reasonable officer could have relied on the warrant in good faith. The court found that a reasonable officer could have believed that the pill-making operation was still ongoing at the residence, given the long-standing nature of the operation, the continued ownership of the house by the mastermind, and the involvement of Gonzalez and his girlfriend. The court vacated the district court's ruling on the motion to suppress and remanded the case for further proceedings. View "US v. Gonzalez" on Justia Law

The case involves Juan Rodriguez and Junito Melendez, who were convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. Melendez was identified as the front man of the operation, interacting with customers and suppliers, while Rodriguez managed backend operations from his residence. The operation involved acquiring cocaine from suppliers, cooking some into crack cocaine, and selling it. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating the defendants in 2018, leading to the seizure of Melendez's iPhone and subsequent wiretaps that provided evidence of their drug activities.In the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, a jury found both defendants guilty of the conspiracy charges. Melendez was also found guilty of distributing 500 grams or more of cocaine and had a prior conviction for a serious drug felony. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery. The district court sentenced Rodriguez to 52 months and Melendez to 156 months in prison. Melendez's sentence included enhancements for drug quantity and his role as an organizer or leader in the conspiracy.The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reviewed the case. The court affirmed the district court's decisions, finding no error in the denial of motions to suppress evidence from Melendez's iPhone and wiretaps, the admission of certain evidentiary testimony, and the jury instructions. The court also upheld the sentencing enhancements for Melendez, concluding that the evidence supported the drug quantity attributed to him and his role as an organizer in the conspiracy. The court found that any potential errors were harmless and did not affect the overall outcome of the case. View "United States v. Rodriguez" on Justia Law

The case involves Esmeraldo Burgos-Balbuena, a Dominican Republic citizen, who was arrested after a high-speed boat chase off the coast of Puerto Rico. Burgos was charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after a previous removal. He accepted responsibility and agreed to plead guilty, with both parties recommending an 18-month prison sentence. However, the court sentenced him to 37 months, citing his repeated unlawful entries and dangerous evasion of arrest.The United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico reviewed the case. Burgos's plea agreement included a joint recommendation for an 18-month sentence, but the presentence investigation report (PSR) calculated a sentencing range of 30 to 37 months due to a higher total offense level and a criminal history category of III. The district court accepted the PSR's calculations and sentenced Burgos to 37 months, emphasizing his criminal history and the dangerous nature of his recent offense.The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reviewed the case. Burgos argued that the government failed to comply with the plea agreement and challenged his sentence on procedural and substantive grounds. The court found that the government adhered to the plea agreement by recommending the 18-month sentence and did not implicitly repudiate it. The court also found no procedural error in the district court's sentencing, noting that the court considered all relevant factors and provided a thorough explanation for the sentence. The court further held that the 37-month sentence was substantively reasonable given Burgos's criminal history and the dangerous nature of his conduct.The First Circuit affirmed the district court's decision, upholding Burgos's 37-month sentence. View "United States v. Burgos-Balbuena" on Justia Law

In 2023, Shaiquan Moran-Stenson pled guilty to unlawfully possessing ammunition as a felon, violating 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). The U.S. District Court for the District of Maine enhanced his base offense level under the United States Sentencing Guidelines § 2K2.1(a)(4)(A), citing a prior Maine drug trafficking conviction. Moran-Stenson objected, arguing that his Maine conviction did not qualify as a predicate offense for the enhancement.The U.S. District Court for the District of Maine overruled Moran-Stenson's objection, applying the modified categorical approach to determine that his Maine drug trafficking conviction was a predicate offense. The court found that the Maine statute was divisible and that the specific drug involved, cocaine base, was a federally controlled substance. Consequently, the court sentenced Moran-Stenson to seventy-seven months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.On appeal, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reviewed whether the district court correctly applied the modified categorical approach. The appellate court affirmed the district court's decision, holding that the Maine statute's "scheduled drugs" component was divisible. The court concluded that the specific drug trafficked, cocaine base, was an element of the offense, allowing the use of the modified categorical approach. The court found that Moran-Stenson's prior conviction for trafficking cocaine base qualified as a predicate controlled substance offense under § 2K2.1(a)(4)(A), justifying the sentencing enhancement. View "United States v. Moran-Stenson" on Justia Law

Edson Pires Rosa, a citizen of Cape Verde, entered the U.S. on a visitor visa in 2015, which expired later that year. His mother, a lawful permanent resident, filed a petition for him, which was approved, but his subsequent application for adjustment of status was denied. In 2019, Rosa was accused of participating in a sexual assault, leading to a police report and a pending criminal charge. Despite his denial of the allegations, he was placed in removal proceedings for overstaying his visa. Rosa applied for asylum, withholding of removal, and voluntary departure.The Immigration Judge (IJ) initially denied Rosa's asylum and withholding of removal applications but granted voluntary departure. Rosa appealed the denial of asylum and withholding of removal to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), which remanded the case to consider his adjustment of status application after his mother became a U.S. citizen. On remand, a new IJ denied his adjustment of status and voluntary departure requests, citing the pending criminal charge as a significant negative factor. Rosa appealed to the BIA, which upheld the IJ's decision, finding no error in the reliance on the police report and pending charge.The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reviewed the case. The court found that the BIA erred in deeming Rosa's challenge to the voluntary departure denial as waived and vacated the BIA's decision on both adjustment of status and voluntary departure. The court remanded the case to the BIA to reconsider these issues, particularly whether the police report and pending charge alone could justify the denial of discretionary relief without corroborating evidence, as required by precedent. View "Rosa v. Garland" on Justia Law

The appellant, Misael M. Rivera-Gerena, was aboard a vessel in U.S. waters when the Coast Guard seized 52 packages containing amphetamine and cocaine, along with an additional 448 bricks of cocaine. Rivera-Gerena was arrested and indicted. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 150 kilograms but less than 450 kilograms of cocaine on a vessel subject to U.S. jurisdiction. The district court accepted his plea and ordered a presentence investigation report (PSI Report).The United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico set a guideline sentencing range (GSR) of 262 to 327 months, based on the actual amount of cocaine seized. The statute of conviction carried a mandatory minimum sentence of 120 months. The government recommended a 135-month sentence, while Rivera-Gerena requested the mandatory minimum of 120 months, citing his acceptance of responsibility and other mitigating factors. The district court considered the plea agreement and the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors, including the need to promote respect for the law and protect the public. The court acknowledged Rivera-Gerena's personal circumstances but emphasized the seriousness of the offense and his criminal history. Ultimately, the court imposed a 147-month sentence, varying downward from the GSR but higher than the parties' recommendations.The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reviewed the case. Rivera-Gerena argued that his sentence was procedurally flawed and substantively unreasonable, claiming the district court failed to adequately evaluate the § 3553(a) factors. The appellate court found no procedural error, noting the district court had considered all relevant factors and provided a plausible rationale for the sentence. The court also found the sentence substantively reasonable, given the seriousness of the offense and Rivera-Gerena's criminal history. The First Circuit affirmed the district court's judgment. View "United States v. Rivera-Gerena" on Justia Law

Manish Kumar was involved in a scheme to smuggle misbranded prescription drugs and controlled substances into the United States from March 2015 to August 2019. Kumar, an Indian national, was a partner in Mihu, a New Delhi-based company that sold generic versions of drugs like Viagra, Cialis, Adderall, and tramadol without FDA approval or proper prescriptions. Kumar managed call centers in India where representatives made false statements to U.S. customers, claiming the drugs were FDA-approved and that no prescriptions were needed. Kumar was arrested in August 2019 on unrelated identity theft charges and later charged in Massachusetts with conspiracy to smuggle drugs, distribute controlled substances, and make false statements. He pled guilty to all charges in October 2022.The United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts sentenced Kumar to 87 months in prison. The court applied a fraud cross-reference in the Sentencing Guidelines and accepted the government's estimate of the loss amount involved in the offense, which was approximately $3.8 million. Kumar objected to both the application of the fraud cross-reference and the loss amount calculation, arguing that the evidence was insufficient.The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reviewed the case. The court held that the fraud cross-reference was correctly applied because the false statements made by call center representatives were within the scope of Kumar's conspiracy and were made in furtherance of the criminal activity. The court also found that the sentencing court did not clearly err in its loss amount calculation, as it relied on detailed government estimates and supporting data. The First Circuit affirmed Kumar's 87-month sentence. View "United States v. Kumar" on Justia Law