U.S. v. Sutton

Dist. Ct. did not abuse its discretion in denying defendant’s motion to reduce his 15-year sentence on drug and firearm charges under First Step Act, even though said Act covered defendant’s drug conviction, which established higher threshold of drug possession to trigger defendant’s 10-year minimum sentence for his drug conviction. While First Step Act is appropriate vehicle for seeking reduction of sentence under this record, record also showed that defendant’s initial sentence was based on agreement between defendant and govt., as opposed to any imposition of statutory minimum that existed at time of sentencing. Ct. further noted that, at time of initial sentencing hearing, defendant had traded existing disputes regarding govt. claims for longer sentence for certainty of instant 15-year sentence, and thus Dist. Ct. did not abuse its discretion by leaving defendant with said choice.