United States Fourth Circuit

Defendant's sentence for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine is vacated where the district court, in imposing a sentence below the applicable guidelines range, either failed to consider or considered improperly the need to avoid unwarranted sentencing disparities among federal defendants as required by law.

Appellate Information

• Argued 10/28/2005
• Decided 01/12/2006
• Published 01/12/2006

Judges

• Before LUTTIG, MOTZ, and KING, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Michael James Elston, Assistant United States Attorney, Office of the United States Attorney, Alexandria, Virginia, for Appellant.   Matthew William Greene, Smith & Greene, P.L.L.C., Fairfax, Virginia, for Appellee.   ON BRIEF:  Paul J. McNulty, United States Attorney, Alexandria, Virginia, for Appellant.