United States Fifth Circuit

A conviction and sentences for conspiracy to distribute marijuana are affirmed over claims of error that: 1) for purposes of a sentence reduction for cooperating with the government, his lack of cooperation was justifiably based in part on his fear of reprisal; 2) the district court erred in refusing to grant the mitigating-role reduction; and 3) his sentence was unreasonable. Another defendant's conviction and sentence is affirmed over challenges to: 1) the voluntariness of his guilty plea; 2) the denial of his motion to withdraw his plea; 3) a career-offender enhancement; 4) fact findings at sentencing; and 5) allegedly mandatory application of the Sentencing Guidelines.

Appellate Information

• Decided 02/19/2007
• Published 02/20/2007

Judges

• OWEN, Circuit Judge:, Before SMITH, GARZA and OWEN, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fifth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Josette Louise Cassiere, Alexander Coker Van Hook, Asst. U.S. Attys., Shreveport, LA, for U.S., Stephen A. Glassell, Shreveport, LA, for Washington.