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US Sentencing Commission releases 2020 Annual Report and Sourcebook of Federal Sentencing Statistics
This morning I receive an email from the US Sentencing Commission alerting me to the exciting news that today the U.S. Sentencing Commission published its 2020 Annual Report and Sourcebook of Federal Sentencing Statistics. Here are the highlights as described in the email:
Agency Highlights
The Annual Report presents an overview of the Commission s work in FY20 a year that brought unique challenges and opportunities for technological advancement as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 significantly impacted how the Commission performs its daily work; however, sustained and strategic investments in technology, automation, and cybersecurity allowed for a quick pivot and continuity of operations culminating in this seasonable publication of the 2020 Sourcebook.
Career criminal Ernest Zavala sentenced, charged with escape from federal prison Ernest Zavala is charged with escape from federal custody. By KCBD Staff | March 10, 2021 at 11:33 AM CST - Updated March 11 at 2:18 AM
LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - A man connected to nearly a decade of crime in Lubbock was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison Tuesday.
Ernest Ray Zavala, 38, was charged with escape from a federal prison.
In 2008, Zavala was arrested for his involvement in a string of burglaries in Lubbock County. Investigators believe people may have been helping him hide from the law.
Later, in 2015, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office admitted to “erroneously” releasing Zavala. He was wanted for felon in possession of a firearm and armed career criminal.
Apprendi
The title of this post is the title of this notable new paper authored by Frank O. Bowman III now available via SSRN. Here is its abstract:
In this contribution to the
North Carolina Law Review s symposium on the twentieth anniversary of the Supreme Court s decision in
Apprendi v. New Jersey, I offer a valedictory reflection on my own intellectual journey with sentencing reform and in particular with the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The account begins with my first encounters with the Guidelines when I was a zealous Assistant U.S Attorney, continues through my transition to teacher, scholar, policy advocate, and occasional sentencing consultant, and foreshadows a conclusion with me in the role of disillusioned curmudgeon muttering about might-have-beens as I shuffle towards my dotage.
Vacaville Felon Indicted for Possessing Ammunition Published: 27 February 2021
Sacramento, California - A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment Thursday against Guy Joseph Bass, 29, of Vacaville, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on September 18, 2020, police officers arrested Bass on an outstanding arrest warrant. During the arrest, officers searched Bass and found a Glock style ghost gun loaded with an extended magazine containing 17 rounds.
Additionally, on November 18, 2020, police officers approached a parked vehicle with two occupants. A K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle, and Bass handed a bag containing approximately a quarter ounce of suspected methamphetamine to the officers. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of an unserialized .223‑caliber AR-style pistol and a 30‑round magazine loaded with 11 rounds of amm