United States v. McNeal, No. 14-4871 (4th Cir. 2016)
Annotate this CaseDefendants McNeal and Stoddard were convicted of conspiracy, armed bank robberies, and brandishing firearms during crimes of violence. The court concluded that the evidence was sufficient to convict defendants of the brandishing offenses; the evidence was sufficient to convict McNeal of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery; the district court properly denied McNeal's motions to suppress evidence where the warrant was supported by probable cause; and the district court did not abuse its discretion in admitting evidence seized from McNeal's residence. The court also concluded that bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. 2113(a) is a crime of violence within the meaning of the force clause of 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(3), because it has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force. Because bank robbery is a lesser-included offense of section 2113(d) armed bank robbery, armed bank robbery is also a crime of violence under the force clause. McNeal and Stoddard’s challenge to their brandishing convictions therefore fails at the first step of plain error review, in that the trial court did not err in concluding that armed bank robbery qualifies as a crime of violence. The court rejected each of defendants' contentions and affirmed the judgment.
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