US v. Pettus, No. 21-4281 (4th Cir. 2024)
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The case involves the appellant, Reggie Pettus, who pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony. The controversy revolves around the sentencing of Pettus by the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Pettus challenged his sentence on four grounds. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit found one of his challenges to be meritorious, leading to the vacating of the district court’s judgment and remanding the case for resentencing.
The main issue of discussion in the appeal was the district court's application of an obstruction of justice enhancement to Pettus's sentence. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit concluded that the district court did not provide a sufficient explanation of its rationale for applying the enhancement, leaving the appellate court unable to conduct meaningful review. Therefore, the court vacated the district court's judgment and remanded the case for resentencing with a clear rationale for any applied enhancements. The court also addressed other issues that may arise during resentencing, including the application of a robbery cross-reference and objections to the proposed conditions of supervised release.
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