United States v. Spann, No. 11-3623 (7th Cir. 2012)
Annotate this CaseWhile on probation for a state drug conviction, Defendant-Appellant Mashica Spann met Carlos Hoffman in court mandated group therapy and joined his heroin-distribution ring. She was indicted in federal court for her role in the operation and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin. After rejecting Defendant's argument that she was a minimal or minor participant in the crime, the district court calculated her guidelines imprisonment range as 57 to 71 months without the mandatory minimum, which made the applicable range 60 to 71 months. The government moved for a sentence below the mandatory minimum, citing Defendant's substantial assistance in the investigation of Hoffman and others. The court granted the motion and sentenced Spann to 24 months, less than half of the mandatory minimum and more than a year below the government's most favorable recommendation. Defendant filed a notice of appeal, but her appointed counsel has concluded that the appeal is frivolous and sought permission to withdraw. Upon review, the Seventh Circuit found "no basis to assail the reasonableness of the sentence," and accordingly, granted counsel's motion to withdraw.
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