No. 21-6758

Cameron Taevon Jones v. United States

Lower Court: Tenth Circuit
Docketed: 2022-01-04
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: categorical-approach circuit-split controlled-substance criminal-law federal-law guidelines sentencing sentencing-guidelines state-law
Key Terms:
SocialSecurity Securities
Latest Conference: 2022-02-18
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Does the term 'controlled substance offense' as defined in the Guidelines include offenses under state law that are not categorical matches under federal law?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTION PRESENTED FOR REVIEW Petitioner was convicted of felon-in-possession of a firearm. Instead of facing a Guidelines range of 46-57 months, his range was calculated at 70-87 months because of a prior state court drug offense. Under USSG § 4B1.2(b) the term “controlled substance offense” is a defined term. There is a circuit split whether “controlled substance offense” is limited to substances controlled under federal law. The Second, Fifth, and Ninth Circuits have held that it is so limited. In contrast, the Fourth, Seventh, and Eighth Circuits have concluded a state conviction may qualify when the state statute of conviction controls substances not also controlled under federal law. The Tenth Circuit did not reach the question in this case because it deemed the presumed error harmless. The question presented is: does the term “controlled substance offense” as defined in the Guidelines include offenses under state law that are not categorical matches under federal law? i

Docket Entries

2022-02-22
Petition DENIED.
2022-01-13
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/18/2022.
2022-01-11
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2021-12-27
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due February 3, 2022)

Attorneys

Cameron Jones
James L. Hankins — Petitioner
James L. Hankins — Petitioner
United States
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent