Case: 15-14502 Date Filed: 05/15/2017 Page: 1 of 2

[DO NOT PUBLISH]

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT ________________________ No. 15-14502 Non-Argument Calendar ________________________ D.C. Docket No. 1:14-cr-00033-WLS-TQL-1

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus KENNETH E. THORNTON Defendant-Appellant. ________________________ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia ________________________ (May 15, 2017) Before WILLIAM PRYOR, JORDAN and ROSENBAUM, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM: Sydney R. Strickland, appointed counsel for Kenneth Thornton in this direct criminal appeal, has moved to withdraw from further representation of the Case: 15-14502 Date Filed: 05/15/2017 Page: 2 of 2

appellant and filed a brief pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967).

Our independent review of the entire record reveals that counsel’s assessment of the relative merit of the appeal is correct. Because independent examination of the entire record reveals no arguable issues of merit, counsel’s motion to withdraw is GRANTED, and Thornton’s conviction and sentence are AFFIRMED.