United States v. Wilson
Opinion of the Court
SUMMARY ORDER
Defendant-appellant Jason Wilson appeals from a judgment of conviction entered on July 28, 2003 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (Harold Baer, Jr., Judge), following Wilson’s plea of guilty. Wilson was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), and was sentenced to 77 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years’ supervised release.
“[A] sentencing court’s refusal to grant a downward departure is not normally reviewable on appeal.” United States v. Montez-Gaviria, 163 F.3d 697, 701 (2d Cir. 1998). Only where “the sentencing judge mistakenly believes that he or she lacks authority to grant a given departure” does this court have jurisdiction to hear the appeal. United States v. Clark, 128 F.3d 122, 124 (2d Cir. 1997). Here, the district judge did not misunderstand his authority to depart. Although a downward departure may be warranted “to enable a defendant ... to take advantage of the only treatment program then available within the federal prisons, ” United States v. Middleton, 325 F.3d 386, 390 (2d Cir. 2003) (emphasis added); see United States v. Williams, 65 F.3d 301, 306 (2d Cir. 1995) (upholding grant of downward departure where “the only [drug rehabilitation] program available ... would not take [the defendant] unless he were within 18 to 36 months of release”), no such departure is warranted where, as here, the defendant seeks to avail himself of non-custodial rehabilitation programs in lieu of available Bureau of Prisons programs. See Middleton, 325 F.3d at 390 (distinguishing Williams).
For the reasons set forth above, the appeal is hereby DISMISSED.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- United States v. Jason WILSON
- Status
- Published