U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 2017

United States v. Junior Cotton

United States v. Junior Cotton
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit · Decided June 30, 2017 · Niemeyer, Floyd, Thacker
692 F. App'x 702

United States v. Junior Cotton

Opinion

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.

PER CURIAM:

Junior Thomas Cotton appeals his 33-month sentence imposed following his guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1), 924 (2012). Cotton challenges the district court’s calculation of his base offense level under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 2K2.1(a) (2014), which establishes a higher offense level for defendants with a prior conviction for a crime of violence under USSG § 4B1.2(a)(2). Cotton argues that his prior conviction, which was deemed a crime of violence under the residual clause of USSG § 4B1.2(a)(2), is no longer a crime of violence in light of Johnson v. United States, — U.S. —, 135 S.Ct. 2551, 192 L.Ed.2d 569 (2015) (striking Armed Career Criminal Act’s residual clause in crime of violence definition as unconstitutionally vague). We rejected that argument in United States v. Mack, 855 F.3d 581 (4th Cir. 2017). Accordingly, Cotton’s challenge is foreclosed by our decision in Mack.

We therefore affirm the district court’s judgment. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the decisional process.

AFFIRMED

Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.