USCA4 Appeal: 25-6275 Doc: 15 Filed: 11/20/2025 Pg: 1 of 3

UNPUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

No. 25-6275

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff - Appellee,

v.

TERRANCE GERARD JAMES, a/k/a Robert Daniels, a/k/a TJ, a/k/a Hassan,

Defendant - Appellant.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, at Norfolk. Rebecca Beach Smith, Senior District Judge. (2:94- cr-00163-RBS-6)

Submitted: November 17, 2025 Decided: November 20, 2025

Before WYNN and HEYTENS, Circuit Judges, and KEENAN, Senior Circuit Judge.

Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.

Terrance Gerard James, Appellant Pro Se.

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit. USCA4 Appeal: 25-6275 Doc: 15 Filed: 11/20/2025 Pg: 2 of 3

PER CURIAM:

Terrance Gerard James appeals the district court’s order denying in part and

granting in part his motion for a sentence reduction under the First Step Act of 2018,

Stat. 5194. The district court reduced James’ sentence on his

conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and cocaine, in violation of

(Count One), but declined to reduce his sentence on his conviction for murder on

behalf of a continuing criminal enterprise, in violation of

(e)(1)(A) (Count

Three). Most relevant here, James contends that the district court should have reduced his

sentence on both counts under the sentencing package doctrine.

While James’ appeal was pending, we held “that the district court has the discretion

to reduce both covered and noncovered offenses under the First Step Act if they function

as a package.” United States v. Richardson,

(4th Cir. 2024). And it is

the “district judge [who] is best suited to determine in the first instance whether she

sentenced defendant’s charges as a package.”

Because the district court did not have

the benefit of our decision in Richardson when it denied James relief on Count Three, we

vacated the district court’s order and remanded for further proceedings. See United States

v. James, No. 20-7077,

, at *1 (4th Cir. May 16, 2024).

On remand, the district court expressly recognized its discretion to reduce James’

sentence, even if it contained a noncovered offense, but the court found that the sentencing

package doctrine was inapplicable. The court also explained that, given the conduct

underlying Count Three, a lengthy sentence was warranted for that conviction. The court

also revisited its previous decision to reduce James’ sentence on Count One, explaining

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that the 80-month reduction to the sentence for that count remained appropriate, and the

court reimposed the 60-month consecutive sentence for James’ third count of conviction.

In doing so, the district court acknowledged James’ arguments in favor of a sentence

reduction, and explained its rationale for James’ sentence in conjunction with the

(a) factors it deemed most relevant.

We have reviewed the record in conjunction with the arguments James raises on

appeal and conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it granted in

part and denied in part James’ motion for a sentence reduction. See United States v. Reed,

(4th Cir. 2023) (stating standard of review). Accordingly, we affirm the

district court’s order. United States v. James, No. 2:94-cr-00163-RBS-6 (E.D. Va. Mar.

18, 2025). 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

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