United States v. MOOREFIELD
2:10-cr-00187
W.D. Pa.Oct 30, 2024Background
- Gary Moorefield was sentenced in January 2013 to 300 months’ imprisonment for serious drug trafficking offenses, including a mandatory consecutive sentence under a binding plea agreement.
- Moorefield filed a fourth motion for compassionate release or sentence reduction under 18 U.S.C. §§ 3582(c)(1)(A)(i) and 3582(c)(2), citing rehabilitation and retroactive Sentencing Guidelines amendment 782.
- Previous motions for similar relief had been denied, including the most recent in January 2023, where the court found early release inconsistent with sentencing purposes and the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors.
- Moorefield highlighted rehabilitative efforts and the fact that he had now served more than half of his sentence, arguing this warranted reconsideration.
- The court reviewed his disciplinary record while in prison, noting recent infractions and a "mixed" picture of rehabilitation.
- The Court denied Moorefield's request without a hearing, holding that sentence reduction was not warranted in light of the seriousness of the offense, his criminal history, and section 3553 factors.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compassionate release under § 3582(c)(1) | Moorefield: Rehabilitation warrants early release | US: Section 3553 factors counsel against release | Denied; seriousness of offense and history outweigh rehabilitation |
| Guideline reduction under Amendment 782 | Moorefield: Base offense level lowered retroactively | US: Sentence already reflects the lower guideline range | Denied; sentence at low end of amended range is still appropriate |
| Effect of serving half the sentence | Moorefield: Over half served supports reduction | US: Serving 50% not dispositive; not a threshold | Denied; serving half is not sufficient reason for sentence reduction |
| Necessity of hearing on motion | Moorefield: Requested an oral hearing | US: Written submissions sufficient; not legally required | Denied; court decided motion on briefs without hearing |
Key Cases Cited
(none listed with official reporter citations in the opinion)