United States v. Fletcher, No. 20-1131 (1st Cir. 2022)

The First Circuit affirmed Defendant’s conviction and sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and of possessing cocaine and cocaine base with intent to distribute, holding that there was no error or abuse of discretion.

After Defendant was found guilty by a jury, the district court imposed a sentence of 168 months, thirty-one months above the range provided by the United States Sentencing Guidelines. The First Circuit affirmed, holding that (1) the exclusion of Defendant’s mother as a witness was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt; (2) the district court’s error in giving a flawed jury instruction on the felon-in-possession charge was not prejudicial; and (3) Defendant’s challenges to his sentence were unavailing.