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Criminal Law-Possession of Biological Weapon-Within-Guidelines Sentence-Substantive Reasonableness of Sentence
Staff Report//July 1, 2026//
Defendant appealed the within-Guidelines sentence imposed following his guilty plea to possession of a biological weapon, after law enforcement learned that defendant had produced ricin toxin and used it to poison his mother. Defendant challenged the substantive reasonableness of his sentence.
Where the district court adequately considered the statutory sentencing factors, there was no error in imposing a within-Guidelines sentence.
Judgment is affirmed.
U.S. v. Clampit (MLW No. 84993/Case No. 25-1611 – 6 pages) (U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit, per curiam) Appealed from U.S. District Court, Western District of Arkansas, Brooks, J.
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