Unreasonable Sentence

Listen to this article

7^th Circuit Court of Appeals

Case Name: United States of America v. Jose Oregon

Case No.: 22-2000

Officials: Brennan, Scudder, and St. Eve, Circuit Judges.

Focus: Unreasonable Sentence

Jose Oregon owed the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) approximately $60,000 in back taxes and penalties but could not afford to pay. To raise the money, Oregon agreed to launder $100,000, which he understood to be the proceeds of illegal drug sales. What Oregon did not know, however, was that the person for whom he was laundering money was an undercover agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”). Oregon was subsequently indicted and pled guilty to one count of money laundering. The district court sentenced him to eighteen months in prison—six months below the range calculated under the Sentencing Guidelines.

Oregon timely appealed contending that his sentence was unreasonable because the district court failed to consider relevant mitigating factors, and improperly relied on the need for general deterrence and to avoid sentence disparities.

The Seventh Circuit rejected Oregon’s arguments that his sentence was unreasonable because the district court failed to consider relevant mitigating factors, such as his need to support his family and his payment of restitution, and improperly relied on the need for general deterrence and to avoid sentence disparities.

Affirmed.

Decided 01/23/23

Full Text