Blog

USA v. Henry C. Renken, 05-2838.    Note:  Attorney Michael J. Petro represented Mr. Renken in the District Court and the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.  As such, this is the entire opinion.)

A jury convicted Henry Renken of bank robbery (and using a firearm while committing the robbery)...

USA v. John L. Carraway, 06-3226.  Defendant-Appellant John L. Carraway appeals pro se from the district court’s decision to dismiss, for want of jurisdiction, his post-judgment motion seeking relief from his conviction and sentence and the denial of his request for reconsideration.

Thirteen years ago, a jury convicted Carraway of...

USA v. Alfred McGowan, 06-1546.  Alfred McGowan appeals the 132-month sentence he received following his conviction for two counts of distributing cocaine. The two counts involved small, controlled-buy sales of cocaine to a woman named Christine Beu. The first sale, involving 7.2 grams, was on February 3, 2003. The second, which involved 4.9...

USA v. Michael Lepage, 06-1881.  The appellant entered a conditional guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). He was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. On appeal he challenges the district court’s denial of his motion to suppress the firearm...

USA v. Spring L. Acosta,  05-3598 & 3661.  This appeal requires the 7th Circuit to consider the extent to which a member of a conspiracy can be held liable under the United States Sentencing Guidelines for the use of a minor where there is no evidence that the defendant personally directed or encouraged...

USA v. Greg L. Murray, 06-1078.    A jury convicted the defendant of participating in a drug conspiracy in which a gun was used and a death resulted from that use, and the judge sentenced him to life in prison. Together with two other men, Hines and Trice, the defendant had agreed...

USA v. Jacek Radziszewski, 06-1559.   After a seven-day trial, a jury convicted Jacek Radziszewski of committing mail and wire fraud in connection with a scheme to obtain real estate loans through false representations. On appeal, Radziszewski challeges the district court’s exclusion of his proffered goodfaith defense (I stole the money but I...

USA v. Gary Roberson,  06-1121.  The defendant, with three accomplices, committed an armed bank robbery, netting $133,000, of which the defendant’s share was $50,000. He was charged with both bank robbery, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2113(a), (d), and using a firearm in a crime of violence (which bank robbery is). 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)....

USA v. Deondry Chambers,  06-2405.  The defendant pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The judge, finding that the defendant had committed three crimes of violence previously, sentenced him to 188 months as an armed career criminal. 18 U.S.C. § 924(e). The only question presented by the appeal is...

USA v. Patrick L. Stitman, 05-2277.  In the summer of 2003, Patrick Stitman went on a bank robbery spree, hitting three banks on three separate occasions. Each time, he threatened to shoot or kill the bank teller, even though he was actually unarmed. During one robbery, Stitman told the bank teller that he...