A judge improperly imposed an enhanced criminal sentence on a former prison guard for lying to law enforcement officials about sexual contact with a prisoner, but the error didn’t affect the sentencing outcome, the Fourth Circuit ruled Wednesday.
The enhanced sentence was reasonable despite the guard’s argument that he was acquitted of charges that the trial judge relied on to establish the sentencing range, Judge Julius N. Richardson said for the appeals court.
And sufficient evidence supported the false-statement conviction, Richardson said.
A federal prisoner accused guard Chikosi Legins of two instances of sexual assault, according to the court. During ...