$4000 Fine Imposed on Indigent Defendant Affirmed by Sixth Circuit

The Sixth Circuit has upheld a fine of $4000 imposed on an indigent defendant. United States v. Godoy-Valles. The defendant, who pleaded guilty to illegally re-entering the United States after being deported previously based on a felony conviction, was also sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. 

Congratulations to Sixth Circuit Judges Bernice Donald, John Bush and John Nalbandian for rising in the federal judiciary to adjudicate cases with $4000 in issue. 

We note also this finding by the Brennan Center:

A wealth of evid­ence has already shown that this system works against the goal of rehab­il­it­a­tion and creates a major barrier to people reen­ter­ing soci­ety after a convic­tion.

And so it goes.

Robert L. Abell
www.RobertAbellLaw.com