Case Explained: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Plaintiff – v. DARRELL ALAN THOMPSON Defendant –

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Filed: 2026-07-28 The fourth circuit affirmed the sentences imposed on Darrell Alan Thompson and Antonio Rasheed Hair for their roles in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud by stealing and cashing checks from U.S. Post Office collection boxes. The court rejected Thompson’s claim of ineffective assistance of counsel regarding the application of the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA), finding that any error in failing to object based on *Erlinger v. United States* was harmless because the record conclusively showed he had five qualifying violent felonies committed on separate occasions, making a favorable verdict on the “separate occasions” issue exceedingly remote. Regarding Hair, the court applied an abuse-of-discretion standard and found no error in applying two-level upward sentencing guideline adjustments: one for his role as an organizer or supervisor under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.1(c) because he recruited approximately ten “money mules,” and another for possession of a dangerous weapon under U.S.S.G. § 2B1.1(b)(16)(B) because he sold a firearm to his co-conspirator in connection with the fraud scheme. The court dispensed with oral argument and affirmed the district court’s judgments. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.