Case Explained: United States of America v. Shaquan Willis

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit Filed: 2026-08-07 The eighth-circuit affirmed the defendant’s conviction and sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), rejecting his claim that the district court abused its discretion by imposing an upward variance from the advisory Sentencing Guidelines range. Applying the abuse of discretion standard set forth in *United States v. Feemster*, the court held that the district court did not overlook relevant factors, give significant weight to improper factors, or commit a clear error of judgment when weighing the defendant’s history and characteristics against the government’s request for a longer sentence due to his lack of deterrence from prior prison terms. Consequently, the judgment of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas is affirmed, leaving the 96-month prison term and three years of supervised release in effect. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.