Reported / Citable
Background
The district court referred the matter to U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell to administer Jason Stewart Bass’s guilty plea under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11. After conducting the plea hearing, the magistrate judge recommended that the court accept the plea and adjudge Bass guilty on Count One of the Information.
Neither party objected to the magistrate judge’s findings and recommendation.
The Court’s Holding
District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle adopted the magistrate judge’s findings of fact and recommendation. The court accepted Bass’s guilty plea but deferred acceptance of the plea agreement until it reviewed the presentence report.
Based on the guilty plea, the court adjudged Bass guilty of Count One of the Information: possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).
Key Takeaways
- The court adopted the magistrate judge’s unopposed findings and recommendation concerning the Rule 11 guilty plea.
- Bass was adjudged guilty of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine under 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).
- The court accepted the guilty plea while deferring acceptance of the plea agreement pending review of the presentence report.
Why It Matters
The order distinguishes between accepting a defendant’s guilty plea and accepting the associated plea agreement. Here, the court adjudged Bass guilty while reserving its decision on the agreement until after reviewing the presentence report.