Reported / Citable
Background
Cordell Trumond Adkison was charged in Count One of an indictment with violating 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). The district judge referred the matter to U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald C. Griffin under 28 U.S.C. § 636(b) to administer Adkison’s guilty plea and allocution pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11.
At a July 13, 2026 hearing, Adkison consented in writing to proceed before the magistrate judge and pleaded guilty to Count One without a written plea agreement. He was advised that the ordinary statutory maximum included 15 years’ imprisonment, while a determination that he had three qualifying prior convictions committed on different occasions could subject him to a minimum term of 15 years. He also acknowledged the indictment’s forfeiture demand and agreed to forfeit the identified property.
The Court’s Holding
The magistrate judge found that Adkison knowingly and voluntarily consented to the plea proceeding before a magistrate judge, subject to the district judge’s final approval and sentencing authority. The judge further found that Adkison was competent, understood the charge and the consequences of pleading guilty, and entered a knowing and voluntary plea.
The magistrate judge also found an independent factual basis establishing every essential element of the offense. He therefore recommended that the district judge accept Adkison’s guilty plea and adjudge him guilty of Count One. The filing was a report and recommendation, not a final acceptance of the plea or judgment of conviction.
Key Takeaways
- Adkison pleaded guilty to the felon-in-possession charge without a written plea agreement.
- The magistrate judge found that the plea satisfied Rule 11’s competency, voluntariness, notice, and factual-basis requirements.
- The recommendation remains subject to the district judge’s approval, and the parties have 14 days after service to file specific written objections.
Why It Matters
The recommendation documents the procedural safeguards required before a federal felony guilty plea may be accepted. It also preserves the district judge’s responsibility to make the final decision on accepting the plea and adjudicating guilt.
The notice concerning objections is significant because failing to object within the prescribed period may bar de novo district-court review and may limit appellate challenges to accepted factual findings, except on grounds of plain error or manifest injustice.