U.S. v. Oaks (D. Md.) - Compassionate Release Grant
The court granted compassionate release for Petitioner Oaks, finding that the nature of his wire fraud offense, his prior conviction, and his infraction while incarcerated were all non-violent. The court determined that his age (73 years old) and serious medical conditions produce extraordinary and compelling reasons warranting release, as he had a high risk of death from potential exposure to COVID-19 in the prison. Furthermore, the court found that given the availability of a release plan with a stable residence and medical care, and the fact that he had already served roughly half his sentence, reducing his sentence time to time served will not produce unwarranted sentencing disparities.
United States v. Oaks, 1:17-cr-00288, 2020 WL 343332 (D. Md. Jun. 23, 2020)
DETAILS
Decision
Date
6/23/2020
Practice Area
Criminal (Federal Charges)
Relief Requested
Release
Type of Court
Federal District Court
Location
Maryland
Type of Case
Individual
Case Characteristics
Post-Conviction Detention [jail or prison], Pre-Existing Health Conditions
Release Granted
Yes
Compassionate Release Case
Yes
Case Tracking Number
1:17-cr-00288-RDB
MORE CASE INFORMATION
Court Name
D. Md.
Decision
Motion Granted
Place of Incarceration
Federal Prison
Name of Facility
FCI Petersburg Low
Legal Authority
First Step Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)
Release Conditions
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i), the Defendant Nathaniel Oaks’s term of
incarceration is reduced to time served, such that he is released from the custody of
Bureau of Prisons as soon as the terms of this Order can be implemented;
2. Prior to his release from custody, the Bureau of Prisons is directed to place the
Defendant Nathaniel Oaks in quarantine for a period of 14 days and to evaluate him
for the purposes of receiving a medical clearance;
3. Upon the expiration of the 14-day quarantine period and receipt of a medical clearance,
the warden of FCI Petersburg Low shall forthwith release from custody the person of
the Defendant, Nathaniel Oaks;
4. Defendant Nathaniel Oaks shall be on supervised release status for a period of three
years on the terms and conditions previously set, with the following additional
conditions:
a. Subject to approval by the U.S. Probation Office, Oaks shall live with his
brother, Glover Oaks, in Baltimore, Maryland, as proposed in Oaks’s Motion
(ECF No. 138 at 20);
b. Oaks shall be placed on a period of electronically monitored home detention
for twenty-one months, subject to the Court’s ordinary and usual terms;
c. As an additional condition of supervised release, Oaks shall refrain from the use of alcohol and submit to regular alcohol testing or monitoring during his three-year period of supervised release;
d. Oaks shall comply with all directives of federal, state, and local governments
related to public health, including COVID-19.
5. While traveling from FCI Petersburg Low to his residence, Defendant Nathaniel Oaks
will isolate himself to the best of his ability. Upon reaching his residence, Defendant
Nathaniel Oaks shall observe all applicable stay-at-home orders; and
6. Pretrial/Probation will review the conditions of release with Defendant Nathaniel
Oaks.
Convictions
Three counts of wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343; one count of honest services wire fraud 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1346; and five counts of Travel Act violations under 18 U.S.C. § 1952.
Age (73), Asthma (severity undisclosed), Diabetes (Type 2)
COVID-19 Positive or Symptomatic
Not Discussed
COVID-19 in Jail Prison or Detention Center
Yes
Litigation Database
Crowdsourced legal documents from around the country related to COVID-19 and incarceration, organized, collected, and summarized for public defenders, litigators, and other advocates. Created and managed by Bronx Defenders, Columbia Law School’s Center for Institutional and Social Change, UCLA Law COVID-19 Behind Bars Data Project, and Zealous. Mostly federal court opinions, but now expanding to states and legal filings, declarations, and exhibits.
This resource is designed to help lawyers, advocates, researchers, journalists, and others interested in challenging, remedying, or drawing attention to the grave risk that Covid-19 poses to individuals who are detained.