UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 21-7342
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
v.
AKIBA MATTHEWS,
Defendant - Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, at Baltimore.
Catherine C. Blake, Senior District Judge. (1:07-cr-00581-CCB-1)
Submitted: December 16, 2021 Decided: December 20, 2021
Before WYNN and RICHARDSON, Circuit Judges, and KEENAN, Senior Circuit Judge.
Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
Akiba Matthews, Appellant Pro Se.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
PER CURIAM:
Akiba Matthews appeals the district court’s order denying his renewed motions for
compassionate release pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A), as amended by the First Step
Act of 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-391, § 603(b)(1), 132 Stat. 5194, 5239. Matthews correctly
asserts that “district courts are empowered to consider any extraordinary and compelling
reason for release that a defendant might raise,” United States v. McCoy, 981 F.3d 271, 284
(4th Cir. 2020) (cleaned up), and our review of the record reveals that Matthews did not
waive his right to seek compassionate release on grounds apart from COVID-19.
Nevertheless, we conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying
Matthews’ motions. See United States v. Kibble, 992 F.3d 326, 329 (4th Cir. 2021) (per
curiam) (stating standard), cert. denied, No. 21-5624, 2021 WL 4733616 (U.S. Oct. 12,
2021). Accordingly, we affirm the district court’s judgment. We dispense with oral
argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials
before this court and argument would not aid the decisional process.
AFFIRMED
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