United States v. Paul X Williams, United States District Judge, and George Lambert

The United States petitions this court for a writ of mandamus directing Paul X Williams, United States District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas, to vacate his order modifying the sentence of George Lambert. The government contends that Judge Williams lacked the jurisdictional power to enter that order. We deny the petition.

On June 27, 1977, Judge Williams imposed concurrent two-year sentences on Lambert after Lambert pleaded nolo contendere to one count of theft from an interstate shipment, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 659, and one count of selling merchandise which had moved in…