Jorge Cortes-Morales v. Suzanne R. Hastings

This appeal involves an effort by petitioner Jorge Cortes-Morales, convicted and sentenced for being a felon in possession of a firearm, to invalidate his sentence on the ground that he no longer qualifies for a mandatory sentencing enhancement. Cortes-Morales brings this petition pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241 seeking to obtain the benefit of revised New York sentencing laws, enacted in 2004 and 2009, which had the effect of retroactively lowering the penalties for certain drug offenders. He argues that, as a consequence of these reductions, he no longer qualifies for a mandatory sentencing…