Defendant's Sentencing Memorandum — United States v. Aaron Ashcraft (E.D. Cal.)

Record facts

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California · No. 2:22-cr-00087-KJM · Doc. 20 · 2022-12-05 · Docket on CourtListener

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 Sentencing Memorandum 
US v. Ashcraft, 2:22-cr-00087-KJM  
HEATHER E. WILLIAMS, SBN #122664 
Federal Defender 
RACHELLE BARBOUR, SBN #185395 
Assistant Federal Defender 
OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL DEFENDER 
Designated Counsel for Service   
801 I Street, 3rd Floor 
Sacramento, CA 95814 
Telephone: (916) 498-5700 
Fax: (916) 498-5710 
 
Attorneys for Defendant 
AARON ASHCRAFT 
 
 
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 
 
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 
 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 
                          Plaintiff, 
vs. 
AARON ASHRAFT,  
                         Defendant. 
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Case No.  2:22-cr-00087-KJM   
SENTENCING MEMORANDUM 
Date: December 12, 2022 
Time: 9:00 a.m. 
Chief Judge Hon. Kimberly J. Mueller   
 
 
Mr. Ashcraft will appear before this Court on Monday, December 12, 2022, for 
sentencing.  Mr. Ashcraft has no formal objections to the Presentence Report.  Pursuant to the 
plea agreement, the Government will be recommending a sentence of 41 months in custody. Mr. 
Ashcraft respectfully requests that the Court impose a sentence of 41 months of home 
confinement with electronic monitoring, as a condition of 60 months of probation.  In making 
this request, Mr. Ashcraft wholeheartedly recognizes his crimes and the harms he has caused.  As 
discussed in the attached letter, Mr. Ashcraft requests a sentence of home confinement to 
minimize the effects of his crimes on the vulnerable people in his life, namely his wife and her 
sister, both of whom suffer from mental illness and are dependent on Mr. Ashcraft for support. 
 
As discussed in the PSR, Mr. Ashcraft’s wife suffers from severe mental illness, and is a 
Case 2:22-cr-00087-KJM     Document 20     Filed 12/05/22     Page 1 of 2

 
  
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 Sentencing Memorandum 
US v. Ashcraft, 2:22-cr-00087-KJM  
long-time recovering drug addict and the victim of domestic and sexual abuse in relationships 
prior to meeting Mr. Ashcraft.  Her twin sister likewise suffers from serious mental illness, and 
when she is not institutionalized, she lives with the Ashcrafts, so that they can support her.   
 
In his letter, Mr. Ashcraft describes in detail his history, including the way that he and his 
wife engaged in counseling to pull themselves out of the morass of drug addiction.  Ms. Ashcraft 
currently maintains a hard-won sobriety because of the support of her husband.  If Mr. Ashcraft 
goes into custody, his wife and her sister will likely be homeless and lose the stability they 
currently have.   
 
Mr. Ashcraft seeks to pay full restitution for his offenses.  He feels immense shame for 
the choices he has made.  Prior to Mr. Ashcraft’s descent in drug addiction, he was a hard-
working member of the community.  His letter describes the cycle of bad choices he made in an 
attempt to keep his head above water, while he and his wife were in the throes of addiction that 
affected every facet of their lives together.  Mr. Ashcraft tried to hide his addiction from his 
employers and co-workers while descending more and more into debt.   
 
Mr. Ashcraft has written the attached letter to the Court as part of his allocation at 
sentencing.  Given the length of the letter, it is being submitted concurrently with this 
memorandum.  Mr. Ashcraft requests that the Court consider the unique aspects of this case and 
sentence him to 41 months of home confinement as a condition of probation, to enable him to 
continue to support his family and work towards repayment of his restitution. 
 
Respectfully submitted, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HEATHER E. WILLIAMS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Federal Defender 
 
 
Date: December 5, 2022 
/s/  Rachelle Barbour  
 
RACHELLE BARBOUR 
Assistant Federal Defender 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Attorneys for Defendant 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AARON ASHCRAFT 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Case 2:22-cr-00087-KJM     Document 20     Filed 12/05/22     Page 2 of 2

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