Memorandum Order — No. 2:21-cr-00490 (Dkt. 85, W.D. Pa.)

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A Memorandum Order, Document 85, filed December 5, 2025 in United States v. Kenyetta Jones, Criminal Nos. 21-490 & 25-120 (Case 2:21-cr-00490-WSH), in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, signed by W. Scott Hardy, United States District Judge. The order states that the defendant was sentenced on October 11, 2023 to 60 months' imprisonment for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and on October 9, 2025 to 15 months' imprisonment for escape from custody. It denies his pro se Motion for Sentencing Transcripts in both cases because he gave no reason for the request and has no appeal or collateral proceeding pending.

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       Case 2:21-cr-00490-WSH           Document 85        Filed 12/05/25      Page 1 of 3




                       IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
                    FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA


UNITED STATES OF AMERICA                      )
                                              )
               v.                             )       Criminal Nos. 21-490 & 25-120
                                              )
KENYETTA JONES                                )


                                   MEMORANDUM ORDER

        On October 11, 2023, Defendant Kenyetta Jones was sentenced to a term of 60 months’

imprisonment and a 3-year term of supervised release following his guilty plea in Criminal No.

21-490 to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C.

§ 922(g)(1). (Crim. No. 21-490, Docket No. 81). On October 9, 2025, Defendant was sentenced

to a term of 15 months’ imprisonment and a 3-year term of supervised release following his guilty

plea in Criminal No. 25-120 to escape from custody, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 751(a). (Crim.

No. 25-120, Docket No. 31). Defendant did not file a direct appeal of his conviction or sentence

in either case, nor has he filed any collateral proceeding attacking his conviction or sentence in

either case.

        On December 5, 2025, Defendant filed a pro se Motion for Sentencing Transcripts, (Crim.

No. 21-490, Docket No. 84; Crim. No. 25-120, Docket No. 33), in which he requests that he be

provided with a copy of his sentencing hearing transcript in each case free of charge. For the

following reasons, Defendant’s Motion will be denied.

        Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3006A(e)(1), a court shall authorize an indigent defendant to obtain

services, including documents, for adequate representation only upon a finding that the services


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       Case 2:21-cr-00490-WSH            Document 85        Filed 12/05/25     Page 2 of 3




are necessary and that the defendant is financially unable to obtain them. See United States v.

Raghunathan, 288 F. App’x 2, 4 (3d Cir. 2008) (“Necessary transcripts are included within the

‘services’ authorized.”). The burden is on the defendant making the request to show necessity.

See United States v. Pitts, 346 F. App’x 839, 841-42 (3d Cir. 2009) (the defendant has the burden

of establishing necessity by “demonstrat[ing] with specificity the reasons why such services [or

transcripts] are required”) (emphasis in original) (citation omitted).

       Here, Defendant simply requests a copy of his sentencing hearing transcript in each case

without providing any reason for his request. (Crim. No. 21-490, Docket No. 84; Crim. No. 25-

120, Docket No. 33). As to each case, Defendant does not currently have an appeal pending, the

time period for filing an appeal has long since passed, and he has no collateral proceeding pending.

In light of these circumstances, Defendant is not entitled to the sentencing hearing transcripts he

requests free of charge. See United States v. Jackson, 302 F. App’x 122, 123 (3d Cir. 2008) (citing

Walker v. United States, 424 F.2d 278, 279 (5th Cir. 1970) (“A federal prisoner is not entitled to

obtain copies of court records at Government expense for the purpose of searching the record for

possible error.”)); Raghunathan, 288 F. App’x at 4 (relevant statutes do not authorize the

Government to pay for a transcript where no proceeding is pending); United States v. Moran, Crim.

No. 21-21, 2023 WL 4295828, at *1 (W.D. Pa. June 30, 2023) (Hardy, J.) (denying the defendant’s

request for sentencing hearing transcript at the Government’s expense where no proceeding was

pending); United States v. Smith, Crim. No. 04-309-2, 2010 WL 11534344, at *1 (W.D. Pa. Aug.

2, 2010) (Diamond, J.) (“[T]here is no basis for the court to grant a motion for transcripts when no

proceeding of any kind is pending.”). Accordingly, the Court enters the following Order:




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       Case 2:21-cr-00490-WSH           Document 85    Filed 12/05/25     Page 3 of 3




       AND NOW, this 5th day of December, 2025, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Defendant’s

Motion for Sentencing Transcripts, (Crim. No. 21-490, Docket No. 84; Crim. No. 25-120, Docket

No. 33), is DENIED.

                                                         s/ W. Scott Hardy
                                                         W. Scott Hardy
                                                         United States District Judge


cc/ecf: All counsel of record

       Kenyetta Jones (via U.S. mail)
       Reg. No. 81777-509
       USP Hazelton
       U.S. Penitentiary
       P.O. Box 2000
       Bruceton Mills, WV 26525




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