Eugenia Jennings# 04468-025
Federal Sentence: 21 years, 10 months (262 months)
Offense: Distribution of 13.9 grams of cocaine base
Court: Southern District of Illinois
Priors: Delivery of a controlled substance; operating an uninsured motor vehicle, illegal transportation of alcohol
Sentenced: 2/23/2001
Year of Birth: 1977
Projected Release Date: 6/28/2019
Nature of Priors: Eugenia sold 1.5 grams of crack near public housing. While out on bond for that offense, she sold less than one gram of crack. She pled guilty to both charges in 1997 and was sentenced to six years in state prison followed by three years of probation. She served a total of 2.5 years in prison.
Nature of Offense: Eugenia had been using drugs for about 10 years and both sold and bartered drugs in order to support her addiction. In February of 2000, Eugenia participated in two controlled buys arranged by a criminal informant (CI). The CI told the DEA that she had known Eugenia for three or four years and had purchased crack cocaine from her in the past. On February 19, Eugenia gave 1.3 grams of crack to the informant in exchange for designer clothing. On February 24, she exchanged 12.6 grams of crack for clothing with the informant. Eugenia was arrested on June 22 and was held accountable for a total of 13.9 grams of cocaine base.
Sentencing Guidelines: Eugenia received a base offense level of 26 based on the amount of crack involved (more than five grams but less than 20 grams). However, because Eugenia had two prior drug felonies, she was considered a career offender and her offense level was increased to 37. Eugenia received a three-point reduction for acceptance of responsibility, leading to a total offense level of 34 which calls for 262-327 months under the sentencing guidelines. The judge sentenced Eugenia at the lowest end of the guidelines to 262 months.
Judge’s Statement: Judge Patrick Murphy of the Seventh Circuit said:
“[your sentence is at]…the low end of the guidelines, the very low end, and that’s still an awful, awful long time. If you put a woman in prison for over 20 years for a relatively small amount of crack cocaine the wisdom of that is not for me to determine. Congress has already made that decision.
[Eugenia’s] is just a life of tragedy, abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, abandonment, that’s about as grim a story as I’ve ever read.
…in reality what is at the bottom of our drug laws is this: When people become just too much trouble, just too much trouble, we quit foolin’ with ‘em and we warehouse ‘em. That’s how we take care of the problem.”
Personal Background: Eugenia grew up in Alton, Illinois, just north of St. Louis, Missouri. Eugenia was subjected to sexual, physical and emotional abuse on the part of family members and family friends and exposed to drugs at a very young age. At thirteen, Eugenia began abusing alcohol and other drugs, a problem which stayed with her during the duration of her youth. A mother of three, Eugenia gave birth to her third child in prison.
Since her incarceration, Eugenia has been a model employee and ambitious student. She has completed Business Education, Electrician Certification, a one-year drug treatment program, and is also teaching a crocheting class to other prisoners. Eugenia has been named employee of the month at UNICOR and was selected to participate in the Youth Awareness Program where she speaks to local youth about the dangers of drugs. Eugenia’s mother is very ill and cannot bring Eugenia’s children, now ten, thirteen, and 14-years-old, to visit her. Although Eugenia has only been able to see her family once in the past seven years, she maintains a close relationship with her children through letters.
Compiled from inmate information, pre-sentence report and sentencing transcripts 5/28/02 lv; updated 9/28/07 mmg 4/18/08 ap