⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

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United States v. Mentzer — 10th Cir. (Sep 16, 2026)

No. 25-3132 Argued September 16, 2026 Published September 26, 2026

Bruce Mentzer's federal case arose from stalking conduct involving a gun. He pleaded guilty to a firearm count with a five-year guideline sentence, but the judge imposed thirty years. Ann Taliaferro of Brown, Bradshaw & Moffat will argue for Mentzer that the judge did not give enough notice or explain the much longer term. A departure uses a specific Guidelines provision to move outside the range; a variance relies on broader statutory sentencing factors. Rule 32(h) requires notice of some departures, so which route the judge took matters. Mentzer also argues that the judge failed to weigh his acceptance of responsibility and other mitigating evidence.

United States v. Mentzer (No. 25-3132) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, argued September 16, 2026.

Sources
Argument audio — Tenth Circuit (public domain, 17 U.S.C. § 105):https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/sites/ca10/files/oralarguments/25-3132.mp3
Argument listing — Tenth Circuit:https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/oralargument/search-results?field_oa_hearing_date_value%5Bmin%5D%5Bdate%5D=08%2F01%2F2026&field_oa_hearing_date_value%5Bmax%5D%5Bdate%5D=09%2F26%2F2026
Appellate docket and counsel — Tenth Circuit:https://dockets.justia.com/docket/circuit-courts/ca10/25-3132
Mentzer sentencing issues — Federal Public Defender, District of Kansas:https://ks.fd.org/sites/ks/files/media-library/issues-pending-20260402.pdf
Firearm guideline, § 2K2.4 — U.S. Sentencing Commission:https://www.ussc.gov/guidelines/2025-guidelines-manual/annotated-2025-chapter-2-e-k
Departures and variances — U.S. Sentencing Commission:https://www.ussc.gov/guidelines/primers/departures-and-variances
Criminal Rule 32 — Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure:https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-criminal-procedure.pdf
Sentencing factors, 18 U.S.C. § 3553 — U.S. Code:https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/18/3553
Ann Marie Taliaferro — Brown, Bradshaw & Moffat:https://www.brownbradshaw.com/our-firm/ann-marie-taliaferro
Duston J. Slinkard — U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Kansas:https://www.justice.gov/archives/usao-ks/staff-profile/meet-us-attorney-slinkard

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