Federal Judiciary

United States v. Mayala, No. 08-CR-42 (JBW), 2009 WL 1181051 (E.D.N.Y. May 1, 2009)

Mayala faced an advisory Guidelines range of 6 to 12 months imprisonment for her role in a bank fraud scheme, and was sentenced to time served and five years of supervised release.  As justification for the non-Guidelines sentence, the court explained that "[w]hile it does not excuse her conduct, Mayala was in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship with Jacques Lacroix, the mastermind of the bank fraud scheme, at the time of the offense.  Mayala is the primary caregiver for her son, who, while bright, has emptional problems that require psychiatric treatment.  The defendant has a need for educational training that would be better accomplished outside of prison."