United States v. Ernest Shropshire

── United States v. Ernest Shropshire ── Court: Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Date: April 27, 2026 Category: General NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PUBLICATION File Name: 26a0187n.06 Case No. 25-3730 UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT FILED Apr 27, 2026 KELLY L. STEPHENS, Clerk ) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ) Plaintiff-Appellee, ) ON APPEAL FROM THE ) UNITED STATES DISTRICT v. ) COURT FOR THE NORTHERN ) DISTRICT OF OHIO ERNEST SHROPSHIRE, ) Defendant-Appellant. ) OPINION ) Before: SUTTON, Chief Judge; DAVIS and RITZ, Circuit Judges. DAVIS, Circuit Judge. Ernest Shropshire pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and to distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. The district court sentenced him to an above-Guidelines sentence of 121 months in prison. On appeal, Shropshire argues that his sentence is procedurally and substantively unreasonable. We disagree and AFFIRM. I. A. Factual Background In 2023, Ernest Shropshire served as a source of fentanyl and methamphetamine for local dealers in Akron, Ohio. Local law enforcement partnered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to investigate Shropshire and his co-conspirators (Phillip August, Andrew Corbin, William Morrison, and Calvin Roberts). Investigators learned that Shropshire No. 25-3730, United States v. Shropshire received the drugs from California, then supplied them to Roberts and Corbin. And Roberts sold to Corbin and others. Corbin and the others then sold the drugs from Corbin’s residence or delivered them directly to customers. By his own admission, Shropshire was selling “pounds of methamphetamine to Mr. Roberts at a time” and had taken “a pound [of fentanyl] to him before,” though it “depend[ed] on what came.” (Sealed Sent. Tr., R. 135, PageID 1154–56). Other reports indicated he usually sold a pound or two multiple times a week. And more than one source said Shropshire had access to as much as five pounds of methamphetamine at a time and ten pounds of fentanyl. With the help of a confidential source, investigators conducted two controlled buys of methamphetamine and fentanyl in June and July 2023. The June transaction involved a total of 449.7 grams of methamphetamine and 3.006 grams of fentanyl, sourced by Shropshire. And the July transaction included 26.7 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and xylazine. Shropshire was also held responsible for methamphetamine and a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine found in Corbin’s home that in aggregate totaled over 100 grams. B. Procedural Background Shropshire pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846; and distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl in June 2023 and distribution of fentanyl in July 2023, both in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The presentence report (“PSR”) prepared by a probation officer using the United States Sentencing Guidelines (“U.S.S.G.”) calculated Shropshire’s base offense level based on drug quantity at 32. Th