United States v. Terry Carrington

── United States v. Terry Carrington ── Court: Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit Date: May 29, 2026 Category: NEW USCA11 Case: 25-12232 Document: 30-1 Date Filed: 05/29/2026 Page: 1 of 18 NOT FOR PUBLICATION In the United States Court of Appeals For the Eleventh Circuit ____________________ No. 25-12232 Non-Argument Calendar ____________________ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus TERRY S. CARRINGTON, Defendant-Appellant. ____________________ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida D.C. Docket No. 4:24-cr-00030-MW-MAF-1 ____________________ Before BRANCH, ABUDU, and WILSON, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM: Terry S. Carrington appeals his 84-month sentence for as- sault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, un- der 18 U.S.C. § 113(a)(3), and assault resulting in serious bodily USCA11 Case: 25-12232 Document: 30-1 Date Filed: 05/29/2026 Page: 2 of 18 2 Opinion of the Court 25-12232 harm, under 18 U.S.C. § 113(a)(6). On appeal, Carrington argues that his sentence is substantively unreasonable. After careful re- view, we affirm. I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND & PROCEDURAL HISTORY In July 2024, Carrington was charged in a two count indict- ment with: (i) assault with a dangerous weapon, with intent to do bodily harm, within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, under 18 U.S.C. § 113(a)(3) (“Count One”), and (ii) assault resulting in serious bodily injury within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, under 18 U.S.C. § 113(a)(6) (“Count Two”). At his initial appearance, Car- rington was granted conditional pretrial release. Subsequently, Carrington pled guilty to both counts. As part of the plea agreement, Carrington and the govern- ment agreed to the following facts regarding Carrington’s offenses. On April 24, 2024, Carrington captained a commercial fishing vehi- cle for a multi-day fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico. He was ac- companied by two deckhands, C.W. and S.S. Shortly before noon, C.W. woke up from a nap and proceeded to the back of the boat to begin fishing. After he began fishing, “he heard a loud ‘whack’ sound.” C.W. looked back and saw S.S. lying unconscious on the floor of the boat. Carrington was standing over S.S., trying to pick him up by the shirt and—in C.W.’s opinion—throw S.S. over- board. C.W. asked Carrington what he was doing and Carrington USCA11 Case: 25-12232 Document: 30-1 Date Filed: 05/29/2026 Page: 3 of 18 25-12232 Opinion of the Court 3 responded, “I’ma kill you, how you want it.” Carrington then re- trieved a Remington bolt action rifle from the boat’s cabin, pre- pared the rifle to fire and pointed it at C.W. Carrington set the rifle down for a moment, but then grabbed the rifle for a second time and turned toward C.W. C.W. grabbed the stock and barrel of the rifle and the two men struggled for control of it. During the struggle, Carrington fired the rifle three or four times, ejecting the spent shell casing each time and reloading another shot. As they struggled, Carrington repeated, “I’ma f**king kill you.” At anoth