Still Stuck Under Stacked Sentences

What the First Step Act Doesn’t Fix (But Maybe You Can)

They Fixed the Law—But Left People Behind: What You Should Know About 924(c) and the First Step Act

In 2018, Congress passed the First Step Act, a criminal justice reform bill meant to reduce mandatory minimums, expand early release, and bring fairness to federal sentencing. But for many people serving stacked 924(c) charges, it didn’t go far enough.

What Is a 924(c)?

18 U.S.C. § 924(c) is the federal law that adds extra time to a sentence when a firearm is used during or in relation to a violent or drug trafficking crime.

Before the First Step Act, if someone was charged with multiple 924(c) counts in the same case, they were sentenced as if they were repeat offenders—even if it was their first federal case.

• 1st 924(c) = 5 years (or more, depending on use)
  
  
  

• 2nd 924(c) = 25 years mandatory
  
  
  

• 3rd or more = 55+ years mandatory
  
  
  

And here’s the kicker: those sentences had to run consecutively. That means someone could serve 65 years or more just for gun charges—on top of their base sentence.

What the First Step Act Changed

The First Step Act corrected this injustice… going forward. It said that:

“Subsequent 924(c) charges cannot be stacked if they are part of the same indictment.”

Now, someone facing multiple 924(c)s in the same case would only receive an additional 5 years for each one—not 25 or 55.

What It Didn’t Change: Retroactivity

The biggest heartbreak? They didn’t make it retroactive.

That means people who were sentenced before 2018—often serving 30, 50, even 100+ year sentences for a handful of robberies—got no relief.

Thousands remain behind bars under a law that Congress already admitted was unjust.

So… Is There Still Hope?

Yes—but it requires action.

If your loved one is serving a stacked 924(c) sentence, there may still be legal doors open:

✅ Compassionate Release under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)

Some federal judges have granted sentence reductions when the stacked nature of a 924(c) sentence is presented as an extraordinary and compelling circumstance.

Several cases have already shown that:

“If this individual were sentenced today, they would receive significantly less time.”

That argument—when framed correctly—can hold weight in court.

✅ Clemency Petitions

While harder to win, a clemency petition to the President specifically referencing the injustice of 924(c) stacking may be considered, especially in this climate of reform talk.

✅ Individual Habeas / Motion for Reconsideration

Depending on jurisdiction and circuit precedent, some creative legal strategies may be available.

How Granted Pro Se Can Help

We’re not attorneys—but we are certified paralegals who specialize in writing customized federal motion templates to help Pro Se litigants present strong, structured legal filings.

If you or your loved one are serving time under an outdated 924(c) sentence:

• We can build a custom motion (e.g., compassionate release or sentence modification) tailored to your situation.

• Our templates are built with your facts, goals, and court style in mind.

• We’re fast, discreet, and committed to the fight for freedom.

✍️ Final Word from J. Malik Cross

If you’re serving life for something Congress no longer supports, that’s not justice—that’s neglect.

But if the law won’t reach back to help you, then you’ve got to reach forward and file.

Don’t wait for permission.

File the motion. Make the argument. Push the system to reckon with its own past.

You just might be the next person who turns a stacked sentence… into a second chance.