Originally published March 25, 2021. Statements about the law were updated in October 2026; the box below gives today’s rules.
Outcomes vary. A past result does not predict or guarantee the outcome of any other case.
Court record: United States v. Cupp, No. 1:15-cr-00003 (N.D. Ind.).
In March 2021, a federal judge granted compassionate release to Donald Cupp because of complications from Parkinson’s disease. His 151-month sentence was cut to time served.
The court looked at his medical condition, his age, his family circumstances, and whether his case showed an extraordinary and compelling reason for release.
His arrest and sentence
Cupp was selling methamphetamine and was caught during a traffic stop on January 5, 2015, a stop he later challenged in court.
That day, officers searched his vehicle and found five bags of methamphetamine (134.2 grams in all), scales, a drug ledger, and other drug paraphernalia. They also found a pry bar, bolt cutters, and other tools consistent with burglary in his vehicle.
When officers searched his home with a warrant, they found a small amount of methamphetamine, baggies, synthetic marijuana, a lock picking kit, and ammunition.
In an interview on January 6, 2015, Cupp hurt his own case. He admitted to making larger and larger methamphetamine deals, ordering the drug every twenty to thirty days from his supplier. He also admitted that his most recent purchase was nine pounds of methamphetamine, for which he paid $80,000.00.
That amount, plus the methamphetamine from the traffic stop and a small amount from a later arrest, set his base offense level at 36. That produced a guideline range of 240 to 293 months.
The government recommended, and the court accepted, a reduced sentence of 151 months. The court also imposed a term of supervised release of six months afterward. Cupp is housed at FCI Englewood in Littleton, Colorado, with an expected release date of October 23, 2024.
Why the judge said yes
The court ordered Cupp’s release because of complications from Parkinson’s disease. The court wrote:
While Parkinson’s disease itself if not fatal, it is marked by the progression of symptoms, including loss of balance, dementia, and difficulty swallowing that can be fatal. Defendant’s medical records show that his condition has progressed to Stage 3. This stage “marks a major turning point in the progression of the disease.” Individuals at this stage are more likely to experience loss of balance and decreased reflexes, resulting in more common fall events. Moreover, Parkinson’s “significantly affects daily tasks at this stage.”
All these complications are demonstrated in Defendant’s medical records. Defendant has developed markedly worse tremors, his fine motor skills have deteriorated, and, by early 2019, he reported multiple falls. He was moved to “no duty,” or removed from his job assignment, on August 23, 2019. He has seen consistent increases in his medications intended to treat his Parkinson’s disease. He must use a cane to ambulate. At this point, then, his ability to provide self-care has “substantially diminished.”
His 151-month prison sentence was reduced to time served. Cupp will be on supervised release for three years.
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