Originally published April 7, 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.
In April 2021, a federal judge reduced Phillip Singfield’s sentence to time served. The court pointed to his high blood pressure, asthma, and obesity, which put him at greater risk of severe illness from COVID-19, along with his growth in prison and his release plan.
United States v. Singfield
2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 65414
His sentence
In November 2009, Singfield violated the terms of his supervised release. He was sentenced to twelve months in prison, to be served after his state sentence in another case.
In November 2020, he was released from Ohio custody and began his twelve-month federal sentence. Once released from federal prison, he must also serve three years of community control on his state sentence.
His health risks
In his request, Singfield said people at his prison could not take precautions or properly quarantine after exposure to COVID-19.
He has hypertension, asthma, and obesity. These conditions, along with the ongoing presence of COVID-19 at Northeast Ohio Correctional, put him at greater risk of severe illness if he caught the virus.
Why the judge said yes
Singfield has been locked up for about twelve years and says prison has “transformed” him. He says he has matured since he was first sentenced as a young man.
He plans to live with his mother after release and has a job available. He was set to be released within the year and will still serve three years of Ohio community control.
Weighing all of these factors, the court reduced Singfield’s sentence to time served.
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