On May 2, 2000, Kelly Clark appeared for sentencing before Judge Denny Chin of the Southern District of New York. He had been convicted of a conspiracy to distribute heroin, racketeering, and conspiracy to commit racketeering and his Sentencing Guideline range was 360 months to life in prison. Judge Chin sentenced him to 30 years because he did not feel the circumstances called for "a life sentence for a 23-year old."

At the time, the Guidelines were mandatory, and so 30 years was basically the shortest sentence available. And although in 2005 the Supreme Court held that the Guidelines were not mandatory, that decision was not made retroactive to cases like Clark's.