Avery Itez Long v. Warden S. Napier

CourtDistrict Court, D. South Carolina
DecidedMay 13, 2026
Docket8:25-cv-13138
StatusUnknown

This text of Avery Itez Long v. Warden S. Napier (Avery Itez Long v. Warden S. Napier) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. South Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Avery Itez Long v. Warden S. Napier, (D.S.C. 2026).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA ANDERSON/GREENWOOD DIVISION

Avery Itez Long, ) C/A No. 8:25-cv-13138-BHH-WSB ) Petitioner, ) ) v. ) REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION ) Warden S. Napier, ) ) Respondent. ) )

This matter is before the Court on Respondent’s Motion to Dismiss or, in the alternative, Motion for Summary Judgment. ECF No. 14. Petitioner, proceeding pro se, brought this action seeking a writ of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2241. ECF No. 1. Petitioner is an inmate in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) and is confined at the Edgefield Federal Correctional Institution (“Edgefield”). This matter was referred to the undersigned United States Magistrate Judge pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b) and Local Civil Rule 73.02(B) (D.S.C.). For the reasons below, the undersigned recommends that this action be dismissed for failure to prosecute. BACKGROUND Petitioner commenced this action by filing a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 along with supporting documents. ECF Nos. 1; 1-1. By Order dated November 19, 2025, the Petition was authorized for service on Respondent. ECF No. 9. On February 9, 2026, Respondent filed a Motion to Dismiss or, in the alternative, Motion for Summary Judgment. ECF No. 14. Petitioner’s response to the Motion was due March 12, 2026. ECF No. 29. Because Petitioner is proceeding pro se, the Court entered an Order dated February 9, 2026, pursuant to Roseboro v. Garrison, 528 F.2d 309 (4th Cir. 1975) (the “Roseboro Order”), advising Petitioner of the summary judgment and motion to dismiss procedures and the possible consequences for failing to respond adequately to the Motion by March 12, 2026. Id. Petitioner was specifically advised that if he failed to respond adequately, Respondent’s Motion may be granted, thereby ending this case. Id. On February 23, 2026, Petitioner filed a Motion for Extension of Time. ECF No. 17. The

Court granted that request by Order dated February 23, 2026, extending the deadline to April 13, 2026. ECF No. 18. However, notwithstanding the specific warning and instructions set forth in the Court’s Roseboro Order, Petitioner failed to respond to Respondent’s Motion. After the response deadline, the Court entered an Order dated April 16, 2026, directing Petitioner to file a response to Respondent’s motion by May 6, 2026. ECF No. 21. That Order advised Petitioner that if he failed to respond, this action would be recommended for dismissal with prejudice for failure to prosecute. Id. However, Petitioner has not filed a response. DISMISSAL FOR FAILURE TO PROSECUTE The Petition challenges the calculation of Petitioner’s sentence. ECF Nos. 1; 1-1.

Respondent filed a Motion to Dismiss or for Summary Judgment. ECF No. 14. By Order dated April 16, 2026, Petitioner was notified that this action was subject to dismissal with prejudice for failure to prosecute. Id. In that Order, Petitioner was directed to file a response to Respondent’s Motion by May 6, 2026. Id. The Court’s Order was mailed to Petitioner at the address he provided to the Court. ECF No. 22. Neither the Roseboro Order nor the May 6 Order were returned to the Court as undeliverable, and Petitioner is presumed to have received the Court’s Orders along with Respondent’s Motion. However, Petitioner did not respond to the Court’s Orders and has not filed a response to Respondent’s Motion. Therefore, this action is subject to dismissal because Petitioner has failed to prosecute this case and has failed to comply with the Court’s Orders. “The Court has inherent power to manage its docket in the interests of justice.” Luberda v. Purdue Frederick Corp., C/A No. 4:13-cv-00897- RBH, 2013 WL 12157548, at *1 (D.S.C. May 31, 2013). It also has the authority expressly recognized in Rule 41(b) to dismiss actions for failure to prosecute. Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(b)

(authorizing a district court to dismiss an action if a plaintiff fails to comply with an order of the court); see also Ballard v. Carlson, 882 F.2d 93, 95 (4th Cir. 1989) (noting Rule 41“recognize[s] that courts must have the authority to control litigation before them, and this authority includes the power to order dismissal of an action for failure to comply with court orders”). “The authority of a court to dismiss sua sponte for lack of prosecution has generally been considered an ‘inherent power,’ governed not by rule or statute but by the control necessarily vested in courts to manage their own affairs so as to achieve the orderly and expeditious disposition of cases.” See Link v. Wabash R.R. Co., 370 U.S. 626, 630–31 (1962). Petitioner did not file a response to Respondent’s Motion and has failed to file a response

to this Court’s Orders, and the time for response has lapsed. Petitioner has failed to prosecute this case and has failed to comply with multiple Orders of this Court. As such, it appears to the Court that Petitioner does not oppose Respondent’s Motion and wishes to abandon this action. See Davis v. Williams, 588 F.2d 69, 70 (4th Cir. 1978); Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(b). Accordingly, this case should be dismissed pursuant to Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. DISMISSAL ON THE MERITS In the alternative, even if the Court were to reach the merits, Respondent would be entitled to summary judgment, and the Petition would be subject to dismissal. Background Petitioner asserts that he brings this action to challenge “how my credit for time served has not been applied.” ECF No. 1 at 2. Petitioner contends that the “BOP has failed to apply the credit for time served as required by law.” Id. Petitioner alleges he was sentenced on October 18, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia at case number 1:21-cr-

0085-WMR. Id. at 1. Petitioner asserts the following specific grounds, quoted verbatim: GROUND ONE: The Court has breached sub-part of plea agreement paragraph 44 unless I engaged in conduct inconsistent with accepting responsibility on June 22, 2022, the Court failed to apply credit from January 20.

Supporting Facts: The Government agreed to credit for time served on 6-22-22 with credit for time served since January 8, 2020, see plea agreement.

GROUND TWO: Under Program Statement 5880.28 Sentence Computation Manual, all official time spent in detention shall be credited toward the federal detention.

Supporting Facts: I spent from January 8, 2020, to June 22, 2022. A plea agreement was made that credit would be given, yet I have not been given the credit.

GROUND THREE: The District Court breached its contract by not applying good jail credit to the federal sentence.

Supporting Facts: I signed a plea agreement which stated that credit from Jan. 20, 2020, shall be credited.

GROUND FOUR: Why didn’t Judge William Ray didn’t reject the plea agreement (time served since Jan. 8, 2020, paragraph 17).

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Avery Itez Long v. Warden S. Napier, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/avery-itez-long-v-warden-s-napier-scd-2026.