March 10, 2025

Eric Morehead on Understanding the Role and Function of the U.S. Sentencing Commission

26 minutes

Welcome to the award-winning FCPA Compliance Report, the longest-running compliance podcast. In this episode, Tom welcomes Eric Morehead to discuss the role and function of the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

Eric is the Director of Advisory Services Solutions at LRN and former Assistant General Counsel at the U.S. Sentencing Commission. He and Tom review the intricacies of the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s role, structure, and impact. Eric walks through his professional journey and explains the Sentencing Commission’s function in standardizing federal criminal sentences and promoting organizational compliance programs. He emphasizes the importance of the Sentencing Guidelines, the process for their amendment, and the challenges faced by the Commission, such as quorum issues. The discussion also touches on current topics, including the potential impact of executive orders on DEI policies and the FCPA pause, stressing the continued relevance of the Sentencing Guidelines in compliance program development.

Key highlights:

Eric Morehead’s Background and Role at the U.S. Sentencing Commission

Understanding the U.S. Sentencing Commission

Process of Creating and Amending Sentencing Guidelines

Impact of Sentencing Guidelines on Compliance Programs

Current Issues in Compliance: DEI and FCPA Enforcement

Resources:

Eric Morehead on LinkedIn

LRN

US Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations

Tom Fox

Instagram