Booze ban ordered by Buffalo judge at sentencing was a step too far: Court

It seems banning a man from from drinking alcohol for four years, is unreasonable. At least, that's what a federal appeals court in New York City found, in the case of one man.

An opinion written by Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jose Cabranes concludes that an alcohol ban ordered by a Buffalo judge in 2016 went too far, and was unrelated to the crime committed by Jeffrey Betts.

Betts was sentenced to 10 months in prison for violating the conditions of his release, after he was convicted of bank fraud conspiracy. The alcohol ban was included in the sentence.

Prosecutors had argued the ban was reasonable. They said Betts engaged in "weekly binge drinking" from age 19 to age 30. They said Betts would consume up to seven shots of tequila with friends on weekends.

But Betts' lawyers say there's no evidence he had issues with alcohol abuse, and argue the judge should have never banned him from drinking.