United States v. Pritchett

496 F.3d 537, 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 19140, 2007 WL 2296165
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
DecidedAugust 13, 2007
Docket06-3359
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 496 F.3d 537 (United States v. Pritchett) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Pritchett, 496 F.3d 537, 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 19140, 2007 WL 2296165 (6th Cir. 2007).

Opinions

McKEAGUE, J., delivered the opinion of the court, in which EDGAR, D.J., joined. COOK, J. (pp. 550-52), delivered a separate dissenting opinion.

OPINION

McKEAGUE, Circuit Judge.

Appellant Christopher P. Pritchett entered into a written plea agreement with the government, agreeing to plead guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and to distribution of cocaine, and the government agreed to dismiss a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The plea hearing began at 9:03 a.m. At 10:33 a.m., after Appellant signed the plea agreement and the district court accepted Appellant’s guilty plea, the government filed an information pursuant to 21 U.S.C. [539]*539§§ 841(b)(1)(B) and 851(a), providing notice that if an adjudication of guilt is entered against Appellant, the government would rely on Appellant’s previous felony drug conviction in order to invoke section 841’s enhanced sentencing provisions. Appellant objected to an enhanced sentence under section 841 because the government failed to file the required information before he entered his guilty plea. The district court held that Appellant had notice that the government would be filing an information and that notice fulfilled the requirements of section 851(a). Appellant filed a timely appeal, claiming that the district court was without jurisdiction to impose the enhanced penalties under section 841. For the reasons stated below, we AFFIRM.

I. BACKGROUND

On October 5, 2005, Appellant was named in a twelve-count indictment that charged him in Counts 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12. Count 1 charged him with conspiracy to possess and to distribute more than 50 grams of cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A). Counts 6, 7, 8, and 9 charged him with distributing cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A). Count 12 charged him with possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B).

In a plea agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office, Appellant agreed to plead guilty to Counts 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12, and the government agreed to dismiss Count 1. The plea agreement included language that Appellant “admits, acknowledges or does not dispute” that on November 1, 2001, Appellant was convicted of drug trafficking, in violation of Ohio Revised Code § 2925.03, in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. The agreement also stated that Appellant

understands that, because of his prior conviction for a felony drug offense, the mandatory minimum and the maximum possible penalties on each count are as follows ... A mandatory minimum ten (10) years incarceration, up to a maximum possible term of life imprisonment, followed by at least eight (8) years of supervised release, a $4,000,000.00 fine, and a $100 special assessment.

The plea agreement later provided that

[Appellant] understands that, pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(B), 21 U.S.C. § 851, and USSG § 5G1. 1(c)(2), however, the Court cannot sentence [Appellant] to less than 120 months in prison, followed by at least 8 years of supervised release.
[ ] The parties agree not to seek any other [there was an agreement on a three-point reduction under U.S.S.G. § 3El.l(a)-(b) for Appellant’s acceptance of responsibility] enhancements, reductions, victim-related adjustments, upward departures, or downward departures from the stipulated offense level total.

Appellant’s change of plea proceeding began at 9:03 a.m. on December 8, 2005, and he entered a plea of guilty to Counts 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12. At the hearing, Appellant admitted, inter alia, (1) that he read and signed the plea agreement; (2) that he had gone over it in great detail with his attorney; (3) that there was nothing in the agreement that he did not understand; (4) that he understood that the statutory penalty for each of the counts to which he was pleading guilty was a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison followed by at least eight years of supervised release, a $4 million fíne, and a $100 special assessment; (5) that again he understood that he could not be sentenced to less than 120 months in prison followed by at least eight years of supervised release; and (6) that his plea [540]*540was voluntarily made and of his own free will.

The government filed a sentencing enhancement information at 10:33 a.m., which gave notice that if Appellant entered a plea of guilty on any count, the United States would rely on Appellant’s previous felony drug conviction in order to invoke the enhanced sentencing provisions of 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(B). Because of this pri- or felony drug offense, the penalty enhancement provisions of section 841(b)(1)(B) required a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years imprisonment to a maximum of life imprisonment, to be followed by eight years of supervised release. The government’s information indicated that a request for a sentence under 120 months would breach the plea agreement and that the government would then be free to recommend a life sentence for Appellant.

The United States Probation Office prepared a Presentence Investigation Report (“PSR”) on January 18, 2006.1 The PSR stated that based on a Total Offense Level of 27 and Criminal History Category IV, the Guideline range of imprisonment was 100-25 months. The PSR also stated that the minimum term of imprisonment per count is 5 years and the maximum term is 40 years. However, it stated that if the section 851 enhancement is found to be valid, the statutory sentence is 10 years to life, and the Guideline range is raised to 120-25 months.

The PSR was revised on February 2, 2006, taking into account Appellant’s January 30, 2006 objection to the section 851 enhancement. On February 17, 2006, Appellant filed a Sentencing Memorandum, arguing that because the enhancement information was not filed in accordance with section 851(a), the district court would not have jurisdiction to impose an enhanced sentence at the sentencing hearing.

Appellant’s sentencing hearing was held on February 27, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. At the hearing, the district judge stated the following

The Court finds that [Appellant] did, in fact, have notice, had notice that the 851 information would be filed by the Government. The Court finds that that notice is adequate. So even though technically, the information was filed on the same day, but shortly after the plea of guilty was entered, the information is not null and void. Therefore, in accordance with that information, and more importantly, in accordance with the plea agreement, the Court does, in fact, find that the minimum term of imprisonment is 120 months.

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United States v. Pritchett
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Bluebook (online)
496 F.3d 537, 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 19140, 2007 WL 2296165, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-pritchett-ca6-2007.