Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-06-01623/USCOURTS-ca8-06-01623-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Alfredo Manuel Nevarez-Espino
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

1

The Honorable David S. Doty, United States District Judge for the District of

Minnesota.

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 06-1623

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellee, * Appeal from the United States

* District Court for the

v. * District of Minnesota.

*

Alfredo Manuel Nevarez-Espino, * [PUBLISHED]

*

Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: October 18, 2006

Filed: December 27, 2006

___________

Before SMITH, BOWMAN, and COLLOTON, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Alfredo Manuel Nevarez-Espino pleaded guilty to possession with intent to

distribute in excess of 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing

methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A). The District

Court1

 sentenced Nevarez to 108 months of imprisonment. Nevarez argues that the

District Court erred in interpreting the sentencing guidelines and requests a remand

for resentencing. We hold that the District Court did not err in its interpretation of the

guidelines.

Appellate Case: 06-1623 Page: 1 Date Filed: 12/27/2006 Entry ID: 3263066
-2-

The guidelines provide alternative methods for making a drug-quantity

determination in methamphetamine cases—either the entire weight of the

methamphetamine mixture or the weight of the actual (pure) methamphetamine may

be used. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual § 2D1.1(c) (2005). The guidelines

further instruct: "In the case of a mixture or substance containing . . .

methamphetamine, use the offense level determined by the entire weight of the

mixture or substance, or the offense level determined by the weight of the . . .

methamphetamine (actual), whichever is greater." Id. § 2D1.1(c)(B). Here, the

District Court used the total weight of pure methamphetamine (550.89 grams) in

calculating a total-offense level of 31, which resulted in an advisory range of 108 to

135 months of imprisonment. Nevarez argued for a total-offense level of 27, which

would have resulted in an advisory range of 70 to 87 months of imprisonment, based

on the total weight of the methamphetamine mixture (1,058.9 grams). Nevarez

contends that the District Court erred in interpreting the guidelines to "unambiguously

call for" use of the weight of the pure methamphetamine to determine quantity. Sent.

Tr. at 22.

We review the District Court's interpretation and application of the guidelines

de novo. United States v. Mashek, 406 F.3d 1012, 1017 (8th Cir. 2005). “When

construing the Guidelines, we look first to the plain language, and where that is

unambiguous we need look no further.” United States v. Bah, 439 F.3d 423, 427 (8th

Cir. 2006) (internal citations and quotations omitted). The District Court's

interpretation of the guidelines was wholly consistent with the Guidelines Manual,

which calls for use of the methamphetamine weight that will yield the greater offense

level. Therefore, we find no error and affirm the District Court.

______________________________

Appellate Case: 06-1623 Page: 2 Date Filed: 12/27/2006 Entry ID: 3263066