Case Name: UNITED STATES of America, Appellee, v. Devon K. STEPHENSON, also known as Ziggy, Appellant
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 2001-04-24
Citations: 6 F. App'x 525
Docket Number: No. 00-3299
Parties: UNITED STATES of America, Appellee, v. Devon K. STEPHENSON, also known as Ziggy, Appellant.
Judges: Before BOWMAN, HANSEN, and MORRIS SHEPPARD ARNOLD, Circuit Judges.
Reporter: West's Federal Appendix
Volume: 6
Pages: 525–526

Head Matter:
UNITED STATES of America, Appellee, v. Devon K. STEPHENSON, also known as Ziggy, Appellant.
No. 00-3299.
United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit.
Submitted April 19, 2001.
Decided April 24, 2001.
Before BOWMAN, HANSEN, and MORRIS SHEPPARD ARNOLD, Circuit Judges.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Devon K. Stephenson challenges the sentence imposed by the District Court after he pleaded guilty to conspiring to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 (1994), and to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) (1994 & Supp. IV 1998). His counsel has filed a brief and moved to withdraw pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967). Although we granted Stephenson permission to file a pro se supplemental brief, he has not done so.
As part of his plea agreement, Stephenson waived his right to appeal his sentence on any ground except for an upward departure by the sentencing judge, a sentence in excess of the statutory maximum, or a sentence in violation of law apart from the Guidelines. We conclude that this waiver was knowing and voluntary. Among other things, Stephenson was assisted by counsel at the change-of-plea and sentencing hearings; the Court questioned him about the appeal waiver at the change-of-plea hearing, verifying that he under stood he was waiving his right to appeal; the plea agreement and the presentence report advised him of the statutory minimum penalty; and his sentence of ninety months imprisonment represents a downward departure. See United States v. Michelsen, 141 F.3d 867, 871-72 (8th Cir.) (holding that appeal waiver is enforceable so long as it resulted from knowing and voluntary decision), cert. denied, 525 U.S. 942, 119 S.Ct. 363, 142 L.Ed.2d 299 (1998); United States v. Greger, 98 F.3d 1080, 1081-82 (8th Cir.1996) (enforcing knowing and voluntary waiver of right to appeal sentence so long as sentence is not in conflict with negotiated plea agreement; waiver was knowing and intelligent where it was included in plea agreement and was discussed at change-of-plea hearing).
Accordingly, because Stephenson's sentence was not in conflict with the plea agreement, we now specifically enforce his promise not to appeal by dismissing his appeal. See United States v. EstradaBohena, 201 F.3d 1070, 1071 (8th Cir.2000) (per curiam). We also grant counsel's motion to withdraw.
. The Honorable Nanette K. Laughrey, United States District Judge for the Western District of Missouri.