Case Name: UNITED STATES of America, Appellee, v. Timothy J. GRIESS, also known as Towtruck, also known as TJ, Appellant
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 2011-04-13
Citations: 415 F. App'x 748
Docket Number: No. 10-3719
Parties: UNITED STATES of America, Appellee, v. Timothy J. GRIESS, also known as Towtruck, also known as TJ, Appellant.
Judges: Before LOKEN, MURPHY, and COLLOTON, Circuit Judges.
Reporter: West's Federal Appendix
Volume: 415
Pages: 748–749

Head Matter:
UNITED STATES of America, Appellee, v. Timothy J. GRIESS, also known as Towtruck, also known as TJ, Appellant.
No. 10-3719.
United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit.
Submitted: April 08, 2011.
Filed: April 13, 2011.
Bruce Gillan, Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Lincoln, NE, for Appellee.
Timothy J. Griess, Wilber, NE, pro se.
Korey L. Reiman, Reiman Law Firm, Lincoln, NE, for Appellant.
Before LOKEN, MURPHY, and COLLOTON, Circuit Judges.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Timothy Griess pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, and subject to sentencing under 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1). The district court sentenced him to the statutory minimum of 120 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. Griess appeals. His counsel has filed a brief under Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967), in which he seeks to withdraw and argues that the sentence was greater than necessary to accomplish the statutory sentencing goals.
Counsel's challenge to the sentence is unavailing. The record reflects that Griess understood the statutory minimum penalties when he entered his guilty plea. The district court had no discretion to impose a sentence below the statutory minimum where there was neither a departure motion by the government nor eligibility for safety-valve relief. See United States v. Chacon, 330 F.3d 1065, 1066 (8th Cir.2003).
Having reviewed the record independently under Penson v. Ohio, 488 U.S. 75, 109 S.Ct. 346, 102 L.Ed.2d 300 (1988), we find no nonfrivolous issue. Accordingly, we affirm the judgment, and we allow counsel to withdraw.
. The Honorable Richard G. Kopf, United States District Judge for the District of Nebraska.