Opinion ID: 1591617
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Sentencing Enhancement.

Text: The defendant's sentence was increased five years pursuant to Iowa Code section 124.401C(1), which provides: In addition to any other penalties provided in this chapter, a person who is eighteen years of age or older and who either directly or by extraction from natural substances, or independently by means of chemical processes, or both, unlawfully manufactures methamphetamine, its salts, isomers, and salts of its isomers in the presence of a minor shall be sentenced up to an additional term of confinement of five years. (Emphasis added.) Corsi claims this statute by its terms applies only to manufacturing methamphetamine, not conspiracy to do so. Since he was acquitted of the manufacturing charge, he argues the court improperly enhanced his sentence. [1] The State contends the enhancement statute does not require that a particular amount of methamphetamine be manufactured and, therefore, it encompasses a conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine that is established by an overt act just short of production. We review the trial court's interpretation and application of section 124.401C(1) for correction of errors at law. See State v. Morris, 416 N.W.2d 688, 689 (Iowa 1987). Iowa Code section 124.101(16) defines manufacturing in pertinent part as the production, preparation, propagation, compounding, conversion, or processing of a controlled substance. We have interpreted this definition to require production of the illegal material. See Royer, 632 N.W.2d at 908; Casady, 597 N.W.2d at 807. In Casady, this court contrasted the manufacturing alternative of section 124.401(1) with the conspiracy alternative: The first alternative means of violating the statute is the actual manufacture of drugs, but the second alternative includes a conspiracy to manufacture it. Contrary to Casady's argument, it is not necessary for the State to prove the second alternative by also proving the first. While the State must show an overt act toward the accomplishment of the conspiracy, it did not have to prove the completed act. 597 N.W.2d at 807 (citations omitted). We reject the State's argument that manufacturing means something short of the actual manufacture of drugs when used in the enhancement statute. Because the enhancement statute applies only to the manufacturing of methamphetamine, and because Corsi was acquitted of that charge, his sentence is not subject to enhancement under section 124.401C(1). Corsi's conviction of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine does not trigger the enhancement because under our prior cases a conspiracy conviction does not require proof of manufacturing. Therefore, the trial court imposed an illegal sentence when it added five years to the defendant's term of imprisonment. Accordingly, we vacate Corsi's sentence and remand this case to the district court for resentencing. JUDGMENT OF CONVICTION AFFIRMED, SENTENCE VACATED, AND CASE REMANDED FOR RESENTENCING.