Opinion ID: 2994948
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Jury Instructions for Counts One and Five

Text: Jones first attacks his conviction on counts one and five, contending that the instructions submitted to the jury constituted reversible error. Relying on the Supreme Court’s decision in Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S. Ct. 2348, 147 L. Ed. 2d 435 (2000), Jones argues that the instructions for counts one and five constituted reversible error because they failed to direct the jury that it must find that the government had met its burden to prove the quantity of controlled substances alleged for these counts in the indictment. Additionally, Jones argues that the instructions pertaining to count one failed to require the jury to find that the government had met its burden of proving the type of controlled substances alleged in the portion of the indictment relating to that count. Jones acknowledges that, because he did not preserve his objection as to whether the quantity or type of drugs alleged in the indictment were improperly missing from the jury instructions, we review his claim for plain error. See United States v. Nance, 236 F.3d 820, 824 (7th Cir. 2001). In Apprendi, the Supreme Court held that any fact other than the fact of a prior conviction that increases the penalty for an offense beyond the statutory maximum penalty for that offense is an element of the crime and so must be submitted to the jury and proved beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Jackson, 236 F.3d 886, 887 (7th Cir. 2001) (citing Apprendi, 120 S. Ct. at 2362-63). In cases involving drugs and alleged violations of 21 U.S.C. sec.sec. 841 and 846, like the one now before us, we have held that before a defendant can be sentenced to a term of imprisonment above the default statutory maximum provided in sec. 841(b)(1)(C) or D, Apprendi requires that a drug type and amount sufficient to trigger the higher statutory maximums of sec. 841(b)(1)(A) or (B) be charged in the indictment and found by the jury. United States v. Mietus, 237 F.3d 866, 874 (7th Cir. 2001). When a drug amount is not charged in an indictment or included in instructions submitted to a jury, the statutory maximum under sec. 841(b) is to be determined without making any reference to drug amount. See United States v. Westmoreland, 240 F.3d 618, 632 (7th Cir. 2001).
Count one of the indictment clearly explained that Jones and Monroe were charged with conspiring to distribute, and possession with the intent to distribute, more than fifty grams of a mixture and substance containing cocaine and more than fifty grams of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base, a Schedule II controlled substance in violation of 21 U.S.C. sec.sec. 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1) (A)(iii), and 846./1 The instructions submitted to the jury on this count, however, were not as specific as the indictment. While we find sufficient language in the instructions directing the jury to determine whether the government had proven the type of controlled substances alleged in count one of the indictment, these instructions made no mention of the quantity of the controlled substances. The government argues that the jury was properly instructed as to the quantity of controlled substances alleged in count one. In support of this assertion the government offers several facts: the district court read the indictment to the jury at the outset of voir dire; the jury received a copy of the indictment when it deliberated; and, with regard to count one, the jury was instructed to consider whether the transactions involved large quantities of cocaine and cocaine base. These facts do not alleviate the absence of direction in the jury instructions to find that Jones possessed more than fifty grams of cocaine and more than fifty grams of crack cocaine. Notwithstanding this omission in the instructions, the defendant was found guilty on this count and he was subsequently sentenced to 312 months for this offense. Because no drug amounts were included in the jury instructions for this count, Apprendi requires the statutory maximum for this offense to be determined without reference to any quantity of controlled substance. While sec. 841(b)(1)(C) explains that the statutory maximum for the offense charged in count one, without mention of any specific quantity of drugs, is twenty years, or 240 months, it also explains that when any person commits such a violation after a prior conviction for a felony drug offense has become final, such person shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not more than 30 years. Thus, because of Jones’ prior state felony drug conviction, the statutory maximum for his offense under sec. 841(b)(1)(C) is thirty years, or 360 months. This enhancement was the result of Jones’ prior conviction, a fact explicitly excluded from the requirements of Apprendi by the Supreme Court. See Apprendi 120 S. Ct. at 2362-63. Furthermore, we have repeatedly held that when a defendant is sentenced to a term of imprisonment within the statutory maximum for the crime of which he was convicted, ’Apprendi is beside the point.’ United States v. Williams, No. 00-1129, 2001 WL 65719,  (7th Cir. Jan. 26, 2001) (quoting Talbott v. Indiana, 226 F.3d 866, 869 (7th Cir. 2000)). Thus, because Jones’ sentence was forty-eight months below the statutory maximum for a defendant who has a prior felony drug conviction, Apprendi is inapplicable, and the conviction for count one will be affirmed.
Count five of the indictment stated that Jones knowingly and intentionally possessed, with the intent to distribute, less than five grams of a mixture and substance containing a cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C sec. 841(a)(1). While the instructions submitted to the jury for this count, like those for count one, did not direct the jury to determine whether the government had proven a quantity of crack cocaine, the conviction on this charge is upheld for the reasons explained above. Without any reference to drug quantity, the statutory maximum for a defendant who has a prior drug felony conviction and commits the offense charged in count five is thirty years, or 360 months. See 21 U.S.C. sec. 841(b)(1)(C). Jones, however, received a sentence of 312 months, forty-eight months below the statutory maximum for this offense. Again, Apprendi does not apply, and the conviction for count five must be affirmed.