Opinion ID: 76840
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Shelton's Guilty Plea

Text: 4 On July 17, 2003, Shelton was indicted for: (1) knowingly and intentionally distributing  at least five (5) grams of crack cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B), and (b)(1)(C), and 18 U.S.C. § 2 (counts 1, 2, and 4); (2) knowingly and intentionally distributing crack cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B), and (b)(1)(C), and 18 U.S.C. § 2 (counts 5 and 6); (3) being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1), 924(a)(2) (counts 3, 7, and 10); (4) knowingly carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and 2 (count 9); and (5) knowingly possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) (count 12). 1 5 In a written plea agreement, Shelton pled guilty to the drug charge in count 4 and the firearms charge in count 9. During the plea colloquy under Rule 11, the district court explained that the mandatory minimum for the drug charge in count 4 was 10 years' imprisonment (120 months) and the maximum was life imprisonment. Shelton's three prior drug convictions increased Shelton's statutory, mandatory minimum sentence from 5 to 10 years' imprisonment and his statutory maximum penalty from 40 years' to life imprisonment. 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(B). 2 During the plea colloquy, the district court further explained that as to the firearm charge in count 9, Shelton would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years' imprisonment (60 months) to run consecutively to his drug sentence for count 4. 6 Also during the plea colloquy, the government offered facts showing that Shelton and co-defendant Hunter sold drugs and two firearms to a confidential informant (CI) under surveillance on June 23, 2003. According to the government's recitation of the facts, Shelton's drug transaction with the CI on that one day involved 16.7 grams of crack and 15 grams of cocaine powder. During the plea colloquy, Shelton agreed to the government's recitation of the facts. The district court then accepted Shelton's guilty plea as to counts 4 and 9, and the remaining counts in the indictment were dismissed on the government's motion.