Opinion ID: 23906
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Constitutionality of 21 U.S.C. 841 under Apprendi v. New Jersey

Text: 35 Fort contends that section 841 is unconstitutional because Congress intended the facts that determine the maximum sentence to be sentence enhancements rather than elements, in violation of Apprendi v. New Jersey, 120 S. Ct. 2348 (2000). We recently rejected the argument that 21 U.S.C. 841(a) and (b) are unconstitutional on their face in light of Apprendi. See United States v. Slaughter, 238 F.3d 580, 582 (5th Cir. 2000) (revised opinion) (per curiam). Fort's contention is rejected. 36 To the extent that Fort contends that the statute is unconstitutional as applied to him, this contention also lacks merit. Fort contends that because the baseline marijuana offense is 21 U.S.C. 841(b)(4), with a statutory maximum of one year, his 21-month sentence exceeds that maximum and violates Apprendi. Because Fort did not raise the issue of the applicability of section 841(b)(4) in the district court, his contention is reviewed for plain error. See United States v. Rios-Quintero, 204 F.3d 214, 215 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 121 S. Ct. 301 (2000). 37 The one-year maximum sentence applies only to distribution of a small amount of marihuana for no remuneration. See 21 U.S.C. 841(b)(4), 844. Because the indictment specifically charged Fort with possessing 561.2 pounds of marijuana and he stipulated to that amount at the time of his plea, section 841(b)(4) is inapplicable to the instant case. See United States v. Salazar-Flores, 238 F.3d 672, 674 n.1 (5th Cir. 2001) (rejecting argument that section 841(b)(4) applied where defendant admitted at the sentencing hearing that he possessed 195 pounds of marijuana because 195 pounds, under any standard, does not qualify as a 'small amount'). 38 The baseline statutory maximum is therefore 5 years under section 841(b)(1)(D), and Apprendi does not invalidate Fort's 21-month sentence. See United States v. Keith, 230 F.3d 784, 787 (5th Cir. 2000) (per curiam), cert denied, 121 S. Ct. 1163 (2001) (Apprendi applies only to cases in which the sentence exceeds the statutory maximum, not to cases in which a sentence is enhanced within the statutory range based on a finding of drug quantity). 39 Fort has not shown that his sentence exceeded the otherwise applicable statutory maximum. He therefore fails to demonstrate that his sentence violates Apprendi. 40 AFFIRMED.