Opinion ID: 550570
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Calculation of the weight of the marijuana for sentencing.

Text: 28 Holley also contends that he was entitled to a base level of 16 rather than 18 because the total weight of the marijuana was under 20 kilos. Section 2D1.1 of the Sentencing Guidelines provides for an offense level of 18 when the quantity of marijuana is more than 20 but less than 40 kilos. In this case, the government put on testimony from the forensic chemist who analyzed and weighed the marijuana. She testified that the weight of the two bags of marijuana was 45.5 pounds (20.68 kilos). This weight was calculated three days after the arrest. Seven months after his arrest, defendant was permitted to weigh the drugs. His expert determined that the marijuana weighed 19.2 kilos. Thus, he argues that the proper base level was 16 as the defendant should not be charged with the weight of the moisture contained in the marijuana. Both the government and defendant agree that the drying out of the marijuana from the time of arrest to the time of Holley's weighing accounts for the difference in weight. 29 The government argues first, that the actual weight of the drugs is irrelevant in a conspiracy charge. The government cites Section 2D1.4 of the Sentencing Guidelines which provides that the base level for a conspiracy involving a controlled substance is the same as if the object of the conspiracy or attempt had been completed. The Application Note to Section 2D1.4 provides that [i]f the defendant is convicted of an offense involving negotiation to traffic in a controlled substance, the weight under negotiation in an uncompleted distribution shall be used to calculate the applicable amount. U.S.S.G. Sec. 2D1.4, n. 1. Therefore, in a conspiracy case, like the one at bar, it is not the actual amount but rather the negotiated amount which determines the base level. See United States v. Rodriguez, 896 F.2d 1031, 1033 (6th Cir.1990). Thus, the government asserts that the court was not clearly erroneous in finding that the weight of the drugs was over 20 kilos for all defendants when the negotiated amount was more than that. 30 The government also argues that even if the base offense level was determined on the actual weight it was not clearly erroneous for the judge to accept the weight offered by the forensic chemist taken three days after the arrest rather than the weight calculated by Holley's expert taken seven months later. Defendant argues that the bags contained stems and seeds and other parts that should not have been weighed. He also contends that the moisture in the marijuana should not be included in the weight. However, Holley has not produced any evidence to suggest that the bags contained anything but marijuana. Further, had the defendants sold the marijuana to individual purchasers, they would not have deducted the moisture weight from the price. 31 In our view, the court properly found that the weight of the marijuana for sentencing purposes was in excess of twenty kilos. As the defendants negotiated to sell over twenty kilos and the forensic expert found the weight to be over twenty kilos, it was not clearly erroneous for the judge to sentence Holley based upon an amount over twenty kilos.