Opinion ID: 901816
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Manufacturing Conviction

Text: [¶ 60.] Defendant was found guilty of manufacturing, distribution or dispensing of certain controlled substances as well as possession with the intent to manufacture or dispense in violation of SDCL 22-42-2. Defendant now claims that because not all the necessary components for the manufacture of methamphetamine were found or presented at trial, a conviction for manufacturing cannot be sustained. The State, on the other hand, argues that not every component of the manufacturing process needs to exist when the presence of multiple precursors and actual methamphetamine support the conviction. [¶ 61.] We review a sufficiency of the evidence claim de novo. State v. Tofani, 2006 SD 63, ¶ 35, 719 N.W.2d 391, 400 (citation omitted). We will not reverse the guilt determination of the trier of fact if we conclude that `the State presented sufficient evidence on which the [court] could reasonably find the defendant guilty of the crime charged.' Id. (citation omitted). Defendant was convicted after a trial to the court. The court issued findings of fact to support its guilt determination. In finding the defendant guilty under SDCL 22-42-2, the court listed the multiple items from defendant's residence that were seized and tested. The court further found Sgt. Mundt and the other officers credible. Sgt. Mundt testified that the items seized from defendant's home were used in the process of manufacturing methamphetamine. Moreover, although ammonia was not found, the court found credible the statements from Officers Openhowski and Zimbelman that they detected an odor of ammonia at the house and Sgt. Mundt's explanation that ammonia dissipates at a rapid rate. The court held that it is clear that methamphetamine was manufactured by the defendant on or about the 25th day of April 2007 at 508 East 31st Street[.] Defendant also admitted to manufacturing methamphetamine at his residence because he was addicted to it. [¶ 62.] SDCL 22-42-1(6) defines Manufacture, as the production, preparation, propagation, compounding, or processing of a controlled drug or substance, either directly or indirectly by extraction from substances of natural origin, or independently by means of chemical synthesis or by a combination of extraction and chemical synthesis. Based on defendant's confession that he manufactured methamphetamine, the presence of methamphetamine and multiple components of the manufacturing process, we believe the State presented sufficient evidence to support the court's finding of guilt under SDCL 22-42-2. [21] See Smith v. State, 68 Ark. App. 106, 3 S.W.3d 712, 715 (1999); State v. Brown, 109 Or.App. 636, 820 P.2d 878, 884 (1991); contra State v. Avery, 2000 WL 1027287 n. 2 (Iowa.Ct.App.2000) (unpublished) (necessary ingredients missing, items possessed were legal, no finished product found, no evidence defendant knew how or had ever manufactured). We recognize that two components necessary to the manufacturing process were not entered into evidence: a gas generator and ammonia. The fact that these two components were missing, however, will not negate a finding of guilt. Rather, their absence is a circumstance to be considered and weighed with all the other evidence.