Opinion ID: 2023496
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Heading: One-third Mandatory Minimum Claim.

Text: A. Error preservation and scope of review. As mentioned, Kress contends she was not subject to the one-third mandatory minimum sentence found in Iowa Code section 124.413. If she is correct, the sentence is illegal. An illegal sentence is one that is not permitted by statute. An illegal sentence is void and not subject to the usual concepts of waiver, whether from a failure to seek review or other omissions of error preservation. Because an illegal sentence is void, it can be corrected at any time. State v. Woody, 613 N.W.2d 215, 217 (Iowa 2000) (quoting State v. Ohnmacht, 342 N.W.2d 838, 842, 843 (Iowa 1983)) (citations omitted). Because Kress's contention raises a question of statutory interpretation, our review is for correction of errors at law. State v. Ceron, 573 N.W.2d 587, 589 (Iowa 1997). B. Analysis. Iowa Code section 155A.23(1)(b) provides: A person shall not ... [o]btain or attempt to obtain a prescription drug or procure or attempt to procure the administration of a prescription drug by... [f]orgery or alteration of a prescription or of any written order. Iowa Code section 155A.23(4) provides: A person shall not ... [m]ake or utter any false or forged prescription or written order. If the prescription drug is a controlled substance, Iowa Code sections 124.401(1) and 124.411 control the punishment of those who violate section 155A.23. See Iowa Code § 155A.24. As mentioned, the prescription drug here was Ritalin, also known as Methylphenidate, a schedule II controlled substance. See Iowa Code § 124.206(4)(d). A violation of section 124.401(1) (prohibiting manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance) is a class C felony, punishable by up to ten years imprisonment and a fine of up to $50,000. See Iowa Code §§ 124.401(1)(c)(8), 902.9(3). Section 124.411(1) provides additional penalties for second or subsequent offenses: Any person convicted of a second or subsequent offense under this chapter, may be punished by imprisonment for a period not to exceed three times the term otherwise authorized, or fined not more than three times the amount otherwise authorized, or punished by both such imprisonment and fine. Iowa Code § 124.411(1). Section 124.413 provides the following mandatory minimum sentence for certain offenders: A person sentenced pursuant to section 124.401, subsection 1, paragraph  a ,  b ,  c ,  e , or  f  , shall not be eligible for parole until the person has served a minimum period of confinement of one-third of the maximum indeterminate sentence prescribed by law. Iowa Code § 124.413. We have held that this provision means what it says: A person subject to section 124.413 is not eligible for parole until that person has served the minimum period of confinement specified. Luter v. State, 343 N.W.2d 490, 492 (Iowa 1984); State v. Morehouse, 316 N.W.2d 884, 886 (Iowa 1982). After this court decided Luter and Morehouse, the legislature passed legislation providing that the application of section 124.413 is not mandatory in all cases. 1985 Iowa Acts ch. 41, § 1 (codified at Iowa Code § 901.10 (1999)) (providing that when sentencing for a first conviction under section 124.413, court has discretion to impose a sentence less than provided by statute if mitigating circumstances exist and are stated on the record); State v. Thomas, 547 N.W.2d 223, 225-26 (Iowa 1996). Because of Kress's previous conviction of possession with intent to deliver, the section 124.413 mandatory minimum sentencing requirement would apply if we determine it is applicable in this case. See Luter, 343 N.W.2d at 492; Morehouse, 316 N.W.2d at 886. The district court sentenced Kress pursuant to section 124.401(1)(c). Although it could have, the court did not impose the section 124.411(1) triple enhancement for repeat offenders. However, the court did apply the section 124.413 mandatory minimum sentence. As mentioned, section 155A.24 provides that a person who violates the provisions of section 155A.23 shall be punished pursuant to section 124.401, subsection 1, and section 124.411 if the drug involved is a controlled substance. See Iowa Code § 155A.24. Kress argues the legislature's failure to refer to the one-third mandatory minimum of section 124.413 in section 155A.24 makes the mandatory minimum sentencing requirement inapplicable to violations of section 155A.23. If the legislature had intended for the mandatory minimum sentencing requirement to apply to violations of section 155A.23, Kress argues, it would have referred to section 124.413 in section 155A.24. In countering these arguments, the State points to the differences in the language of sections 124.413 and 124.411. Section 124.411 applies to persons convicted of a second or subsequent offense under this chapter. Iowa Code § 124.411 (emphasis added). Because of the quoted language, the State argues that section 124.411 would not apply to violations of section 155A.23 without a specific reference in section 155A.24 to section 124.411. In contrast, the State further argues, section 124.413 applies to a person sentenced pursuant to certain provisions of section 124.401(1). Iowa Code § 124.413 (emphasis added). Because Kress was sentenced pursuant to provisions of section 124.401(1), the State concludes, she meets the criteria required for application of the one-third mandatory minimum sentence found in section 124.413. We agree with the State. A person who violates a provision of section 155A.23 shall be punished pursuant to section 124.401(1). See Iowa Code § 155A.24. A person sentenced pursuant to section 124.401(1)(c) must serve the one-third mandatory minimum sentence. See Iowa Code § 124.413. The language of these statutes makes clear that Kress, punished pursuant to section 124.401(1) and sentenced pursuant to section 124.401(1)(c), is subject to the section 124.413 mandatory minimum sentence requirement. See State v. Rodgers, 560 N.W.2d 585, 586 (Iowa 1997) (noting that we apply statutes according to their terms). Because of the clear relationship between sections 124.401(1) and 124.413 found in the language of those sections, there was no need for the legislature to include a reference to section 124.413 in section 155A.24. We think the legislature intended the same penalties for violations under Iowa Code chapter 155A and Iowa Code chapter 124 when controlled substances are involved. More specifically, the legislature intended equivalent punishment for those convicted of manufacture, delivery, or procurement of controlled substances by forgery, fraud, or deceit. In plain language, the legislature tied those violations of chapter 155A relating to controlled substances to chapter 124. It would indeed seem absurd and inconsistent with this intent to apply the section 124.411 triple enhancement to violations under chapter 155A without also applying the section 124.413 mandatory minimum sentence. See State v. Byers, 456 N.W.2d 917, 919 (Iowa 1990) (noting that court seeks a reasonable interpretation that will best effect the legislative purpose and avoid absurd results). We conclude the plain language of section 124.413 ties it to violations of section 124.401, and that connection renders section 124.413 applicable to violations of chapter 155A. The district court did not err in applying the section 124.413 one-third mandatory minimum sentence to this case.