Opinion ID: 76818
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Facts Before Us

Text: 36 Morgan most closely aligns with the facts before us. Although the amount of pure LSD in Morgan was less than 10 grams, Morgan's guilty plea included his possessing, with intent to distribute, 10 grams or more of LSD, triggering the ten-year minimum sentence mandated by Section 841(b)(1)(A)(v). Morgan, 292 F.3d at 464-66. Under Section 5G1.1(b), the Morgan court used the statutory minimum because it was greater than the maximum sentence under the guidelines. Id. (holding that the market-oriented approach used in Chapman warrants including the weight of the liquid solution in determining a mandatory minimum sentence). 37 The same is true in Grant's case. Unlike the defendant in Camacho, Grant's indictment charged, and Granted pleaded guilty to, a count containing a specific drug quantity, i.e., 10 or more grams. Accordingly, Grant faced a statutory minimum sentence of ten years. Section 841(b)(1)(A)(v); Section 5G1.1(b). 38 Similarly to the defendant in Morgan, Grant was informed by the district court at his initial sentencing that the maximum statutory penalty it could impose would be a sentence of imprisonment of not less than ten years nor more than life. See note 1 supra. Grant acknowledged to the court that he understood. While Grant earnestly urges us to extend the weight of the pure LSD rationale of Camacho to statutory minimum cases, our reading of Chapman makes it clear that we may not do so. See Chapman, 111 S.Ct. at 1926. 39 We conclude that the district court should use the weight of the liquid LSD in applying Grant's statutory minimum sentence. Under Chapman, liquid LSD can be characterized as the carrier medium of choice at the wholesale level. Id. LSD on blotter paper, LSD in gel form or LSD on a sugar cube can be characterized as the carrier mediums of choice at the retail end of the distribution chain. Id. As the Supreme Court noted, LSD drug dealers are free to choose their own carrier medium, scrutinize its weight, and, by so doing, act to minimize their potential sentences. Id. at 1929 n. 6. 40