Opinion ID: 167028
Heading Depth: 6
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Methamphetamine

Text: Marque Green testified that, beginning in 1993, John Torrence made or “cut” methamphetamine in Green’s kitchen. Between 1994 and 1997, McCalister would assist Torrence in preparing methamphetamine. Green also testified that he would bring drugs, including methamphetamine, from California to Oklahoma. McCalister accompanied Green on two of these trips. Some of those trips would include up to two kilograms, or 2,000 grams, of methamphetamine at a time. Other conspiracy members paid David Sump in methamphetamine to assist in transporting drugs. In November 1995, Tulsa police arrested Sump after finding him in possession of 1.5 grams of methamphetamine. After his arrest, Sump told officers that he and other conspirators had brought 1.5 pounds, or 22 (...continued) McCalister does not argue that the district court erred at sentencing in determining the specific amounts for which McCalister was responsible. Our focus in this appeal, therefore, is only on the amount of drugs for which the overall conspiracy was responsible. 20 approximately 680 grams, 23 of methamphetamine from California to Tulsa hidden in peanut butter jars. At the same time that Sump was arrested, police executed a search warrant at Carmen Oldham’s residence, finding methamphetamine there. In February 1996, police executed a search warrant and found methamphetamine in Kenneth Woods’ home, along with guns and scales and large amounts of cash. And in June 1996, officers executing a search warrant at Kathy Cooper’s home discovered 243.25 grams of methamphetamine, along with a large amount of cash. Charles Hudson testified that he would buy methamphetamine from McCalister. Hudson further testified that McCalister told him that McCalister had gone to California and brought back one pound, or approximately 453 grams, 24 of crystal methamphetamine. In light of this evidence, the conspiracy was involved with at least 3,377 grams of methamphetamine (McCalister himself was implicated in at least 453 grams). Even without a prior drug conviction, just five grams of methamphetamine subjects a defendant to a forty-year statutory maximum sentence. See 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(B)(vii) (before 1998, ten grams was required to support statutory maximum forty-year sentence). In light of that, the evidence 23 See www.metric-conversions.org/weight/pounds-to-grams.htm. 24 See www.metric-conversions.org/weight/pounds-to-grams.htm. 21 of the conspiracy’s involvement with methamphetamine fully supported the 290-month sentence that the district court imposed.