Opinion ID: 530567
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Sentencing on Count I

Text: 17 At the time of the appellant's convictions, the language of 21 U.S.C. Sec. 846 provided that a conspiracy is punishable by imprisonment or fine or both which may not exceed the maximum punishment prescribed for the offense, the commission of which was the object of the ... conspiracy. 3 This does not set a mandatory minimum sentence. Sections 841(b)(1)(A) and (B) provide for a sentence of at least ten years for violations of section 841(a). Appellants contend, and the government concedes that the trial court erred in incorporating the mandatory minimum sentence of section 841(b)(1) into section 846. Under the rule of lenity, since section 846 does not set a mandatory minimum, and congressional intent is difficult to discern, this Court should not interpret criminal statutes so as to pyramid penalties when such an interpretation is based only on guesswork as to what Congress intended. United States v. McDonald, 692 F.2d 376, 379 (5th Cir.1982), cert. denied, 460 U.S. 1073, 103 S.Ct. 1531, 75 L.Ed.2d 952. This error does not affect the convictions of Brown and Porter, but merely requires remand for resentencing as to Count I.