Filed: Jun. 21, 2006
Latest Update: Feb. 12, 2020
Summary: UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 05-4630 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, versus DWIGHT ANDRAE ALLEN, a/k/a C, Defendant - Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, at Elkins. Robert E. Maxwell, Senior District Judge. (CR-04-04) Submitted: May 19, 2006 Decided: June 21, 2006 Before WILLIAMS, TRAXLER, and DUNCAN, Circuit Judges. Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion. Stephen G. Jory,
Summary: UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 05-4630 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, versus DWIGHT ANDRAE ALLEN, a/k/a C, Defendant - Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, at Elkins. Robert E. Maxwell, Senior District Judge. (CR-04-04) Submitted: May 19, 2006 Decided: June 21, 2006 Before WILLIAMS, TRAXLER, and DUNCAN, Circuit Judges. Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion. Stephen G. Jory, ..
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UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 05-4630
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
versus
DWIGHT ANDRAE ALLEN, a/k/a C,
Defendant - Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern
District of West Virginia, at Elkins. Robert E. Maxwell, Senior
District Judge. (CR-04-04)
Submitted: May 19, 2006 Decided: June 21, 2006
Before WILLIAMS, TRAXLER, and DUNCAN, Circuit Judges.
Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
Stephen G. Jory, JORY & SMITH, L.C., Elkins, West Virginia, for
Appellant. Stephen Donald Warner, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES
ATTORNEY, Elkins, West Virginia, for Appellee.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
See Local Rule 36(c).
PER CURIAM:
Dwight Andrae Allen pled guilty to conspiracy to possess
with intent to distribute and to distribute more than five grams of
crack cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 (2000). The
district court sentenced him to a mandatory minimum sentence of
sixty months of imprisonment. Allen’s counsel filed a brief
pursuant to Anders v. California,
386 U.S. 738 (1967), challenging
Allen’s sentence but stating that, in his view, there are no
meritorious issues for appeal. Allen was informed of his right to
file a pro se supplemental brief but has not done so. We affirm.
Counsel asserts that the district court should have
considered sentencing Allen using the guidelines applicable to
powder cocaine because of the sentencing disparity created by the
100-to-1 ratio of crack to powder cocaine. Allen’s argument is
foreclosed by our decision in United States v. Eura,
440 F.3d 625,
633-34 (4th Cir. 2006) (holding that, after United States v.
Booker,
543 U.S. 220 (2005), a sentencing court cannot vary from
advisory sentencing range by substituting its own crack
cocaine/powder cocaine ratio for the 100-to-1 ratio established by
Congress). Counsel also suggests that the district court should
have considered a sentence below the statutory mandatory minimum
sentence by applying the safety-valve provision. However, “Booker
did nothing to alter the rule that judges cannot depart below a
statutorily provided minimum sentence. . . . [A] district court has
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no discretion to impose a sentence outside of the statutory range
established by Congress for the offense of conviction.” United
States v. Robinson,
404 F.3d 850, 862 (4th Cir.), cert. denied,
126
S. Ct. 288 (2005).
In accordance with Anders, we have reviewed the entire
record for any meritorious issues and have found none.
Accordingly, we affirm Allen’s conviction and sentence. This court
requires that counsel inform his client, in writing, of his right
to petition the Supreme Court of the United States for further
review. If the client requests that a petition be filed, but
counsel believes that such a petition would be frivolous, then
counsel may move in this court for leave to withdraw from
representation. Counsel’s motion must state that a copy thereof
was served on the client. We dispense with oral argument because
the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the
materials before the court and argument would not aid the
decisional process.
AFFIRMED
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