Professional Documents
Culture Documents
No. 10-4552
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern
District of North Carolina, at Raleigh.
Louise W. Flanagan,
Chief District Judge. (5:09-cr-00095-FL-1)
Submitted:
Decided:
PER CURIAM:
Lewis Alston pleaded guilty to possession with intent
to distribute five grams or more of crack cocaine, in violation
of 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1) (2006), and maintaining a place for the
purpose of distributing and using crack cocaine, in violation of
21 U.S.C. 856(a)(1) (2006).
The
court
sentenced
Alston
to
150
months
to
his
drug
trafficking
activities.
United
States v. Kellam, 568 F.3d 125, 147 (4th Cir. 2009) (providing
standard).
court
noted
suggesting
that
there
Alstons
was
evidence
involvement
in
Further, the
throughout
the
drug
the
trade,
set
closet.
up
outside
the
apartment,
and
firearm
in
the
had
findings
no
visible
are
not
means
clearly
of
support.
erroneous.
The
district
See
U.S.
courts
Sentencing
second
argument,
however,
is
meritorious.
Because Alston did not raise this argument below, we review for
plain error.
Cir. 2010).
must show that plain error by the district court affected his
substantial
rights.
Id.
at
577,
580.
The
district
court
had two prior state convictions, one for a Class I felony for
which he had a prior record level of I, and one for a Class I
felony with a prior record level of II.
from
the
presumptive
range
in
both
cases,
and
was
therefore
See
F.3d
While
242,
246
(4th
Cir.
2005).
Alstons
appeal
was
if
the
particular
eligible
for
such
defendant
sentence
before
under
the
the
court
applicable
had
been
statutory
scheme, taking into account his criminal history and the nature
Id., at *8; see also N.C. Gen. Stat. 15A-
of his offense.
1340.17(c)(d).
us,
he
was
not
eligible
on
either
of
his
North
Carolina
he
is
not
subject
to
the
851
enhancement.
and
remand
for
resentencing
in
accordance
with
contentions
the
court
are
adequately
and
argument
presented
would
not
in
aid
the
the
materials
decisional
process.
AFFIRMED IN PART,
VACATED IN PART,
AND REMANDED