United States v. Johnnie Lamart Colbert

McKAY, Circuit Judge.

Defendant pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine base. The statutory penalty for that offense is a term of imprisonment which may not be less than ten years nor more than life. 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(b)(l)(A)(iii). He was sentenced pursuant to the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984. Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, Pub.L.No. 98-473 §§ 211-39, 98 Stat. 1837, 1987-2040 (1985) (“the guidelines”). The application of the guidelines produced a range of punishment from 235 to 293 months. The court sentenced him to 264 months, in the middle of the guidelines. The only…