United States v. Lopez

MEMORANDUM & ORDER

KATZ, District Judge.

On June 16, 1998, Olga Aranque Lopez pled guilty before this court to a conspiracy to distribute heroin in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and to a criminal forfeiture charge pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 853. Under the applicable statute, Ms. Lopez faces a mandatory minimum of five years with a possible maximum penalty of forty years imprisonment. See 21 U.S.C. § 846; 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(l)(B)(i). However, pursuant to the “safety valve” provisions, the court is permitted to utilize the applicable Sentencing Guidelines rather than adhering to the statutory…