Jose Ruiz-Vidal v. Loretta E. Lynch

Petitioner was charged with sale of a controlled substance — a substance that the state alleged in the information was methamphetamine. He pled no contest to a lesser included offense — possession of a controlled substance. Petitioner stipulated that there was a factual basis for his plea, but explained nothing further regarding the offense. The question in this case is not whether Petitioner actually possessed methamphetamine, as opposed to a drug that is not punishable under federal law. If that were the question, this case would be straightforward, as “the record does not contain any…