United States v. Thomas Ashburn

RILEY, Circuit Judge.

Thomas Ashburn sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant. About a week later, police searched the room where Ashburn was staying—which was where the prior sale had taken place—and found drugs, equipment for measuring and packaging drugs, and ledgers recording drug transactions. Officers also found three knives: a knife for filleting fish, a “decorative knife,” and a “World War II U.S. Navy knife.” All three had blades about seven inches long.

Ashburn pled guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. See 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 846. In the course of…