United States v. Lawrence J. Kidder

NELSON, Circuit Judge:

Kidder pleaded guilty to possession, with intent to distribute, of at least 500 grams of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(B). This offense carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison. The district court rejected Kidder’s constitutional challenges to the sentencing provisions and imposed the minimum sentence. We affirm.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

As part of an undercover operation, Special Agent Joseph Daly of the Drug Enforcement Administration met with Steven Dahl and Mark Hecock (Kidder’s codefend-ants) on March 20,1987 in order to arrange a…