United States v. Patrick Lee Pillow

OPINION

WILLIAMS, Circuit Judge:

Patrick Lee Pillow was convicted of, among other things, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. See 21 U.S.C.A. § 846 (West Supp.1999). Although Pillow’s guideline range was 188-235 months, see U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual Ch.5, Pt.A (1998), he was subject to a statutorily required minimum sentence of 240 months, see 21 U.S.C.A. § 851 (West 1981). Because the statutorily required minimum sentence was greater than the maximum of the otherwise applicable guideline range, the district court determined that Pillow’s guideline sentence…