State v. Alexander

James M. Alexander seeks reversal of a Court of Appeals decision vacating an exceptional sentence and directing the trial court to impose a sentence within the standard range as calculated under RCW 9.94A, the Sentencing Reform Act of 1981 (SRA). "We reverse the Court of Appeals decision and reinstate Alexander’s exceptional sentence as calculated and imposed by the trial court.

Background

On June 26, 1991, James M. Alexander approached an undercover police officer, R. Ceja, on a city block in Seattle and asked if Officer Ceja wanted some "coca” (cocaine). Officer Ceja said yes and asked, "how…