United States v. Ronald Peter Liquori, Sr., AKA Dirt

Ronald Liquori Sr. (“Liquori”) was convicted of conspiracy to manufacture and possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute and of manufacture and attempted manufacture of methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1). The district court found that Liquori had two prior convictions for felony drug offenses and sentenced him to a mandatory term of life imprisonment under 21 U.S.C. § 841 (b)(1)(A). Liquori appeals his sentence. We affirm.

I

Liquori argues that his prior felony drug convictions should be treated as a single conviction for purposes of sentence enhancement under section 841(b)(1)(A), in light of the fact that the offenses were part of a single criminal scheme, concurrent sentences were imposed on the same day, and the cases were consolidated for appeal. The district court rejected Liquori’s arguments finding that the two prior convictions were “based on totally discrete and distinct transactions.” We review the trial court’s application of a sentencing statute de novo. United States v. Maxey, 989 F.2d 303, 305 (9th Cir.1993).

The government relied on two previous state felony drug convictions to establish Li-quori’s eligibility for sentence…