A sentence of two years and six months' imprisonment with parole at approximately nine months is within the available range for possession of 13 grams of pure methylamphetamine for commercial purposes where the offender has a prior conviction for heroin trafficking, notwithstanding psychological vulnerability in prison. A prior trafficking conviction, even where committed as a youth and given reduced weight, remains a significant distinguishing factor that limits the comparability of sentences imposed on offenders without such history. [name withheld] observation raises a question about the competence of clinical psychologists (as distinct from psychiatrists) to diagnose depression for sentencing purposes.
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