Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_08-cv-00660/USCOURTS-casd-3_08-cv-00660-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 510
Nature of Suit: Prisoner Petitions - Vacate Sentence
Cause of Action: 28:2255 Motion to Vacate / Correct Illegal Sentence

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1 08cv660

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GUADALUPE FELIX, JR.,

Plaintiff,

CASE NO. 08cv660

ORDER DENYING PETITION FOR A

vs. WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS

UNITED STATES,

Defendant.

Guadalupe Felix petitions for release from federal custody contending that he has

completed the imprisonment part of his federal sentence. The Court held evidentiary

hearings on his habeas petition on September 2, October 20, and November 3, 2008. In an

order dated October 6, 2008, the Court made findings of fact and conclusions of law. The

Court incorporates that order herein and makes the following supplemental findings of fact

and conclusions of law.

Guadalupe Felix was returned to state custody for violation of parole on November

12, 2005. On November 30, 2005 he waived a parole violation hearing and agreed to a

parole violation sentence of twelve months imprisonment with no custody credits. This

sentence was imposed at the parole hearing on November 30, 2005. The sentence was not

designated to be concurrent or consecutive to any federal sentence. The Court’s previous

order of October 2, 2008 found that the sentence was intended to be concurrent to a federal

sentence. This conclusion was based on the then existing record. However, the testimony

of state parole agent Michael Bell and the exhibits admitted at the November 13, 2008

Case 3:08-cv-00660-BTM Document 8 Filed 11/14/08 Page 1 of 3
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2 08cv660

hearing demonstrate that the parole sentence was not designated as either concurrent or

consecutive. See Ex. 1, Page 4, Ex.2, and Ex. 3 (11-13-08). Rather, the sentence was silent

in that regard. 

On December 1, 2005, Felix was released temporarily from state custody to the U.S.

Marshals on the writ of habeas corpus issued on November 24, 2005. Felix remained in

federal custody pending resolution of the two federal indictments against him. The state

parole authorities credited the time he was in federal custody against his parole revocation

sentence. His parole revocation sentence expired on November 11, 2006, twelve months

after he was first placed at R.J. Donovan State Prison. While in federal custody, the period

of December 1, 2005 to November 11, 2006, was credited against Felix’s parole violation

sentence.

When Felix was released to the U.S. Marshals on December 1, 2005, the state did not

relinquish primary jurisdiction because the release was temporary and pursuant to a writ of

habeas corpus. Taylor v. Reno, 164 F. 3d 440, 445–46 (9th Cir. 1998). Thus, Felix

continued to serve his state sentence while in federal custody. The state parole authority

credited Felix with each day he was in federal custody. Therefore, his parole violation

sentence expired while he was still in federal custody. 18 U.S.C. § 3585 (b) provides that

a defendant gets credit towards his sentence for any time spent in federal custody prior to

sentencing “that has not been credited towards another sentence.” Since Felix’s time in

federal custody between December 1, 2005 and November 11, 2006 was credited against

the parole violation sentence, he does not get credit for it against his federal sentence.

Therefore, the Bureau of Prisons is not holding Felix beyond the expiration of his sentence.

The petition for habeas corpus relief is DENIED. 

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3 08cv660

The Court grants Felix a certificate of appealability on the claim that he should receive

sentence credit for the period of December 1, 2005 to November 11, 2006.

The Clerk shall enter judgment denying the habeas corpus petition and issuing a

certificate of appealability.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: November 14, 2008

Honorable Barry Ted Moskowitz

United States District Judge

Case 3:08-cv-00660-BTM Document 8 Filed 11/14/08 Page 3 of 3