Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca5-03-20692/USCOURTS-ca5-03-20692-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Arturo Rodriguez-Canales
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

* Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that

this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except

under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4.

United States Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit

FILED

March 17, 2004

Charles R. Fulbruge III

Clerk

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 03-20692

Summary Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee,

versus

ARTURO RODRIGUEZ-CANALES, 

Defendant-Appellant.

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Southern District of Texas

(H-03-CR-39-ALL)

Before BARKSDALE, EMILIO M. GARZA, and DENNIS, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Arturo Ridriguez-Canales (“Rodriguez”) appeals his sentence,

imposed following his guilty plea for illegal reentry. He claims

the district court mistakenly believed it did not have authority to

depart downward from the sentencing guidelines based on the double

counting of his previous conviction. 

We lack jurisdiction to review a refusal to depart downward,

however, unless it was based on a mistaken belief that the court

lacked authority to so depart. See, e.g., United States v. Thames,

 Case: 03-20692 Document: 005193872 Page: 1 Date Filed: 03/17/2004
2

214 F.3d 608, 612 (5th Cir. 2000). The record reflects that the

district court was aware that it had the authority to depart

downward; it did not believe that Rodriguez’ case warranted it.

Therefore, we lack jurisdiction to review the determination. See

id.; United States v. DiMarco, 46 F.3d 476, 477-78 (5th Cir. 1995).

DISMISSED 

 Case: 03-20692 Document: 005193872 Page: 2 Date Filed: 03/17/2004