Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca5-14-40986/USCOURTS-ca5-14-40986-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Hector Jesus Lopez-Chavez
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 14-40986

Summary Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee

v.

HECTOR JESUS LOPEZ-CHAVEZ,

Defendant-Appellant

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Southern District of Texas

USDC No. 7:14-CR-236

Before HIGGINBOTHAM, ELROD, and SOUTHWICK, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Hector Jesus Lopez-Chavez appeals the 41-month sentence imposed 

upon his guilty plea conviction for being found unlawfully present in the 

United States after having previously been deported, in violation of 8 U.S.C. 

§ 1326(a), (b). The district court enhanced Lopez-Chavez’s sentence based 

upon its finding that his prior Nebraska conviction for attempted sexual 

assault in the first degree on a child was a crime of violence under U.S.S.G. 

 

* 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

August 3, 2015

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

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No. 14-40986

2

§ 2L1.2(b)(1)(A). Chavez-Lopez argues that the offense for which he was 

convicted did not qualify as a crime of violence because the statute under which 

he was convicted was overly broad and did not constitute “statutory rape” or 

“sexual abuse of a minor.”

Lopez-Chavez did not object on this basis in the district court. 

Accordingly, we review for plain error only. See United States v. MedinaAnicacio, 325 F.3d 638, 643 (5th Cir. 2003); see also United States v. ChavezHernandez, 671 F.3d 494, 497-98 (5th Cir. 2012). Lopez-Chavez must show, 

inter alia, an error that was clear or obvious. See Puckett v. United States, 556 

U.S. 129, 135 (2009); see also United States v. Henao-Melo, 591 F.3d 798, 806 

(5th Cir. 2009). 

In 2008, Lopez-Chavez pleaded no contest to criminal attempted sexual 

assault in the first degree on a child in violation of NEB. REV. STAT. §§ 28-

319(1)(c) and 28-201(1)(b). Although we have not addressed that particular 

statute, given the plain meaning of “sexual abuse of a minor” as we have

defined that offense, we discern no clear or obvious error and likely no error at 

all. See § 2L1.2, comment (n.1(B)(iii)); United States v. Rodriguez, 711 F.3d 

541, 548, 552-53, 562 (5th Cir. 2013) (en banc); United States v. ZavalaSustaita, 214 F.3d 601, 603-04 (5th Cir. 2000); see also United States v. 

Sanchez, 667 F.3d 555, 559 (5th Cir. 2012) (noting that an attempt to commit 

an offense under a qualifying statute is a crime of violence as well). Moreover, 

even if Lopez-Chavez could show plain error, we would decline to exercise our 

discretion to correct it; errors that result in sentence increases, even 

substantial ones, “do[] not inevitably affect the fairness, integrity, or public 

reputation of judicial process and proceedings.” United States v. Ellis, 564 F.3d 

370, 378–79 (5th Cir. 2009). Given the foregoing, we need not determine 

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No. 14-40986

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whether a violation also qualifies as “statutory rape.” See United States v. 

Balderas-Rubio, 499 F.3d 470, 474 n.5 (5th Cir. 2007). 

The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.

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