Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca5-13-31197/USCOURTS-ca5-13-31197-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Brandon J. Thomas
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 13-31197

Summary Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee

v.

BRANDON J. THOMAS,

Defendant-Appellant

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Eastern District of Louisiana

USDC No. 2:10-CR-206-1

Before DAVIS, CLEMENT, and COSTA, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Brandon J. Thomas appeals the 90-month term of imprisonment

imposed on resentencing for his conviction for possession with intent to 

distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base. Thomas argues that the district 

court erroneously based the upward variance on his prior involvement in dog 

fighting and thus his sentence is greater than necessary to comply with the 

purposes set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(2).

* 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

February 4, 2015

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

 

Case: 13-31197 Document: 00512926959 Page: 1 Date Filed: 02/04/2015
No. 13-31197

In response to Thomas’s challenge to the substantive reasonableness of 

his sentence, the Government argues, among other things, that this court 

should dismiss Thomas’s appeal based upon the plea agreement’s appeal 

waiver. Pursuant to the terms of the waiver, Thomas waived the right to 

directly appeal his sentence on any ground, reserving only the right to 

challenge any sentence imposed in excess of the statutory maximum; this 

waiver includes the instant substantive reasonableness challenge. Because 

the appeal waiver was knowing and voluntary and because the Government 

seeks the enforcement of the appeal waiver, the appeal is dismissed. See 

United States v. Walters, 732 F.3d 489, 491 (5th Cir. 2013), cert. denied, 134 S. 

Ct. 1349 (2014).

 APPEAL DISMISSED.

2

Case: 13-31197 Document: 00512926959 Page: 2 Date Filed: 02/04/2015