Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-04-02143/USCOURTS-ca8-04-02143-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Roberto Arteaga-Mendez
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

*

The Honorable James E. Gritzner, United States District Judge for the

Southern District of Iowa.

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 04-2143

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellee, * Appeal from the United States

* District Court for the Southern

v. * District of Iowa.

*

Roberto Arteaga-Mendez, * [UNPUBLISHED]

*

Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: May 9, 2005

Filed: May 16, 2005 

___________

Before BENTON, LAY, and FAGG, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Roberto Arteaga-Mendez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to

distribute methamphetamine. In the written plea agreement, Arteaga-Mendez

stipulated that he was responsible for between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of

methamphetamine. Based on this drug quantity, the district court*

 sentenced ArteagaMendez to 135 months in prison, fifteen months more than the statutory mandatory

minimum sentence. 

Appellate Case: 04-2143 Page: 1 Date Filed: 05/16/2005 Entry ID: 1903116
-2-

Arteaga-Mendez appeals his sentence, arguing the Government failed to

establish a factual basis for his plea. Based on Arteaga-Mendez’s responses during

the plea colloquy, the written plea agreement, and the agreement’s stipulation of facts,

however, the district court could reasonably decide Arteaga-Mendez likely committed

the offense. See United States v. Gamble, 327 F.3d 662, 664 (8th Cir. 2003).

Although he made no objection in the district court, Arteaga-Mendez also challenges

the district court’s finding of drug quantity. The district court did not commit plain

error because its drug quantity finding is based on Arteaga-Mendez’s drug quantity

stipulation and the unchallenged drug quantity calculation contained in the PSR. See

United States v. Beatty, 9 F.3d 686, 690 (8th Cir. 1993). We note Arteaga-Mendez

does not raise any argument under United States v. Booker, 125 S. Ct. 738 (2005). 

We thus affirm Arteaga-Mendez’s sentence.

______________________________

Appellate Case: 04-2143 Page: 2 Date Filed: 05/16/2005 Entry ID: 1903116