Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca5-14-40068/USCOURTS-ca5-14-40068-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Alvaro Medina
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 14-40068

Summary Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee

v.

ALVARO MEDINA, also known as Alvaro Medina-Estrada,

Defendant-Appellant

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Southern District of Texas

USDC No. 2:13-CR-627-1

Before DAVIS, CLEMENT, and COSTA, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Alvaro Medina appeals the 30-month sentence imposed on his guilty plea 

conviction for illegal reentry. See 8 U.S.C. § 1326. We conclude that the district 

court committed plain error by enhancing Medina’s base offense level by 12 

levels under U.S.S.G. § 2L1.2(b)(1)(B) based on a conviction under Florida 

statute § 893.13(1)(a). See Puckett v. United States, 556 U.S. 129, 135 (2009); 

United States v. Ellis, 564 F.3d 370, 377-78 (5th Cir. 2009). Because the 

* 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

January 6, 2015

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

 

 Case: 14-40068 Document: 00512891645 Page: 1 Date Filed: 01/06/2015
No. 14-40068

Florida law does not require that a defendant know of the illicit nature of the 

substance involved in the offense, a conviction under that law may not serve 

as a basis for enhancing a federal drug sentence. Sarmientos v. Holder, 742 

F.3d 624, 627-31 (5th Cir. 2014); see U.S.S.G. § 2L1.2, comment. (n.1(B)(iv));

United States v. Teran-Salas, 767 F.3d 453, 457 n.1 (5th Cir. 2014). 

Medina has a guidelines range of 21 to 27 months under § 2L1.2(b)(1)(C)

because he had a 2008 federal conviction for illegal reentry, which constituted 

an aggravated felony conviction. United States v. Zamora, 519 F. App’x 251, 

252 (5th Cir. 2013); see Ballard v. Burton, 444 F.3d 391, 401 & n.7 (5th Cir.

2006). This is significantly lower than the guidelines range of 30 to 37 months 

calculated by the district court. Thus, Medina’s substantial rights were 

affected by the enhancement error, which also affected the fairness, integrity, 

or public reputation of judicial proceedings. See Puckett, 556 U.S. at 135; 

United States v. John, 597 F.3d 263, 285 & n.96 (5th Cir. 2010); United States 

v. Gonzales, 484 F.3d 712, 716 (5th Cir. 2007).

We reject, however, Medina’s contention that the judgment must be 

reformed to delete any citation of § 1326(b). Citation of § 1326(b) is proper 

based on Medina’s 2008 illegal reentry conviction. See Zamora, 519 F. App’x 

at 252; United States v. Ho, 311 F.3d 589, 602 n.12 (5th Cir. 2002). 

We vacate the sentence and remand for resentencing consistent with this 

opinion and without prejudice to Medina’s right to urge in the district court 

any claim concerning the special alias and deportation convictions that the 

district court imposed or may choose to re-impose.

CONVICTION AFFIRMED; SENTENCE VACATED AND REMANDED 

FOR RESENTENCING.

2

 Case: 14-40068 Document: 00512891645 Page: 2 Date Filed: 01/06/2015