Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-05-02998/USCOURTS-ca8-05-02998-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Pedro Omar Velazquez Martinez
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

1

The Honorable Robert W. Pratt, Chief Judge, United States District Court for

the Southern District of Iowa.

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 05-2998

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellee, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the

* Southern District of Iowa.

Pedro Omar Velazquez Martinez, *

* [UNPUBLISHED]

Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: August 4, 2006

Filed: August 21, 2006

___________

Before MURPHY, BYE, and MELLOY, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Pedro Omar Velazquez Martinez (Martinez) appeals the 120-month statutory

minimum prison sentence the district court1

 imposed after he pleaded guilty to one

count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation

of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(b)(1)(A), and two counts of possession with intent to

distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §

841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B). His counsel has moved to withdraw and has filed a brief under

Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967), arguing that Martinez’s plea was

Appellate Case: 05-2998 Page: 1 Date Filed: 08/21/2006 Entry ID: 2080355
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involuntary because he pleaded guilty under the mistaken impression that he could

qualify for safety-valve relief. This argument is not properly before us. See United

States v. Murphy, 899 F.2d 714, 716 (8th Cir. 1990) (claim of involuntary guilty plea

must first be presented to district court, and is not cognizable on direct appeal).

Further, having reviewed the record independently under Penson v. Ohio, 488 U.S.

75 (1988), we have found no nonfrivolous issues for appeal.

Accordingly, we affirm the district court’s judgment.

______________________________

Appellate Case: 05-2998 Page: 2 Date Filed: 08/21/2006 Entry ID: 2080355