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Parties Involved:
United States of America
Appellee
Noe Zepeda-Rangel
Appellant

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 14-40629

Summary Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff–Appellee,

versus

NOE ZEPEDA-RANGEL,

Defendant–Appellant.

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Southern District of Texas

USDC No. 2:14-CR-70-1

Before DAVIS, SMITH, and WIENER, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Noe Zepeda-Rangel appeals the 32-month imprisonment imposed on his 

guilty-plea conviction of being found unlawfully present in the United States 

following deportation. He contends that the district court erroneously applied

 

* 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

July 7, 2015

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

Case: 14-40629 Document: 00513107227 Page: 1 Date Filed: 07/07/2015
No. 14-40629

2

the 16-level enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 2L1.2(b)(1)(A)(i) based on his state

conviction of trafficking heroin. Relying on Moncrieffe v. Holder, 133 S. Ct. 

1678 (2013), he claims that the statute under which he was convicted encompasses conduct that is broader than the definition of a “drug trafficking offense” 

within the meaning of § 2L1.2 because it criminalizes the distribution or transportation of heroin without remuneration.

Because Zepeda-Rangel objected to the enhancement, we review de novo

the legal question whether the conviction qualifies as a drug-trafficking offense 

under § 2L1.2. See United States v. Teran-Salas, 767 F.3d 453, 457 (5th Cir. 

2014), cert. denied, 135 S. Ct. 1892 (2015). An enhancement under 

§ 2L1.2(b)(1)(A)(i) for a drug-trafficking conviction is warranted regardless of

whether it required proof of remuneration or commercial dealing. See United 

States v. Martinez-Lugo, 782 F.3d 198, 204-05 (5th Cir. 2015). In view of 

Martinez-Lugo, Zepeda has failed to show that the district court erred in 

enhancing his offense level.

AFFIRMED.

Case: 14-40629 Document: 00513107227 Page: 2 Date Filed: 07/07/2015