Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca5-14-40177/USCOURTS-ca5-14-40177-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Gaston De La Torre-De La Torre
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 14-40177

Summary Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee

v.

GASTON DE LA TORRE-DE LA TORRE,

Defendant-Appellant

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Southern District of Texas

USDC No. 7:13-CR-1760-1

Before HIGGINBOTHAM, JONES, and HIGGINSON, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Gaston De La Torre-De La Torre pleaded guilty to being found 

unlawfully present in the United States following deportation. The district 

court sentenced De La Torre-De La Torre to 57 months in prison, at the bottom 

of the 57 to 71-month guidelines range set forth in the sentencing transcript. 

For the first time on appeal, De La Torre-De La Torre argues that the district 

court erred in calculating his criminal history category. Because he did not 

* 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

March 19, 2015

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

 

Case: 14-40177 Document: 00512974665 Page: 1 Date Filed: 03/19/2015
No. 14-40177

object on this ground in the district court, we review the claim for plain error. 

De La Torre-De La Torre thus must show a forfeited error that is clear or 

obvious and that affects his substantial rights. See Puckett v. United States, 

556 U.S. 129, 135 (2009). If he makes such a showing, we have the discretion 

to correct the error but will do so only if it seriously affects the fairness, 

integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings. See id.

The Government acknowledges that the district court committed error

when it added one point to De La Torre-De La Torre’s criminal history score 

based on his Illinois conviction for armed violence. See U.S.S.G. § 4A1.1(a), (e), 

and cmt. n.5 (2013); U.S.S.G. § 4A1.2(a)(2) (2013). Even with clear error in the 

calculation of De La Torre-De La Torre’s criminal history score, we must 

determine whether the error affected De La Torre-De La Torre’s substantial 

rights. See Puckett, 556 U.S. at 135. In order to show that error affected his 

substantial rights, De La Torre-De La Torre must “show a reasonable 

probability that, but for the district court’s error, [he] would have received a 

lower sentence.” United States v. Davis, 602 F.3d 643, 647 (5th Cir. 2010). 

Absent the assessed criminal history point, De La Torre-De La Torre 

would have accrued six criminal history points (rather than seven), resulting 

in a criminal history category of III (rather than IV) and an advisory guidelines 

range of 46 to 57 months in prison (rather than 57 to 71). Because his sentence 

falls within both guidelines ranges, De La Torre-De La Torre must point to 

“additional evidence” in the record, other than the difference in ranges, to show 

an effect on his rights. United States v. Pratt, 728 F.3d 463, 481-82 (5th Cir. 

2013), cert. denied, 134 S. Ct. 1328 (2014). He has not done so. Accordingly, 

he has not established plain error warranting reversal by this court. See

Puckett, 556 U.S. at 135. 

2

Case: 14-40177 Document: 00512974665 Page: 2 Date Filed: 03/19/2015
No. 14-40177

De La Torre-De La Torre also argues that an error in the guidelines 

calculations should be considered presumptively prejudicial. He concedes, 

however, that the issue is foreclosed by our precedent and that he is raising 

the argument only to preserve it for further review. 

AFFIRMED.

3

Case: 14-40177 Document: 00512974665 Page: 3 Date Filed: 03/19/2015