Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca5-14-40562/USCOURTS-ca5-14-40562-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Antonio Maldonado
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 14-40562

Summary Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff–Appellee,

v.

ANTONIO MALDONADO,

Defendant–Appellant.

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Southern District of Texas

USDC No. 2:12-CR-175

Before PRADO, OWEN, and GRAVES, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Antonio Maldonado appeals the 180-month sentence for his conviction 

for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He contends that the district court 

failed to recognize its authority to depart pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3584 and 

U.S.S.G. § 5G1.3(c), p.s. (2013) below the mandatory minimum sentence in 

18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(1) to credit him for the time he spent in state custody prior 

to his federal sentencing.

 

* 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

June 18, 2015

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

Case: 14-40562 Document: 00513084324 Page: 1 Date Filed: 06/18/2015
No. 14-40562

2

Contrary to his argument, Maldonado did not preserve this claim. See

United States v. Neal, 578 F.3d 270, 272 (5th Cir. 2009). Thus, plain error 

review applies. See Puckett v. United States, 556 U.S. 129, 135 (2009). 

We may only review the district court’s decision that it lacked authority 

to depart. United States v. James, 468 F.3d 245, 246-47 (5th Cir. 2006) (per 

curiam); United States v. Sam, 467 F.3d 857, 861 (5th Cir. 2006). None of the 

authorities relied on by Maldonado clearly authorize a departure below the 

mandatory minimum sentence. Thus, even if the district court erred, the error 

was not plain. See Puckett, 556 U.S. at 135.

The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED. 

Case: 14-40562 Document: 00513084324 Page: 2 Date Filed: 06/18/2015