United States Court of Appeals

For the Seventh Circuit

Chicago, Illinois 60604

Submitted December 7, 2006

Decided December 8, 2006

Before

 Hon. MICHAEL S. KANNE, Circuit Judge

 Hon. TERENCE T. EVANS, Circuit Judge

 Hon. DIANE S. SYKES, Circuit Judge

No. 06-2418 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.

BILL HERNANDEZ-ESLORA,

Defendant-Appellant.

Appeal from the United States

District Court for the Northern

District of Illinois, Western Division

No. 05 CR 50046-1

Philip G. Reinhard, 

Judge.

O R D E R

Bill Hernandez-Eslora was caught with 250 grams of cocaine on the way to a

drug deal with a government informant. After voir dire but before opening

statements at his trial, Hernandez-Eslora pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy

to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute. See 21

U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1). After calculating a guidelines imprisonment range of 168

to 210 months, the district court imposed concurrent terms of 192 months plus

three years of supervised release, $200 in special assessments, and a $300 fine. 

Appointed counsel filed a notice of appeal but now moves to withdraw because he

cannot discern a nonfrivolous basis for appeal. See Anders v. California, 386 U.S.

738 (1967). We invited Hernandez-Eslora to respond to counsel’s brief, see Cir. R.

51(b), but he has not done so. Counsel’s supporting brief is facially adequate, so we

UNPUBLISHED ORDER

Not to be cited per Circuit Rule 53
No. 06-2418 Page 2

limit our review to the potential issues identified by counsel. See United States v.

Tabb, 125 F.3d 583, 584 (7th Cir. 1997) (per curiam). 

Hernandez-Eslora has given no indication that he wants his guilty pleas set

aside, so counsel appropriately has omitted any discussion of the adequacy of the

plea colloquy or the voluntariness of his pleas. See United States v. Knox, 287 F.3d

667, 670-72 (7th Cir. 2002). And since Hernandez-Eslora agreed with the probation

officer’s guidelines calculations, he has waived any appellate argument about the

resulting imprisonment range. See United States v. Murry, 395 F.3d 712, 717 (7th

Cir. 2005); United States v. Martinez-Jimenez, 294 F.3d 921, 923 (7th Cir. 2002). 

Thus counsel considers only whether his 192-month prison terms are unreasonable. 

At sentencing Hernandez-Eslora argued for a below-guidelines sentence due

to his poor health. The district court disagreed, finding that Hernandez-Eslora

could receive adequate—if not better—medical treatment in prison. The district

court also noted that Hernandez-Eslora’s illness had not prevented him from

committing crime, and thus could not be expected to deter him in the future. 

Counsel rightly concludes that it would be frivolous for Hernandez-Eslora to

argue that his poor health compels a lower sentence. A sentence within the

guidelines range is presumptively reasonable. See United States v. Mykytiuk, 415

F.3d 606, 608 (7th Cir. 2005). The Supreme Court has granted a writ of certiorari

to determine whether that presumption is consistent with United States v. Booker,

543 U.S. 220 (2005). United States v. Rita, No. 05-4674, 2006 WL 1144508 (4th Cir.

May 1, 2006), cert. granted, 75 U.S.L.W. 3246 (U.S. Nov. 3, 2006) (No. 06-5754). 

But even without the benefit of the presumption, Hernandez-Eslora’s sentence is

reasonable. The district court meaningfully considered the statutory sentencing

factors and determined that Hernandez-Eslora’s illness did not compel a shorter

sentence because he could be treated in prison. The court also found that his illness

had not—and would not—prevent him from committing crime. See United States v.

Wurzinger, No. 05-3803, 2006 U.S. App. LEXIS 26917 at *11 (7th Cir. Oct. 30,

2006). Counsel is unable to identify any other factors that would have compelled a

lower sentence.

Counsel’s motion to withdraw is GRANTED, and the appeal is DISMISSED.