Case Name: UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee v. Ruben GASTELUM RASCON, also known as Ruben Gastelum-Rascon, also known as Jesus Lopez-Macias, Defendant-Appellant
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 2009-08-18
Citations: 331 F. App'x 331
Docket Number: No. 08-50809
Parties: UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee v. Ruben GASTELUM RASCON, also known as Ruben Gastelum-Rascon, also known as Jesus Lopez-Macias, Defendant-Appellant.
Judges: Before HIGGINBOTHAM, DAVIS, and CLEMENT, Circuit Judges.
Reporter: West's Federal Appendix
Volume: 331
Pages: 331–332

Head Matter:
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee v. Ruben GASTELUM RASCON, also known as Ruben Gastelum-Rascon, also known as Jesus Lopez-Macias, Defendant-Appellant.
No. 08-50809.
Conference Calendar.
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.
Aug. 18, 2009.
Joseph H. Gay, Jr, Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Texas, San Antonio, TX, for Plaintiff-Appellee.
Ruben P. Morales, El Paso, TX, for Defendant-Appellant.
Before HIGGINBOTHAM, DAVIS, and CLEMENT, Circuit Judges.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM:
The attorney appointed to represent Ruben Gastelum Rascón has moved for leave to withdraw and has filed a brief in accordance with Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967). Gastelum Rascón has filed a response and requested the appointment of new counsel. The record is insufficiently developed to allow consideration at this time of Gaste-lum Rascon's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel; such claims generally "cannot be resolved on direct appeal when [they have] not been raised before the district court since no opportunity existed to develop the record on the merits of the allegations." United States v. Cantwell, 470 F.3d 1087, 1091 (5th Cir.2006) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). Our independent review of the record, counsel's brief, and Gastelum Rascon's response discloses no nonfrivolous issue for appeal. Accordingly, the motion for leave to withdraw is GRANTED, counsel is excused from further responsibilities herein, Gastelum Rascon's motion for appointment of new counsel is DENIED, and the APPEAL IS DISMISSED. See 5th Cir. R. 42.2.
Pursuant to 5th Cir. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5th Cir. R. 47.5.4.