Case Name: UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee v. Jaime VELA-CRUZ, Defendant-Appellant
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 2008-06-04
Citations: 280 F. App'x 386
Docket Number: No. 07-51495
Parties: UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee v. Jaime VELA-CRUZ, Defendant-Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: West's Federal Appendix
Volume: 280
Pages: 386–386

Head Matter:
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee v. Jaime VELA-CRUZ, Defendant-Appellant.
No. 07-51495
Conference Calendar.
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.
June 4, 2008.
Joseph H. Gay, Jr., Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District, San Antonio, TX, for PlaintiffAppellee.
Henry Joseph Bemporad, Federal Public Defender, San Antonio, TX, for Defendant-Appellant.
Before KING, HIGGINBOTHAM, and SOUTHWICK, Circuit Judges.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM:
Appealing the Judgment in a Criminal Case, Jaime Vela-Cruz raises arguments that are foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224, 235, 118 S.Ct. 1219, 140 L.Ed.2d 350 (1998), which held that 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b)(2) is a penalty provision and not a separate criminal offense. United States v. Pineda-Arrellano, 492 F.3d 624, 625 (5th Cir.2007), cert. denied, — U.S. —, 128 S.Ct. 872, 169 L.Ed.2d 737 (2008). The Government's motion for summary affirmance is GRANTED, and the judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.
Pursuant to 5th Cir R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5th Cir. R. 47.5.4.