Opinion ID: 195168
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Subsequent Criminal Prosecution

Text: 8 Despite the deportation order, Smith returned to the United States, and was subsequently apprehended. On November 12, 1992, the grand jury returned a single count indictment charging Smith with illegally returning to the United States after deportation and having been convicted of an aggravated felony in violation of 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1326(a) and (b)(2). On January 19, 1993, Smith moved to dismiss the indictment, maintaining that the deportation proceeding underlying his deportation was fundamentally unfair and that he was functionally deprived of judicial review and due process. On January 21, 1993, the district court held a hearing with respect to Smith's motion to dismiss, and then denied the motion. On February 1, 1993, Smith entered a conditional plea of guilty, and preserved his right to seek review of the denial of his motion to dismiss the indictment. 9 At the sentencing hearing on April 8, 1993, Smith moved for a downward departure from the applicable sentencing range. Smith argued that the government engaged in actions that mitigated his conduct when the INS gave him Form I-294 at the time of his deportation, which incorrectly stated the penalty he would face if he returned to the United States. Smith also submitted an affidavit stating that he relied on Form I-294 when he decided to return to the United States. The district court denied Smith's motion for a downward departure, indicating that it would be antithetical to the policy behind the Sentencing Reform Act, which is to deter people from committing crimes, to grant his motion, given that the facts indicated Smith had knowingly committed a felony. The district court then sentenced Smith to 70 months in prison.