Court Opinion

ID: 9364210
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-01-18 19:00:19.662405+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:15:36.607789
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-40454         Document: 00516613787             Page: 1      Date Filed: 01/18/2023

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit
                                      ____________                            United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                       Fifth Circuit

                                                                                      FILED
                                       No. 22-40454                           January 18, 2023
                                     Summary Calendar
                                     ____________                               Lyle W. Cayce
                                                                                     Clerk
   United States of America,

                                                                      Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                             versus

   Victor Loya-Ibarra,

                                               Defendant—Appellant.
                      ______________________________

                      Appeal from the United States District Court
                           for the Eastern District of Texas
                                USDC No. 1:14-CR-9-1
                      ______________________________

   Before Higginbotham, Duncan, and Wilson, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
          Victor Loya-Ibarra, federal prisoner # 22087-078, moves for leave to
   appeal in forma pauperis (IFP) in this appeal from the denial of his 18 U.S.C.
   § 3582(c)(2) motion for a sentence reduction based on Amendment 782 to
   the Sentencing Guidelines.

          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-40454      Document: 00516613787           Page: 2    Date Filed: 01/18/2023

                                     No. 22-40454

          By moving for leave to proceed IFP in this court, Loya-Ibarra is
   challenging the district court’s ruling that he did not demonstrate a
   nonfrivolous issue for appeal. See Baugh v. Taylor, 117 F.3d 197, 202 (5th Cir.
   1997). Our inquiry into whether the appeal is taken in good faith “is limited
   to whether the appeal involves legal points arguable on their merits (and
   therefore not frivolous).” Howard v. King, 707 F.2d 215, 220 (5th Cir. 1983)
   (internal quotation marks and citations omitted).
          Here, the district court determined that U.S.S.G. § 1B1.10(b)(2)(A)
   prohibited it from further reducing Loya-Ibarra’s sentence under
   § 3582(c)(2). Specifically, because Loya-Ibarra’s 170-month sentence was
   below the low end of the amended guidelines range of 210 to 262 months of
   imprisonment and because he did not receive a reduction for substantial
   assistance, the court determined he was ineligible for a sentence reduction.
   Further, the court found that a sentence reduction was not warranted in view
   of the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors.
          Loya-Ibarra maintains that he was eligible for a sentence reduction,
   yet he identifies no error in the district court’s determination in that regard.
   See Yohey v. Collins, 985 F.2d 222, 224–25 (5th Cir. 1993). He also argues the
   district court did not take into consideration all the § 3553(a) factors,
   including his postconviction rehabilitation. The record, however, shows that
   the district court duly considered his arguments, including his postconviction
   rehabilitation, as well as the § 3553(a) factors. Loya-Ibarra’s disagreement
   with the district court’s balancing of the § 3553(a) factors is not sufficient to
   show an abuse of discretion. See United States v. Evans, 587 F.3d 667, 672–
   73 (5th Cir. 2009).
          Loya-Ibarra has failed to show he has a nonfrivolous argument that the
   district court abused its discretion in denying his § 3582(c)(2) motion. See
   United States v. Morgan, 866 F.3d 674, 675 (5th Cir. 2017); Howard, 707 F.2d

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Case: 22-40454   Document: 00516613787         Page: 3   Date Filed: 01/18/2023

                                No. 22-40454

   at 220. Accordingly, his motion for leave to proceed IFP on appeal is
   DENIED, and the appeal is DISMISSED as frivolous. See Baugh, 117
   F.3d at 202 & n.24; 5th Cir. R. 42.2.          Loya-Ibarra’s motion for
   appointment of counsel is also DENIED.

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