Court Opinion

ID: 9913932
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-12-29 01:00:34.156124+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:09:41.205122
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-30701       Document: 00517016097             Page: 1      Date Filed: 12/28/2023

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

                                    ____________                               FILED
                                                                       December 28, 2023
                                     No. 22-30701
                                                                          Lyle W. Cayce
                                   Summary Calendar                            Clerk
                                   ____________

   United States of America,

                                                                    Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                           versus

   Brock Melancon,

                                             Defendant—Appellant.
                    ______________________________

                    Appeal from the United States District Court
                       for the Eastern District of Louisiana
                             USDC No. 2:19-CR-119-1
                    ______________________________

   Before Jones, Southwick, and Ho, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam:*
          Brock Melancon appeals the sentence imposed following his
   convictions for drug offenses and possessing a firearm as a felon. He
   challenges the district court’s use of his prior drug conspiracy conviction to
   qualify him as a career offender, arguing for the first time on appeal that

          _____________________
          *
              Pursuant to 5th Circuit Rule 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   should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set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 Circuit Rule 47.5.4.
Case: 22-30701     Document: 00517016097          Page: 2   Date Filed: 12/28/2023

                                   No. 22-30701

   inchoate offenses are not included in the U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(b) (2021)
   definition of a “controlled substance offense” and that the guidelines
   commentary is not entitled to deference.
          He has filed an unopposed motion for summary disposition in which
   he correctly concedes that his argument is foreclosed by our recent en banc
   decision in United States v. Vargas, 74 F.4th 673, 680-90 (5th Cir. 2023) (en
   banc), petition for cert. filed (U.S. Oct. 23, 2023) (No. 23-5875). Because
   summary disposition is appropriate, see Groendyke Transp., Inc. v. Davis,
   406 F.2d 1158, 1162 (5th Cir. 1969), Melancon’s motion is GRANTED, and
   the district court’s judgment is AFFIRMED.

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