Court Opinion

ID: 9909219
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-12-12 19:01:04.731785+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:48:19.824350
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-40184        Document: 00516998012             Page: 1      Date Filed: 12/12/2023

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

                                            FILED
                                     ____________
                                                                              December 12, 2023
                                      No. 23-40184                               Lyle W. Cayce
                                    Summary Calendar                                  Clerk
                                    ____________

   United States of America,

                                                                       Plaintiff–Appellee,

                                            versus

   Jose De Jesus Morales,

                                               Defendant–Appellant.
                     ______________________________

                     Appeal from the United States District Court
                         for the Southern District of Texas
                              USDC No. 5:21-CR-1172-4
                     ______________________________

   Before Wiener, Stewart, and Douglas, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
         Defendant–Appellant Jose de Jesus Morales pleaded guilty to one
   count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine
   and heroin and two counts of possession with intent to distribute
   methamphetamine. The district court sentenced Morales to concurrent
   terms of 135 months of imprisonment on each count, followed by five years

         _____________________
         *
             This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 23-40184      Document: 00516998012          Page: 2   Date Filed: 12/12/2023

                                    No. 23-40184

   of supervised release. Morales challenges the district court’s denial of a
   minor-role adjustment under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.2(b). Our review of this issue is
   for clear error. See United States v. Castro, 843 F.3d 608, 612 (5th Cir. 2016)
   (internal citation omitted).
          Morales contends that he should have received a two-level downward
   adjustment for his minor role in the offense because he was merely a courier
   who was not involved in planning or organizing and had no decision-making
   authority. However, unlike the other average participants he identifies,
   Morales individually arranged at least one drop off of drugs. In light of the
   record as a whole, Morales has not met his burden of showing that he was
   substantially less culpable than the average participant or that his acts were
   merely peripheral to the criminal activity. See § 3B1.2 cmt. n.3; United States
   v. Anchundia-Espinoza, 897 F.3d 629, 634–35 (5th Cir. 2018) (quoting United
   States v. Miranda, 248 F.3d 434, 446 (5th Cir. 2001)) (“A minor participant
   adjustment is not appropriate simply because a defendant does less than
   other participants; in order to qualify as a minor participant, a defendant
   must have been peripheral to the advancement of the illicit activity.”);
   Castro, 843 F.3d at 612 (“Castro could be a courier without being
   substantially less culpable than the average participant.” (internal quotation
   marks and citation omitted)).
          AFFIRMED.

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