Court Opinion

ID: 9391262
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-05-01 18:00:31.220052+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:18:40.366251
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-10952        Document: 00516732009             Page: 1      Date Filed: 05/01/2023

             United States Court of Appeals
                  for the Fifth Circuit
                                     ____________
                                                                               United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                        Fifth Circuit
                                      No. 22-10952
                                    Summary Calendar                                  FILED
                                    ____________                                     May 1, 2023
                                                                                 Lyle W. Cayce
   United States of America,                                                          Clerk

                                                                      Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                            versus

   Julio Cesar De La Rosa-De La Cerda,

                                              Defendant—Appellant.
                     ______________________________

                     Appeal from the United States District Court
                         for the Northern District of Texas
                              USDC No. 4:22-CR-133-1
                     ______________________________

   Before Higginbotham, Graves, and Ho, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
         Julio Cesar De La Rosa-De La Cerda appeals his conviction and
   sentence for illegal reentry into the United States under 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a)
   and (b)(2).      According to De La Rosa-De La Cerda, the recidivism
   enhancement in § 1326(b) defines an offense separate from that set forth in
   § 1326(a). Therefore, his sentence under § 1326(b) exceeds the applicable

         _____________________
         *
             This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-10952     Document: 00516732009           Page: 2   Date Filed: 05/01/2023

                                    No. 22-10952

   statutory maximum established by § 1326(a) based on facts that are neither
   alleged in the indictment nor found by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt, and
   so violates due process.
          The Government has filed an unopposed motion for summary
   affirmance, averring that this argument is foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v.
   United States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998). Alternatively, the Government requests
   an extension of thirty days in which to file a merits brief. Although De La
   Rosa-De La Cerda acknowledges his argument is foreclosed by Almendarez-
   Torres, he nevertheless seeks to preserve the issue for possible Supreme
   Court review. Because the Government and De La Rosa-De La Cerda are
   correct that his argument is foreclosed, see United States v. Pervis, 937 F.3d
   546, 553–54 (5th Cir. 2019), summary disposition is appropriate, see
   Groendyke Transp., Inc. v. Davis, 406 F.2d 1158, 1162 (5th Cir. 1969).
          Accordingly, the Government’s motion for summary affirmance is
   GRANTED, the judgment is AFFIRMED, and the Government’s
   alternative motion for an extension of time to file a brief is DENIED AS
   MOOT.

                                             2