Court Opinion

ID: 9890447
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-13 00:00:36.371133+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:50:02.342404
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-50372         Document: 00516929184             Page: 1      Date Filed: 10/12/2023

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit
                                      ____________
                                                                                United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                         Fifth Circuit
                                       No. 23-50372
                                     Summary Calendar                                  FILED
                                     ____________                               October 12, 2023
                                                                                  Lyle W. Cayce
   United States of America,                                                           Clerk

                                                                       Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                             versus

   Santiago Molina-Nolasco,

                                               Defendant—Appellant.
                      ______________________________

                      Appeal from the United States District Court
                           for the Western District of Texas
                               USDC No. 4:22-CR-727-1
                      ______________________________

   Before King, Haynes, and Graves, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
          Santiago Molina-Nolasco appeals his conviction and sentence for
   illegal reentry after removal under 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b)(1). In his sole
   issue on appeal, Molina-Nolasco contends that § 1326(b) is unconstitutional
   because it allows a sentence above the otherwise applicable statutory
   maximum based on facts that are neither alleged in the indictment nor found

          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 23-50372      Document: 00516929184          Page: 2   Date Filed: 10/12/2023

                                    No. 23-50372

   by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. He has filed an unopposed motion for
   summary disposition and a letter brief explaining that he has raised this issue
   only to preserve it for further review and conceding correctly that this issue
   is foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998). See
   United States v. Pervis, 937 F.3d 546, 553-54 (5th Cir. 2019). Because
   summary disposition is appropriate, see Groendyke Transp., Inc. v. Davis, 406
   F.2d 1158, 1162 (5th Cir. 1969), Molina-Nolasco’s motion is GRANTED,
   and the district court’s judgment is AFFIRMED.

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