Court Opinion

ID: 9956402
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-04-02 00:00:37.778941+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:17:31.717363
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-50798            Document: 50-1         Page: 1      Date Filed: 04/01/2024

           United States Court of Appeals
                for the Fifth Circuit
                                  _____________
                                                                             United States Court of Appeals
                                   No. 23-50798                                       Fifth Circuit

                               consolidated with                                     FILED
                                   No. 23-50799                                    April 1, 2024
                               Summary Calendar                                Lyle W. Cayce
                                 _____________                                      Clerk

United States of America,

                                                                    Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                          versus

Francisco Valtierra Zuniga,

                                            Defendant—Appellant.
                   ______________________________

                   Appeals from the United States District Court
                        for the Western District of Texas
                            USDC Nos. 4:23-CR-222-1,
                                  4:23-CR-413-1
                   ______________________________

Before King, Haynes, and Graves, Circuit Judges.
Per Curiam:*
       Francisco Javier Valtierra Zuniga appeals his sentence for illegal
reentry into the United States under 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b)(2), as well as
the revocation of the term of supervised release he was serving at the time of

       _____________________
       *
           This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 23-50798       Document: 50-1       Page: 2    Date Filed: 04/01/2024

                                   23-50798
                               c/w No. 23-50799

the offense. Valtierra Zuniga argues that the recidivism enhancement in
§ 1326(b) is unconstitutional because it permits a sentence above the
applicable maximum in § 1326(a), based on facts neither alleged in the
indictment nor found by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. Valtierra Zuniga
acknowledges that his argument is foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United
States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998), but he nevertheless seeks to preserve it for
possible Supreme Court review. Accordingly, Valtierra Zuniga has filed an
unopposed motion for summary disposition. Because Valtierra Zuniga does
not address the revocation or the revocation sentence, he has abandoned any
challenge to them. See Yohey v. Collins, 985 F.2d 222, 224-25 (5th Cir. 1993).
       We have held that subsequent Supreme Court decisions such as
Alleyne v. United States, 570 U.S. 99 (2013), and Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530
U.S. 466 (2000), did not overrule Almendarez-Torres. See United States v.
Pervis, 937 F.3d 546, 553-54 (5th Cir. 2019). As Valtierra Zuniga concedes
that his argument is foreclosed, summary disposition is appropriate. See
Groendyke Transp., Inc. v. Davis, 406 F.2d 1158, 1162 (5th Cir. 1969).
       Valtierra Zuniga’s motion is GRANTED, and the district court’s
judgment and order revoking supervised release are AFFIRMED.

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