Court Opinion

ID: 9839275
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-12 18:00:37.676351+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:45:33.304867
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-50243         Document: 00516892037             Page: 1      Date Filed: 09/12/2023

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit
                                      ____________
                                                                                United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                         Fifth Circuit
                                       No. 23-50243
                                     Summary Calendar                                  FILED
                                     ____________                             September 12, 2023
                                                                                  Lyle W. Cayce
   United States of America,                                                           Clerk

                                                                       Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                             versus

   Juan Antonio Guerrero-Lazaro,

                                               Defendant—Appellant.
                      ______________________________

                      Appeal from the United States District Court
                           for the Western District of Texas
                               USDC No. 4:22-CR-747-1
                      ______________________________

   Before Davis, Ho, and Wilson, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
          Juan Antonio Guerrero-Lazaro appeals his conviction and sentence
   for illegal re-entry into the United States under 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b)(1).
   On appeal, he renews his objection that the recidivism enhancement in
   § 1326(b) is unconstitutional because it permits a sentence above the
   otherwise-applicable statutory maximum established by § 1326(a), based on

          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 23-50243     Document: 00516892037          Page: 2   Date Filed: 09/12/2023

                                   No. 23-50243

   facts that are neither alleged in the indictment nor found by a jury beyond a
   reasonable doubt. While Guerrero-Lazaro acknowledges this argument is
   foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998), he
   nevertheless seeks to preserve it for possible Supreme Court review. In
   addition, Guerrero-Lazaro has filed an unopposed motion for summary
   disposition.
          This court has 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). Thus, Guerrero-Lazaro is
   correct that his argument is foreclosed, and summary disposition is
   appropriate. See Groendyke Transp., Inc. v. Davis, 406 F.2d 1158, 1162 (5th
   Cir. 1969).
          Guerrero-Lazaro’s motion is GRANTED, and the district court’s
   judgment is AFFIRMED.

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