Court Opinion

ID: 48551
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2010-04-25 23:44:05+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:37:15.160740
License: Public Domain

United States Court of Appeals
                                                                 Fifth Circuit
                                                              F I L E D
                IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                        FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT                February 14, 2007

                                                           Charles R. Fulbruge III
                                                                   Clerk
                             No. 06-40594
                         Conference Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

                                     Plaintiff-Appellee,

versus

LORENZO GERARDO DE LEON-LEDEZMA,

                                     Defendant-Appellant.

                      --------------------
          Appeal from the United States District Court
               for the Southern District of Texas
                     USDC No. 7:05-CR-966-1
                      --------------------

Before BARKSDALE, GARZA, and CLEMENT, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

     Lorenzo Gerardo De Leon-Ledezma (De Leon) appeals his

guilty-plea conviction under 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b).        He

asserts that the “felony” and “aggravated felony” provisions of

the statute cause it to be unconstitutional on its face and as

applied in his case.   De Leon’s constitutional challenge is

foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224,

235 (1998).    Although De Leon contends that Almendarez-Torres was

incorrectly decided and that a majority of the Supreme Court

would overrule Almendarez-Torres in light of Apprendi v. New

     *
       Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that
this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except
under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4.
                          No. 06-40594
                               -2-

Jersey, 530 U.S. 466 (2000), we have repeatedly rejected such

arguments on the basis that Almendarez-Torres remains binding.

See United States v. Garza-Lopez, 410 F.3d 268, 276 (5th Cir.),

cert. denied, 126 S. Ct. 298 (2005).   De Leon properly concedes

that his argument is foreclosed in light of Almendarez-Torres and

circuit precedent, but he raises it here to preserve it for

further review.

     The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.