Court Opinion

ID: 9930373
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-02-06 19:00:36.873888+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:11:35.360426
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-50387         Document: 00517056995             Page: 1      Date Filed: 02/06/2024

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit
                                      ____________
                                                                                United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                         Fifth Circuit
                                       No. 23-50387
                                     Summary Calendar                                  FILED
                                     ____________                               February 6, 2024
                                                                                  Lyle W. Cayce
   United States of America,                                                           Clerk

                                                                       Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                             versus

   Silvestre Garcia-Gonzalez,

                                               Defendant—Appellant.
                      ______________________________

                      Appeal from the United States District Court
                           for the Western District of Texas
                               USDC No. 4:16-CR-483-3
                      ______________________________

   Before Wiener, Stewart, and Douglas, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
          Silvestre Garcia-Gonzalez, federal prisoner # 50704-051, appeals the
   denial of his motion for compassionate release under 18 U.S.C.
   § 3582(c)(1)(A). He argues that his young age at the time of the offense, the
   sentencing errors in the computation of his sentence, and his counsel’s
   ineffectiveness constituted extraordinary and compelling circumstances

          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 23-50387     Document: 00517056995           Page: 2   Date Filed: 02/06/2024

                                    No. 23-50387

   warranting relief.   Garcia-Gonzalez also moves for the appointment of
   counsel and for discovery of sealed documents.
          The district court denied Garcia-Gonzalez’s motion on the basis that
   a balancing of the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) sentencing factors did not warrant
   compassionate relief. Garcia-Gonzalez’s failure to challenge these findings
   constitutes an abandonment of the issue on appeal. See United States v.
   Scroggins, 599 F.3d 433, 446-47 (5th Cir. 2010); Yohey v. Collins, 985 F.2d
   222, 224-25 (5th Cir. 1993). To the extent Garcia-Gonzalez’s arguments are
   construed as a challenge to his conviction or original sentence, such a
   challenge is not appropriately raised on appeal from the denial of his
   § 3582(c)(1)(A) motion. See United States v. Escajeda, 58 F.4th 184, 187 (5th
   Cir. 2023). Lastly, to the extent that Garcia-Gonzalez seeks authorization to
   file a successive 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion, he cites no new rule of
   constitutional law made retroactive by the Supreme Court or newly
   discovered evidence that would establish by clear and convincing evidence
   his innocence. See § 2255(h).
          Accordingly, the judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED. See
   United States v. Chambliss, 948 F.3d 691, 693 (5th Cir. 2020); United States v.
   Jackson, 27 F.4th 1088, 1093 n.8 (5th Cir. 2022). Garcia-Gonzalez’s motions
   are DENIED.

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