Court Opinion

ID: 9891160
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-17 18:00:26.262043+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:39:22.729187
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-51112         Document: 00516933395             Page: 1      Date Filed: 10/17/2023

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit
                                      ____________
                                                                                United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                         Fifth Circuit
                                       No. 22-51112
                                     Summary Calendar                                  FILED
                                     ____________                               October 17, 2023
                                                                                  Lyle W. Cayce
   United States of America,                                                           Clerk

                                                                       Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                             versus

   Alejandro Diaz,

                                               Defendant—Appellant.
                      ______________________________

                      Appeal from the United States District Court
                           for the Western District of Texas
                               USDC No. 7:22-CR-103-1
                      ______________________________

   Before Davis, Willett, and Oldham, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
          Alejandro Diaz appeals the 151-month within-guidelines sentence
   imposed after his guilty plea conviction for possession with intent to
   distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. He argues the
   district court clearly erred in finding that he was responsible for at least 500
   grams of actual methamphetamine in determining his base offense level.

          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-51112      Document: 00516933395           Page: 2   Date Filed: 10/17/2023

                                     No. 22-51112

          Because Diaz preserved his challenge to the district court’s drug
   quantity calculation, we review the district court’s “factual findings for clear
   error.” United States v. Zuniga, 720 F.3d 587, 590 (5th Cir. 2013). “A factual
   finding is not clearly erroneous if it is plausible in light of the record as a
   whole.” United States v. Alaniz, 726 F.3d 586, 618 (5th Cir. 2013) (internal
   quotation marks and citation omitted).
          In determining the drug quantity, the district court reasonably relied
   on information in the presentence report (PSR), including the police officers’
   investigation, surveillance, controlled purchases from Diaz, and Diaz’s text
   and What’s App messages. See United States v. Lucio, 985 F.3d 482, 485-88
   (5th Cir. 2021). Further, the Government presented Diaz’s What’s App
   messages, in which he discussed purchasing and distributing various
   quantities of methamphetamine with at least three individuals. Diaz also
   admitted at the sentencing hearing that he had sold 300 to 400 grams of actual
   methamphetamine. The district court found incredible Diaz’s testimony
   that he did not sell 500 grams of actual methamphetamine, and we defer to
   that finding. See United States v. Perez, 217 F.3d 323, 332 (5th Cir. 2000).
   Other than his testimony, Diaz did not present any additional evidence to
   rebut the drug quantity information in the PSR. The district court’s finding
   that Diaz was accountable for at least 500 grams of actual methamphetamine
   was plausible in view of the record as a whole and, therefore, was not clearly
   erroneous. See Alaniz, 726 F.3d at 618.
          AFFIRMED.

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