Court Opinion

ID: 9408254
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-07-12 00:00:42.678227+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:20:43.058189
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-40549        Document: 00516816643             Page: 1      Date Filed: 07/11/2023

             United States Court of Appeals
                  for the Fifth Circuit
                                     ____________                     United States Court of Appeals
                                                                               Fifth Circuit

                                      No. 22-40549
                                                                             FILED
                                                                         July 11, 2023
                                    Summary Calendar
                                    ____________                         Lyle W. Cayce
                                                                              Clerk
   United States of America,

                                                                      Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                            versus

   Armando Bazan,

                                              Defendant—Appellant.
                     ______________________________

                     Appeal from the United States District Court
                         for the Southern District of Texas
                              USDC No. 2:15-CR-975-1
                     ______________________________

   Before Wiener, Elrod, and Engelhardt, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam:*
         Defendant-Appellant Armando Bazan appeals the denial of his motion
   for compassionate release per 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i). He asserts that
   his medical conditions—hypertension and heart disease—warrant relief
   because of an increased likelihood of severe illness from COVID-19. Bazan
   also asserts that his rehabilitation efforts warrant release, contending that

         _____________________
         *
             This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-40549      Document: 00516816643          Page: 2    Date Filed: 07/11/2023

                                    No. 22-40549

   denying him of such relief will create sentencing disparities among Bazan, his
   codefendants, and other similarly situated defendants.
          We review the district court’s decision for an abuse of discretion and
   find none. See United States v. Chambliss, 948 F.3d 691, 693 (5th Cir. 2020).
   Bazan has not shown that the district court abused its discretion by finding
   that there were no extraordinary and compelling circumstances warranting
   compassionate relief. See United States v. Rodriguez, 27 F.4th 1097, 1100-01
   (5th Cir. 2022); United States v. Thompson, 984 F.3d 431, 433-35 (5th Cir.
   2021). The district court considered the record, which contains scant
   evidence of Bazan’s alleged conditions. Bazan also presents no evidence that
   the current conditions of his facility present any additional risk of COVID-
   10. Thompson, 984 F.3d at 435 (“Fear of COVID doesn’t automatically
   entitle a prisoner to release.”). We see no indication that the district court’s
   decision was based on an error of law. See Rodriguez, 27 F.4th at 1100-01;
   Thompson, 984 F.3d at 433-35.
          The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.

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