Court Opinion

ID: 9915174
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-01-04 19:00:42.120197+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:18:13.274330
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-50339         Document: 00517021494             Page: 1      Date Filed: 01/04/2024

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit
                                     _____________
                                                                                United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                         Fifth Circuit
                                      No. 23-50339
                                  consolidated with                                    FILED
                                      No. 23-50365                               January 4, 2024
                                    Summary Calendar                              Lyle W. Cayce
                                    _____________                                      Clerk

   United States of America,

                                                                       Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                             versus

   Margarito Cruz-Ramirez,

                                               Defendant—Appellant.
                      ______________________________

                     Appeals from the United States District Court
                          for the Western District of Texas
                      USDC Nos. 2:21-CR-1116-1, 2:21-CR-635-1
                     ______________________________

   Before Smith, Higginson, and Engelhardt, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
          Margarito Cruz-Ramirez appeals his conviction and sentence for
   illegal reentry after removal, as well as the order revoking the term of
   supervised release he was serving at the time of the offense. Regarding the
   illegal reentry offense, he argues that 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b) is unconstitutional

          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 23-50339        Document: 00517021494         Page: 2     Date Filed: 01/04/2024

                                     No. 23-50339
                                   c/w No. 23-50365

   because it allows a sentence above the otherwise applicable statutory
   maximum established by § 1326(a) based on facts that are neither alleged in
   the indictment nor found by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. Because Cruz-
   Ramirez does not address the revocation or the revocation sentence, he has
   abandoned any challenge to them. See Yohey v. Collins, 985 F.2d 222, 224-25
   (5th Cir. 1993).
          Cruz-Ramirez has filed an unopposed motion for summary disposition
   and a letter brief correctly conceding that the only issue he raises is foreclosed
   by Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998). See United States
   v. Pervis, 937 F.3d 546, 553-54 (5th Cir. 2019). He explains that he has raised
   the issue to preserve it for possible further review. Accordingly, because
   summary disposition is appropriate, see Groendyke Transp., Inc. v. Davis, 406
   F.2d 1158, 1162 (5th Cir. 1969), Cruz-Ramirez’s motion is GRANTED, and
   the district court’s judgments are AFFIRMED.

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