Court Opinion

ID: 9966321
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-05-06 18:00:40.372713+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:24:46.084986
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-40415           Document: 47-1         Page: 1      Date Filed: 05/06/2024

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

                                  ____________                                     FILED
                                                                                  May 6, 2024
                                   No. 23-40415                               Lyle W. Cayce
                                 Summary Calendar                                  Clerk
                                 ____________

United States of America,

                                                                   Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                         versus

Johnny Joe Guerra,

                                           Defendant—Appellant.
                  ______________________________

                  Appeal from the United States District Court
                      for the Southern District of Texas
                          USDC No. 2:10-CR-1128-10
                  ______________________________

Before Elrod, Oldham, and Wilson, Circuit Judges.
Per Curiam: *
      Johnny Joe Guerra, federal prisoner # 82349-279, appeals the district
court’s denial of his motion for compassionate release, filed pursuant to 18
U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i), and the denial of his motion for a sentence
reduction, filed pursuant to § 3582(c)(2). He also moves to supplement the
record with additional legal authority and newly obtained medical records.

      _____________________
      *
          This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 23-40415       Document: 47-1       Page: 2    Date Filed: 05/06/2024

                                 No. 23-40415

       On appeal, Guerra renews his argument that compassionate release is
warranted under § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i) because his health conditions and
increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness, his mother’s health conditions,
his post-sentence rehabilitation, and intervening changes in the law
constitute extraordinary and compelling reasons for his release. He also
contends that the district court misconstrued his arguments concerning
intervening changes in the law as a policy disagreement with the Sentencing
Guidelines. In addition, he argues that the district court erroneously weighed
the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors, especially in light of his post-sentence
rehabilitation, his low likelihood of recidivism, the nonviolent nature of his
offense, his criminal history category of I, and the disparity between his and
his co-defendant’s life sentences, given his co-defendant’s not-guilty plea
and allegedly more egregious conduct in the methamphetamine trafficking
conspiracy.
       The record reflects that the district court explicitly considered the
relevant § 3553(a) factors including: (i) the nature and circumstances of the
offense; (ii) Guerra’s history and characteristics; and (iii) the need for the
sentence to reflect the seriousness of the offense, to promote respect for the
law, to provide just punishment for the offense, to provide adequate
deterrence, and to protect the public. See § 3553(a)(1), (2)(A)-(C). Guerra’s
disagreement with the district court’s weighing of the § 3553(a) factors,
including its analysis of whether there was any sentencing disparity, is
insufficient to show an abuse of discretion. See United States v. Chambliss,
948 F.3d 691, 694 (5th Cir. 2020); see also United States v. Stanford, 79 F.4th
461, 462 (5th Cir. 2023) (“We require the denial of a motion for
compassionate release to be supported by ‘specific factual reasons.’”
(citation omitted)). Because the district court did not abuse its discretion in
determining that relief was not warranted under the § 3553(a) factors, we
need not consider his arguments regarding extraordinary and compelling

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Case: 23-40415       Document: 47-1       Page: 3   Date Filed: 05/06/2024

                                 No. 23-40415

reasons. See United States v. Rollins, 53 F.4th 353, 358 (5th Cir. 2022);
Chambliss, 948 F.3d at 693-94.
       Liberally construed, Guerra’s brief also renews his argument that,
based on the totality of the circumstances, he was entitled to a sentence
reduction under § 3582(c)(2) based upon Amendment 782 to the Sentencing
Guidelines. However, because Amendment 782 would not have changed his
offense level, the district court did not err in determining that a sentence
reduction was not authorized under § 3582(c)(2).             See U.S.S.G.
§ 1B1.10(a)(2)(B), p.s.
       In light of the foregoing, the district court’s decision is AFFIRMED.
Guerra’s motion to supplement motion is GRANTED in part as to the
request to provide additional legal authority and DENIED in part as to the
request to submit new medical records. See Theriot v. Par. of Jefferson, 185
F.3d 477, 491 n.26 (5th Cir. 1999).

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