Court Opinion

ID: 9385728
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-04-08 00:00:30.520962+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:18:04.364956
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-51015         Document: 00516704893             Page: 1      Date Filed: 04/07/2023

              United States Court of Appeals
                   for the Fifth Circuit
                                      ____________
                                                                                United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                         Fifth Circuit
                                       No. 22-51015
                                     Summary Calendar                                   FILED
                                     ____________                                     April 7, 2023
                                                                                  Lyle W. Cayce
   United States of America,                                                           Clerk

                                                                       Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                             versus

   Robert Marquez, Jr.,

                                               Defendant—Appellant.
                      ______________________________

                      Appeal from the United States District Court
                           for the Western District of Texas
                               USDC No. 3:21-CR-1816-1
                      ______________________________

   Before King, Higginson, and Willett, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
          Robert Marquez, Jr., appeals his 57-month sentence for the
   importation of five kilograms or more of cocaine and aiding and abetting. He
   pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement that included, inter alia, a waiver
   of his right to appeal. The Government seeks enforcement of the appeal
   waiver, and Marquez makes no arguments to the contrary.

          _____________________
          *
              This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-51015        Document: 00516704893             Page: 2      Date Filed: 04/07/2023

                                        No. 22-51015

           We review whether the appeal waiver bars Marquez’s appeal de novo.
   See United States v. Keele, 755 F.3d 752, 754 (5th Cir. 2014). Marquez
   unambiguously acknowledged that he voluntarily and knowingly waived his
   right to appeal his conviction and sentence on any ground in the written plea
   agreement as well as during the plea colloquy.                   Given the explicit
   relinquishment of the right to challenge his sentence, the waiver undoubtedly
   “applies to the circumstances at hand.” United States v. Bond, 414 F.3d 542,
   544 (5th Cir. 2005). Therefore, the record demonstrates that the appeal
   waiver is valid and enforceable. See id.
           DISMISSED. 1

           _____________________
           1
            Counsel for Marquez is CAUTIONED that pursuing an appeal contrary to a
   valid waiver and without responding to the Government’s invocation of the waiver is a
   needless waste of judicial resources that could result in sanctions. See United States v.
   Gaitan, 171 F.3d 222, 223-24 (5th Cir. 1999).

                                                  2