Court Opinion

ID: 2964408
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2015-09-21 21:25:12.519111+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:21:08.003235
License: Public Domain

USCA1 Opinion

	

                                [NOT FOR PUBLICATION]

                            UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                                FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT

                                 ____________________

        No. 96-1666

                                    UNITED STATES,

                                      Appellee,

                                          v.

                          RUFINO SANTOS, A/K/A EL FILIPINO,

                                Defendant, Appellant.

                                 ____________________

                     APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

                           FOR THE DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO

                   [Hon. Salvador E. Casellas, U.S. District Judge]
                                               ___________________

                                 ____________________

                                        Before

                               Selya, Boudin and Lynch,
                                   Circuit Judges.
                                   ______________

                                 ____________________

            Irma R. Valldejuli on brief for appellant.
            __________________
            Guillermo  Gil,   United  States   Attorney,  Nelson   Perez-Sosa,
            ______________                                ___________________
        Assistant United States Attorney,  and Jose A. Quiles-Espinosa, Senior
                                               _______________________
        Litigation Counsel, on brief for appellee.

                                 ____________________

                                  November 26, 1996
                                 ____________________

                 Per  Curiam.   Upon  careful  review of  the  briefs and
                 ___________

            record, we  find no merit in  defendant's appellate argument,

            and so we affirm the sentence imposed by the district court.

                 Nothing  in the plea agreement or the facts of this case

            required  the government  to  move for  a downward  departure

            under U.S.S.G.     5K1.1,  and  there was  no  suggestion  of

            prosecutorial   misconduct.    In  these  circumstances,  the

            district court had no authority to consider such a departure.

            See Wade v. United States, 504 U.S. 181, 185-86 (1992).  
            ___ ____    _____________

                 Because the merits of this appeal are easily resolved in

            the government's  favor, we  do not address  the government's

            challenge  to  our  jurisdiction.   See  Kotler  v.  American
                                                ___  ______      ________

            Tobacco Co., 926 F.2d 1217, 1221 (1st Cir. 1990).
            ___________

                 Affirmed.  See 1st Cir. Loc. R. 27.1.
                 ________   ___

                                         -2-