Court Opinion

ID: 9914779
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-01-03 01:00:37.921731+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:14:28.936845
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-50450        Document: 00517018965             Page: 1      Date Filed: 01/02/2024

             United States Court of Appeals
                  for the Fifth Circuit
                                     ____________
                                                                               United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                        Fifth Circuit
                                      No. 23-50450
                                    Summary Calendar                                  FILED
                                    ____________                                January 2, 2024
                                                                                 Lyle W. Cayce
   United States of America,                                                          Clerk

                                                                      Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                            versus

   George Aguilar-Martinez,

                                              Defendant—Appellant.
                     ______________________________

                     Appeal from the United States District Court
                          for the Western District of Texas
                              USDC No. 5:14-CR-730-2
                     ______________________________

   Before Davis, Haynes, and Ho, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
         George Aguilar-Martinez, federal prisoner # 36104-080, appeals the
   denial of his motion for compassionate release, filed pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
   § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i).      He is currently serving a 262-month sentence for
   conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or
   more of methamphetamine. The district court determined that Aguilar-

         _____________________
         *
             This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 23-50450      Document: 00517018965           Page: 2    Date Filed: 01/02/2024

                                     No. 23-50450

   Martinez failed to show that the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors weighed in favor
   of granting relief. See § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i).
          We review the denial of a motion for compassionate release for abuse
   of discretion. United States v. Chambliss, 948 F.3d 691, 693 (5th Cir. 2020).
   First, the district court’s order belies Aguilar-Martinez’s argument that the
   district court erroneously treated U.S.S.G. § 1B1.13, p.s., as binding. See
   United States v. Shkambi, 993 F.3d 388, 390-93 (5th Cir. 2021). Second,
   Aguilar has shown no abuse of discretion in the district court’s consideration
   of the “danger to the safety of any other person or the community” in
   denying relief. See United States v. Escajeda, 58 F.4th 184, 188 (5th Cir. 2023).
   Third, based on the district court’s statement that it had considered Aguilar-
   Martinez’s motion, we may infer that the district court, contrary to Aguilar-
   Martinez’s argument, considered his postconviction rehabilitation efforts.
   See Concepcion v. United States, 597 U.S. 481, 502 (2022); United States v.
   Evans, 587 F.3d 667, 673 (5th Cir. 2009). Finally, to the extent Aguilar-
   Martinez’s arguments challenge the district court’s assessment of the
   § 3553(a) factors, they amount to no more than a disagreement with the
   district court’s balancing of these factors, which is insufficient to show an
   abuse of discretion. See Chambliss, 948 F.3d at 693-94.
          Because Aguilar-Martinez has not shown that the district court
   abused its discretion in finding that a sentence reduction was not warranted
   under the § 3553(a) factors, the court’s denial of relief is AFFIRMED.

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