Court Opinion

ID: 41968
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2010-04-25 21:13:27+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:38:33.695055
License: Public Domain

United States Court of Appeals
                                                                Fifth Circuit
                                                             F I L E D
               IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                       FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT                  April 12, 2006

                                                          Charles R. Fulbruge III
                                                                  Clerk
                            No. 05-40764
                        Conference Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

                                    Plaintiff-Appellee,

versus

SILVIA MARIA GAMEZ-ORTIZ,
                                    Defendant-Appellant.

                        --------------------
           Appeal from the United States District Court
                for the Southern District of Texas
                     USDC No. 5:04-CR-2339-ALL
                        --------------------

Before JONES, Chief Judge, and JOLLY and DAVIS, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

     Silvia Maria Gamez-Ortiz (Gamez) appeals her guilty plea

conviction and sentence for attempted illegal reentry after a

previous deportation.   She argues that the “felony” and

“aggravated felony” provisions of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b) are

unconstitutional in light of Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466

(2000).   Gamez’s challenge is foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v.

United States, 523 U.S. 224, 235 (1998).

     Although Gamez contends that Almendarez-Torres was

incorrectly decided and that a majority of the Supreme Court

     *
       Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that
this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except
under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4.
                           No. 05-40764
                                -2-

would overrule Almendarez-Torres in light of Apprendi, we have

repeatedly rejected such arguments on the basis that Almendarez-

Torres remains binding.   See United States v. Garza-Lopez, 410

F.3d 268, 276 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 126 S. Ct. 298 (2005).

Gamez properly concedes that her argument is foreclosed in light

of Almendarez-Torres and circuit precedent, but she raises it

here to preserve it for further review.

     AFFIRMED.