Court Opinion

ID: 9915930
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-01-09 01:00:39.0752+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:22:03.978158
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-50548        Document: 00517025823             Page: 1      Date Filed: 01/08/2024

             United States Court of Appeals
                  for the Fifth Circuit
                                     ____________
                                                                               United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                        Fifth Circuit
                                      No. 23-50548
                                    Summary Calendar                                  FILED
                                    ____________                                January 8, 2024
                                                                                 Lyle W. Cayce
   United States of America,                                                          Clerk

                                                                      Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                            versus

   Selvin Yobany Fuentes-Ayala,

                                              Defendant—Appellant.
                     ______________________________

                     Appeal from the United States District Court
                          for the Western District of Texas
                              USDC No. 2:21-CR-1638-1
                     ______________________________

   Before Jones, Southwick, and Ho, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
         Selvin Yobany Fuentes-Ayala appeals his conviction and 46-month
   sentence for illegal re-entry into the United States under 8 U.S.C. § 1326.
   For the first time on appeal, he argues that the recidivism enhancement in
   § 1326(b) is unconstitutional because it permits a sentence above the
   otherwise-applicable statutory maximum established by § 1326(a), based on

         _____________________
         *
             This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 23-50548     Document: 00517025823           Page: 2   Date Filed: 01/08/2024

                                    No. 23-50548

   facts that are neither alleged in the indictment nor found by a jury beyond a
   reasonable doubt. While Fuentes-Ayala acknowledges this argument is
   foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998), he
   nevertheless seeks to preserve it for possible Supreme Court review. In
   addition, Fuentes-Ayala has filed an unopposed motion for summary
   disposition.
          This court has held that subsequent Supreme Court decisions such as
   Alleyne v. United States, 570 U.S. 99 (2013), and Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530
   U.S. 466 (2000), did not overrule Almendarez-Torres. See United States v.
   Pervis, 937 F.3d 546, 553-54 (5th Cir. 2019). Thus, Fuentes-Ayala is correct
   that his argument is foreclosed, and summary disposition is appropriate. See
   Groendyke Transp., Inc. v. Davis, 406 F.2d 1158, 1162 (5th Cir. 1969).
          Fuentes-Ayala’s motion is GRANTED, and the district court’s
   judgment is AFFIRMED.

                                         2