Court Opinion

ID: 9881442
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-02 18:00:31.722469+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:08:38.565077
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-10163        Document: 00516915772             Page: 1      Date Filed: 10/02/2023

             United States Court of Appeals
                  for the Fifth Circuit
                                     ____________                              United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                        Fifth Circuit

                                      No. 23-10163
                                                                                      FILED
                                                                                October 2, 2023
                                    Summary Calendar
                                    ____________                                 Lyle W. Cayce
                                                                                      Clerk
   United States of America,

                                                                      Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                            versus

   Jose Luis Martinez,

                                              Defendant—Appellant.
                     ______________________________

                     Appeal from the United States District Court
                         for the Northern District of Texas
                              USDC No. 4:22-CR-266-1
                     ______________________________

   Before King, Haynes, and Graves, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
         Jose Luis Martinez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to
   distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a
   detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C.
   § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(B)(viii). He was sentenced within the advisory

         _____________________
         *
             This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 23-10163      Document: 00516915772           Page: 2    Date Filed: 10/02/2023

                                     No. 23-10163

   guidelines sentencing range to 140 months of imprisonment and a four-year
   term of supervised release. Martinez timely appealed.
          In his first argument, Martinez contends that his guilty plea was
   unknowing and involuntary because the district did not properly admonish
   him as to the maximum term of supervised release. This argument, raised
   for the first time on appeal, is reviewed only for plain error. See United States
   v. Alvarado-Casas, 715 F.3d 945, 953 (5th Cir. 2013). Martinez cannot show
   any error, though, because he was properly admonished that, by statute, he
   was exposed to a supervised-release term of not less than four years. See
   § 841(b)(1)(B); see also United States v. Jackson, 559 F.3d 368, 371-72 (5th Cir.
   2009) (explaining that, because § 841 does not include any maximum
   supervised-release term, it necessarily authorizes a maximum supervised-
   release term of life). Martinez’s guilty plea conviction is AFFIRMED.
          In his second argument, Martinez challenges the district court’s
   calculation of his guidelines sentencing range. However, his plea was entered
   pursuant to a written agreement in which he voluntarily waived his right to
   appeal except in circumstances not present here. See United States v.
   McKinney, 406 F.3d 744, 746 (5th Cir. 2005); United States v. Portillo, 18 F.3d
   290, 292-93 (5th Cir. 1994). The Government has invoked the appeal waiver,
   which bars Martinez’s sentencing challenge. See United States v. Story, 439
   F.3d 226, 231 (5th Cir. 2006). Accordingly, that portion of the appeal
   challenging Martinez’s sentence is DISMISSED. See United States v.
   Meredith, 52 F.4th 984, 988 (5th Cir. 2022).
          AFFIRMED IN PART; DISMISSED IN PART.

                                          2