Court Opinion

ID: 9393573
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-05-10 18:00:25.100274+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:18:54.066595
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-40710        Document: 00516744906             Page: 1      Date Filed: 05/10/2023

             United States Court of Appeals
                  for the Fifth Circuit                                          United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                          Fifth Circuit
                                     ____________                                       FILED
                                                                                     May 10, 2023
                                      No. 22-40710
                                    Summary Calendar                                 Lyle W. Cayce
                                                                                          Clerk
                                    ____________

   United States of America,

                                                                      Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                            versus

   Jose Antonio Carreto,

                                              Defendant—Appellant.
                     ______________________________

                     Appeal from the United States District Court
                          for the Eastern District of Texas
                              USDC No. 4:19-CR-301-1
                     ______________________________

   Before Smith, Southwick, and Douglas, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam:*
         A jury convicted Jose Carreto of conspiracy to possess with intent to
   distribute a mixture containing a detectable amount of heroin resulting in
   serious bodily injury (counts one and three) and conspiracy to possess with
   intent to distribute a mixture containing a detectable amount of methamphet-
   amine (count two). Carreto moved for a new trial on counts one and three
   based on newly discovered evidence, i.e., a sworn statement in which Kolton
         _____________________
         *
             This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-40710      Document: 00516744906           Page: 2     Date Filed: 05/10/2023

                                     No. 22-40710

   Watson recanted his trial testimony that he purchased heroin from Carreto
   and later sold it to a young girl who ingested it and overdosed. The district
   court denied the motion, and Carreto appeals.
          Carreto has not shown that the court abused its discretion by denying
   the motion for new trial. See United States v. Pratt, 807 F.3d 641, 645 (5th
   Cir. 2015). As the court determined, Carreto failed to establish that Wat-
   son’s broad, vague statement, which we view with extreme suspicion, would
   have probably resulted in an acquittal. See United States v. Ardoin, 19 F.3d
   177, 181 (5th Cir. 1994); see also United States v. Adi, 759 F.2d 404, 408 (5th
   Cir. 1985). Carreto’s failure to establish this factor was fatal to his motion for
   new trial. See United States v. Freeman, 77 F.3d 812, 817 (5th Cir. 1996); see
   also United States v. Blackthorne, 378 F.3d 449, 452 (5th Cir. 2004).
          AFFIRMED.

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