Court Opinion

ID: 9914349
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-12-30 01:01:10.058213+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:11:27.223658
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-50334        Document: 00517016752             Page: 1      Date Filed: 12/29/2023

             United States Court of Appeals
                  for the Fifth Circuit
                                     ____________
                                                                               United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                        Fifth Circuit
                                      No. 23-50334
                                    Summary Calendar                                  FILED
                                    ____________                              December 29, 2023
                                                                                 Lyle W. Cayce
   United States of America,                                                          Clerk

                                                                      Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                            versus

   Edgar Garcia-Heredia,

                                              Defendant—Appellant.
                     ______________________________

                     Appeal from the United States District Court
                          for the Western District of Texas
                              USDC No. 2:22-CR-870-1
                     ______________________________

   Before Smith, Higginson, and Engelhardt, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
         Edgar Garcia-Heredia appeals his sentence for illegal reentry into the
   United States under 8 U.S.C. § 1326. Garcia-Heredia argues that the
   recidivism enhancement in § 1326(b) is unconstitutional because it permits a
   sentence above the applicable maximum in § 1326(a), based on facts neither
   alleged in the indictment nor found by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt.

         _____________________
         *
             This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 23-50334     Document: 00517016752           Page: 2   Date Filed: 12/29/2023

                                    No. 23-50334

   Garcia-Heredia acknowledges that his argument is foreclosed by Almendarez-
   Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998), but he nevertheless seeks to
   preserve it for possible Supreme Court review. Accordingly, Garcia-Heredia
   has filed an unopposed motion for summary disposition.
          We have 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). As Garcia-Heredia concedes
   that his argument is foreclosed, summary disposition is appropriate. See
   Groendyke Transp., Inc. v. Davis, 406 F.2d 1158, 1162 (5th Cir. 1969).
          Garcia-Heredia’s motion is GRANTED, and the district court’s
   judgment is AFFIRMED.

                                         2