Court Opinion

ID: 9895131
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-11-04 21:00:27.979403+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:11:21.727577
License: Public Domain

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                                             UNPUBLISHED

                               UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                                   FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

                                               No. 23-4258

        UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

                             Plaintiff - Appellee,

                      v.

        SEBASTIEN M. MOORE,

                             Defendant - Appellant.

        Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, at
        Clarksburg. Thomas S. Kleeh, Chief District Judge. (1:21-cr-00003-TSK-MJA-1)

        Submitted: October 31, 2023                                  Decided: November 3, 2023

        Before HARRIS and QUATTLEBAUM, Circuit Judges, and KEENAN, Senior Circuit
        Judge.

        Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.

        ON BRIEF: L. Richard Walker, Federal Public Defender, OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL
        PUBLIC DEFENDER, Clarksburg, West Virginia, for Appellant. Christopher Lee Bauer,
        Assistant United States Attorney, Washington, D.C., Sarah Wagner, Assistant United
        States Attorney, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Clarksburg, West
        Virginia, for Appellee.

        Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
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        PER CURIAM:

               Sebastien M. Moore appeals his conviction and the 15-month sentence imposed

        following his guilty plea, pursuant to a written plea agreement, to assaulting a correctional

        officer involving physical contact, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)(1). Moore’s counsel

        has filed a brief pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967), concluding that

        there are no meritorious grounds for appeal but questioning whether Moore’s guilty plea

        was knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently made. Although he was informed of his right

        to file a pro se supplemental brief, Moore has not done so. The Government has declined

        to file a response brief or to move to enforce the appeal waiver contained in Moore’s plea

        agreement. We affirm.

               Because Moore did not move to withdraw his guilty plea in the district court, we

        review the validity of his plea for plain error. United States v. Williams, 811 F.3d 621, 622

        (4th Cir. 2016). “Under the plain error standard, [we] ‘will correct an unpreserved error if

        (1) an error was made; (2) the error is plain; (3) the error affects substantial rights; and

        (4) the error seriously affects the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of judicial

        proceedings.’” United States v. Harris, 890 F.3d 480, 491 (4th Cir. 2018) (quoting United

        States v. Ramirez-Castillo, 748 F.3d 205, 212 (4th Cir. 2014)). In the guilty plea context,

        a defendant establishes that an error affected his substantial rights by demonstrating “‘a

        reasonable probability that, but for the error, he would not have entered the plea.’” United

        States v. Davila, 569 U.S. 597, 608 (2013) (quoting United States v. Dominguez Benitez,

        542 U.S. 74, 83 (2004)).

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               Before accepting a guilty plea, the district court must conduct a plea colloquy in

        which it informs the defendant of, and determines the defendant understands, the rights he

        is relinquishing by pleading guilty, the charges to which he is pleading, and the applicable

        maximum and mandatory minimum penalties he faces. Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(b)(1); United

        States v. DeFusco, 949 F.2d 114, 116 (4th Cir. 1991). The district court also must ensure

        that the plea is voluntary and not the result of threats, force, or promises not contained in

        the plea agreement, Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(b)(2), and “that there is a factual basis for the plea,”

        Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(b)(3).

               Although the district court failed to explicitly advise Moore that his right to

        appointed counsel extended to every stage of the criminal proceedings or that there could

        be immigration consequences, Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(b)(1)(D), (O), nothing in the record

        suggests that these minor errors affected Moore’s substantial rights. Moreover, there is no

        indication that, but for the court’s minor omissions, Moore would not have entered his

        guilty plea. See Davila, 569 U.S. at 608. We therefore conclude that Moore entered his

        plea knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily, and that a factual basis supported the plea.

               In accordance with Anders, we have reviewed the entire record and have found no

        meritorious grounds for appeal. We therefore affirm the district court’s judgment. This

        court requires that counsel inform Moore, in writing, of the right to petition the Supreme

        Court of the United States for further review. If Moore requests that a petition be filed, but

        counsel believes that such a petition would be frivolous, then counsel may move in this

        court for leave to withdraw from representation. Counsel’s motion must state that a copy

        thereof was served on Moore. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal

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        contentions are adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would

        not aid the decisional process.

                                                                                    AFFIRMED

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