Filed: Jul. 05, 2018
Latest Update: Mar. 03, 2020
Summary: Case: 16-41000 Document: 00514541164 Page: 1 Date Filed: 07/05/2018 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit FILED No. 16-41000 July 5, 2018 Summary Calendar Lyle W. Cayce Clerk UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee Cross-Appellant v. GABRIEL VELA, Defendant-Appellant Cross-Appellee Appeals from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas USDC No. 2:15-CR-429-1 Before WIENER, DENNIS, and SOUTHWICK, Cir
Summary: Case: 16-41000 Document: 00514541164 Page: 1 Date Filed: 07/05/2018 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit FILED No. 16-41000 July 5, 2018 Summary Calendar Lyle W. Cayce Clerk UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee Cross-Appellant v. GABRIEL VELA, Defendant-Appellant Cross-Appellee Appeals from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas USDC No. 2:15-CR-429-1 Before WIENER, DENNIS, and SOUTHWICK, Circ..
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Case: 16-41000 Document: 00514541164 Page: 1 Date Filed: 07/05/2018
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
FILED
No. 16-41000 July 5, 2018
Summary Calendar
Lyle W. Cayce
Clerk
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee Cross-Appellant
v.
GABRIEL VELA,
Defendant-Appellant Cross-Appellee
Appeals from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Texas
USDC No. 2:15-CR-429-1
Before WIENER, DENNIS, and SOUTHWICK, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM: *
Gabriel Vela was convicted of felony possession of firearms and
ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), and he was
sentenced to 46 months of imprisonment. On appeal, he argues that the
district court erred by increasing his base offense level pursuant to U.S.S.G.
§ 2K2.1(a)(3) based on its finding that his prior Texas burglary convictions
were enumerated offenses constituting crimes of violence. The Government
* Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not
be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH
CIR. R. 47.5.4.
Case: 16-41000 Document: 00514541164 Page: 2 Date Filed: 07/05/2018
No. 16-41000
cross-appeals, arguing that the district court erred in failing to treat these
prior burglary offenses as violent felonies for purposes of an enhancement
under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA).
We recently held in United States v. Herrold,
883 F.3d 517 (5th Cir. 2018)
(en banc), that the Texas burglary statute, Texas Penal Code § 30.02(a), is
indivisible and broader than generic burglary as enumerated in the ACCA. In
United States v. Godoy,
890 F.3d 531, 536 (5th Cir. 2018), we established that
this holding extends to the definition of crime of violence under the Guidelines.
In light of Herrold and Godoy, the district court erred by concluding that Vela’s
Texas burglary conviction was an enumerated offense constituting a crime of
violence under § 2K2.1(a)(3). With respect to the Government’s cross-appeal,
Herrold makes clear that the district court was correct in refusing to apply the
ACCA based upon Vela’s prior Texas burglary offenses.
Accordingly, we VACATE Vela’s sentence and REMAND for
resentencing consistent with this opinion.
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