Filed: Jan. 09, 2019
Latest Update: Mar. 03, 2020
Summary: Case: 18-40686 Document: 00514787982 Page: 1 Date Filed: 01/09/2019 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit No. 18-40686 FILED Summary Calendar January 9, 2019 Lyle W. Cayce Clerk UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee v. JORGE MIGUEL CHOY-SOTO, Defendant - Appellant Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas USDC No. 1:18-CR-43-1 Before REAVLEY, JONES, and HIGGINSON, Circuit Judges. PER
Summary: Case: 18-40686 Document: 00514787982 Page: 1 Date Filed: 01/09/2019 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit No. 18-40686 FILED Summary Calendar January 9, 2019 Lyle W. Cayce Clerk UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee v. JORGE MIGUEL CHOY-SOTO, Defendant - Appellant Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas USDC No. 1:18-CR-43-1 Before REAVLEY, JONES, and HIGGINSON, Circuit Judges. PER ..
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Case: 18-40686 Document: 00514787982 Page: 1 Date Filed: 01/09/2019
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
No. 18-40686 FILED
Summary Calendar January 9, 2019
Lyle W. Cayce
Clerk
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee
v.
JORGE MIGUEL CHOY-SOTO,
Defendant - Appellant
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Texas
USDC No. 1:18-CR-43-1
Before REAVLEY, JONES, and HIGGINSON, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM: *
Jorge Miguel Choy-Soto pleaded guilty to a single count of possession
with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana. On appeal,
he contends that his conviction was not supported by an adequate factual basis
because the Government did not meet its obligation to prove that he had
knowledge of the type and quantity of the controlled substance involved in his
offense.
* 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 R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not
be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH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: 18-40686 Document: 00514787982 Page: 2 Date Filed: 01/09/2019
No. 18-40686
As Choy-Soto concedes, his sole appellate argument is foreclosed by
United States v. Betancourt,
586 F.3d 303, 308-09 (5th Cir. 2009), which
determined that Flores-Figueroa v. United States,
556 U.S. 646 (2009), did not
overturn United States v. Gamez-Gonzalez,
319 F.3d 695 (5th Cir. 2003), and
that the Government is not required to prove knowledge of the drug type and
quantity as an element of a 21 U.S.C. § 841 drug trafficking offense. The
Government thus did not have to prove that Choy-Soto knew the type and
quantity of the controlled substance involved in his offense.
Accordingly, Choy-Soto’s motion for summary disposition is GRANTED,
and the district court’s judgment is AFFIRMED.
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