Filed: Jun. 05, 2019
Latest Update: Mar. 03, 2020
Summary: Case: 18-11191 Document: 00514985012 Page: 1 Date Filed: 06/05/2019 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT No. 18-11191 United States Court of Appeals Summary Calendar Fifth Circuit FILED June 5, 2019 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Lyle W. Cayce Clerk Plaintiff-Appellee, v. YONI CASTRO-LOPEZ, Defendant-Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas USDC No. 4:18-CR-50-1 Before JONES, HIGGINSON, and OLDHAM, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM: *
Summary: Case: 18-11191 Document: 00514985012 Page: 1 Date Filed: 06/05/2019 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT No. 18-11191 United States Court of Appeals Summary Calendar Fifth Circuit FILED June 5, 2019 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Lyle W. Cayce Clerk Plaintiff-Appellee, v. YONI CASTRO-LOPEZ, Defendant-Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas USDC No. 4:18-CR-50-1 Before JONES, HIGGINSON, and OLDHAM, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM: * Y..
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Case: 18-11191 Document: 00514985012 Page: 1 Date Filed: 06/05/2019
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
No. 18-11191 United States Court of Appeals
Summary Calendar
Fifth Circuit
FILED
June 5, 2019
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Lyle W. Cayce
Clerk
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
YONI CASTRO-LOPEZ,
Defendant-Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Northern District of Texas
USDC No. 4:18-CR-50-1
Before JONES, HIGGINSON, and OLDHAM, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM: *
Yoni Castro-Lopez pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after deportation, in
violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a), (b)(1), and (b)(2), and was sentenced to 22
months of imprisonment and a two-year term of supervised release. Castro-
Lopez raises two arguments on appeal. He correctly concedes that one
argument he raises—that his sentence violated due process because it
* 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 R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not
be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH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: 18-11191 Document: 00514985012 Page: 2 Date Filed: 06/05/2019
No. 18-11191
exceeded the statutory maximum charged in the indictment—is foreclosed
under Almendarez-Torres v. United States,
523 U.S. 224, 226–27 (1998).
His other argument, however, is not foreclosed. Castro-Lopez contends
that the district court plainly erred by stating in the judgment that his
conviction was punishable under § 1326(b)(2), rather than under § 1326(b)(1),
because his prior Texas conviction for burglary of a habitation was not an
aggravated felony for purposes of § 1326(b)(2). He requests modification of the
judgment accordingly. To show plain error, he must show a forfeited error that
is clear or obvious and that affects his substantial rights. Puckett v. United
States,
556 U.S. 129, 135 (2009). If he makes such a showing, we have the
discretion to correct the error “if the error seriously affects the fairness,
integrity or public reputation of judicial proceedings.”
Id. (internal quotation
marks and brackets omitted).
In sentencing Castro-Lopez pursuant to § 1326(b)(2), the district court
necessarily relied on the now-unconstitutional definition of “aggravated felony”
found in 18 U.S.C. § 16(b). See United States v. Godoy,
890 F.3d 531, 542 (5th
Cir. 2018); United States v. Herrold,
883 F.3d 517, 536–37 (5th Cir. 2018)
(en banc). Accordingly, the designation in the written judgment indicating
that Castro-Lopez was convicted and sentenced under § 1326(b)(2) was
erroneous and should be reformed as Castro-Lopez requests. See
Godoy, 890
F.3d at 542; United States v. Mondragon-Santiago,
564 F.3d 357, 369 (5th Cir.
2009). We therefore MODIFY the district court’s judgment to reflect that
Castro-Lopez was sentenced according to § 1326(b)(1), and we AFFIRM the
judgment AS MODIFIED.
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