Filed: Mar. 09, 2006
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT FILED _ U.S. COURT OF APPEALS ELEVENTH CIRCUIT No. 05-10478 March 9, 2006 Non-Argument Calendar THOMAS K. KAHN _ CLERK D. C. Docket No. 04-00068-CR-T-26-TBM UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus ISRAEL GONZALEZ, a.k.a. David Gomez, a.k.a. Israel Gutierrez Gonzalez, Defendant-Appellant. _ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida _ (March 9, 2006) Before ANDERSON, B
Summary: [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT FILED _ U.S. COURT OF APPEALS ELEVENTH CIRCUIT No. 05-10478 March 9, 2006 Non-Argument Calendar THOMAS K. KAHN _ CLERK D. C. Docket No. 04-00068-CR-T-26-TBM UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus ISRAEL GONZALEZ, a.k.a. David Gomez, a.k.a. Israel Gutierrez Gonzalez, Defendant-Appellant. _ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida _ (March 9, 2006) Before ANDERSON, BI..
More
[DO NOT PUBLISH]
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
FILED
________________________
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
No. 05-10478
March 9, 2006
Non-Argument Calendar
THOMAS K. KAHN
________________________ CLERK
D. C. Docket No. 04-00068-CR-T-26-TBM
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
ISRAEL GONZALEZ, a.k.a. David Gomez,
a.k.a. Israel Gutierrez Gonzalez,
Defendant-Appellant.
________________________
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Middle District of Florida
_________________________
(March 9, 2006)
Before ANDERSON, BIRCH and HILL, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
Appointed counsel for appellant Israel Gonzalez has filed a motion to
withdraw on appeal together with a supporting brief. Anders v. California,
386
U.S. 738 (1967). Gonzalez, acting pro se, has filed a memorandum of law in
support of his initial brief and asks that counsel be appointed for him. Our
independent review of the record and the sentencing transcript reveals no
meritorious issues. We therefore grant counsel’s motion to withdraw on appeal
and affirm Gonzalez’s conviction and sentence.
In his memorandum, Gonzalez contends that he decided to plead guilty
based on “the inducement of the unacomplished [sic] promises of the Government
and misleading of defense counsel.” He claims that the Government’s plea
agreement guaranteed that it would “recommend and agree: to 78-months
imprisonment if [Gonzalez would] enter a plea of guilt.” Instead, Gonzalez was
sentenced to 120 months. He claims that had he known, he “would probably not
pleaded guilty and challenged the case in trial.”
In Gonzalez’s change of plea hearing before the magistrate judge, discussing
Count One of Gonzalez’s indictment, conspiracy to possess with intent to
distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1),
(b)(1)(A)(vii), 846, the court told Gonzalez that “[a]ccording to your plea
2
agreement, the potential punishment in this case involves a mandatory minimum
ten years incarceration and the possible maximum term of life imprisonment.” He
then asked Gonzalez “Do you understand the conspiracy allegation against you in
Count One?” Gonzalez answered “Yes, sir.” The court then asked “Do you
understand what the possible punishment is on that count?” Gonzalez answered
“Yes, sir.” (R2-9).
From the change of plea transcript, in pleading guilty, Gonzalez stated “I
talked to my lawyer about it and we came up to terms by me pleading guilty that I
will not be looking at ten to life. I will be looking at ten to twelve years . . . That’s
why the reason I signed. That’s the reason I agree to this . . . But if it is going to be
like ten to life, well, I want to disagree with that because that is not what I was
told.” (R2 at 9,10).
Later, at his sentencing hearing before the district judge, the court reiterated
to Gonzalez that Count One carried a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’
imprisonment because the conspiracy involved 1,000 kilograms or more of
marijuana. (R3-7). The court then asked Gonzalez “Anything you care to say? I
have to give you 120 months, you know that.” Gonzalez answered “Yes, sir.”
(R3-16,17).
It is clear from our review of the record that Gonzalez’s plea of guilty was
3
made voluntarily, that he understood the nature of the charges against him, and that
he understood the consequences of his plea. United States v. Monroe,
353 F.3d
1346, 1354 (11 th Cir. 2003). Gonzalez’s argument that the Government guaranteed
that he would receive 78 months if he pleaded guilty is without merit.
MOTION TO WITHDRAW GRANTED; CONVICTION AND
SENTENCE AFFIRMED; APPELLANT’S MOTION FOR ANOTHER
APPOINTED COUNSEL DENIED.
4