Filed: Jun. 24, 2003
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT June 25, 2003 Charles R. Fulbruge III Clerk No. 02-41649 Conference Calendar UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus ANTONIO GUZMAN-LARA, Defendant-Appellant. - Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas USDC No. M-02-CR-487-1 - Before DeMOSS, DENNIS, and PRADO, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Antonio Guzman-Lara appeals the sentence im
Summary: United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT June 25, 2003 Charles R. Fulbruge III Clerk No. 02-41649 Conference Calendar UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus ANTONIO GUZMAN-LARA, Defendant-Appellant. - Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas USDC No. M-02-CR-487-1 - Before DeMOSS, DENNIS, and PRADO, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Antonio Guzman-Lara appeals the sentence imp..
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United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
F I L E D
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT June 25, 2003
Charles R. Fulbruge III
Clerk
No. 02-41649
Conference Calendar
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
ANTONIO GUZMAN-LARA,
Defendant-Appellant.
--------------------
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Texas
USDC No. M-02-CR-487-1
--------------------
Before DeMOSS, DENNIS, and PRADO, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Antonio Guzman-Lara appeals the sentence imposed following
his guilty plea conviction of being found in the United States
after deportation/removal in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326.
Guzman contends that 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b)
are unconstitutional. He argues that the prior conviction that
resulted in his increased sentence is an element of a separate
offense under 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b) that should have been alleged in
his indictment. Guzman maintains that he pleaded guilty to an
*
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that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent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.
No. 02-41649
-2-
indictment which charged only simple reentry under 8 U.S.C.
§ 1326(a). He argues that his sentence exceeds the maximum term
of imprisonment and supervised release which may be imposed for
that offense.
In Almendarez-Torres v. United States,
523 U.S. 224, 235
(1998), the Supreme Court held that the enhanced penalties in
8 U.S.C. § 1326(b) are sentencing provisions, not elements of
separate offenses. The Court further held that the sentencing
provisions do not violate the Due Process Clause.
Id. at 239-47.
Guzman acknowledges that his arguments are foreclosed by
Almendarez-Torres, but asserts that the decision has been cast
into doubt by Apprendi v. New Jersey,
530 U.S. 466, 490 (2000).
He seeks to preserve his arguments for further review.
Apprendi did not overrule Almendarez-Torres. See
Apprendi,
530 U.S. at 489-90; United States v. Dabeit,
231 F.3d 979, 984
(5th Cir. 2000). This court must follow Almendarez-Torres
“unless and until the Supreme Court itself determines to overrule
it.”
Dabeit, 231 F.3d at 984 (internal quotation marks and
citation omitted). The judgment of the district court is
AFFIRMED.