Filed: Jun. 16, 2005
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FIFTH CIRCUIT June 16, 2005 Charles R. Fulbruge III Clerk 04-40709 Summary Calendar UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus JOSE ARNULFO AYESTA, Defendant-Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (5:04-CR-117-ALL) Before JONES, BARKSDALE, and PRADO, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Jose Arnulfo Ayesta appeals his guilty-plea conviction and sentence for
Summary: United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FIFTH CIRCUIT June 16, 2005 Charles R. Fulbruge III Clerk 04-40709 Summary Calendar UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus JOSE ARNULFO AYESTA, Defendant-Appellant. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (5:04-CR-117-ALL) Before JONES, BARKSDALE, and PRADO, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Jose Arnulfo Ayesta appeals his guilty-plea conviction and sentence for b..
More
United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
F I L E D
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FIFTH CIRCUIT June 16, 2005
Charles R. Fulbruge III
Clerk
04-40709
Summary Calendar
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
JOSE ARNULFO AYESTA,
Defendant-Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Texas
(5:04-CR-117-ALL)
Before JONES, BARKSDALE, and PRADO, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Jose Arnulfo Ayesta appeals his guilty-plea conviction and
sentence for being found in the United States following deportation
in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) & (b). He contends the district
court committed reversible plain error in imposing his sentence
pursuant to the mandatory United States Sentencing Guidelines held
unconstitutional in United States v. Booker,
125 S. Ct. 738 (2005).
Because Ayesta did not raise this issue in the district court, we
*
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this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except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.
review only for plain error. See United States v. Vonn,
535 U.S.
55, 59 (2002).
The district court erred in imposing Ayesta’s sentence under
the mandatory Guidelines scheme, and the error was obvious after
Booker. See United States v. Valenzuela-Quevedo, ___ F.3d ___,
2005 WL 941353, at *4 (5th Cir. 25 Apr. 2005). Ayesta has not
shown, however, that the error affected his substantial rights.
Restated, he has not shown the district court would have imposed a
different or lesser sentence under a Booker advisory regime. See
id. at **4-5. Therefore, he has not shown reversible plain error.
Ayesta also contends the “felony” and “aggravated felony”
sentencing enhancements under 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b) are facially
unconstitutional under Apprendi v. New Jersey,
530 U.S. 466 (2000).
He acknowledges this argument is foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v.
United States,
523 U.S. 224 (1998), but seeks to preserve it for
possible Supreme Court review. Apprendi did not overrule
Almendarez-Torres. See
Apprendi, 530 U.S. at 489-90; United States
v. Sarmiento-Funes,
374 F.3d 336, 346 (5th Cir. 2004). This court
must follow Almendarez-Torres, “unless and until the Supreme Court
itself determines to overrule it.” United States v. Mancia-Perez,
331 F.3d 464, 470 (5th Cir.) (internal quotation and citation
omitted), cert. denied,
540 U.S. 935 (2003). Accordingly, Ayesta
has not established error with respect to his sentence under 8
U.S.C. § 1326(b).
2
AFFIRMED
3