Filed: Mar. 13, 2019
Latest Update: Mar. 03, 2020
Summary: Case: 18-10591 Document: 00514870721 Page: 1 Date Filed: 03/13/2019 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit FILED No. 18-10591 March 13, 2019 Summary Calendar Lyle W. Cayce Clerk UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee v. ERNESTO BETANCOURT-CARRILLO, Defendant-Appellant Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas USDC No. 4:17-CR-229-1 Before JOLLY, COSTA, and HO, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:
Summary: Case: 18-10591 Document: 00514870721 Page: 1 Date Filed: 03/13/2019 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit FILED No. 18-10591 March 13, 2019 Summary Calendar Lyle W. Cayce Clerk UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee v. ERNESTO BETANCOURT-CARRILLO, Defendant-Appellant Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas USDC No. 4:17-CR-229-1 Before JOLLY, COSTA, and HO, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM: ..
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Case: 18-10591 Document: 00514870721 Page: 1 Date Filed: 03/13/2019
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
FILED
No. 18-10591 March 13, 2019
Summary Calendar
Lyle W. Cayce
Clerk
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee
v.
ERNESTO BETANCOURT-CARRILLO,
Defendant-Appellant
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Northern District of Texas
USDC No. 4:17-CR-229-1
Before JOLLY, COSTA, and HO, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM: *
Ernesto Betancourt-Carrillo appeals his 30-month below-guideline
sentence imposed following his guilty plea to illegal reentry in violation of 8
U.S.C. § 1326. He argues that his sentence violates his due process rights and
his Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial because it exceeds the statutory
maximum charged and the maximum sentence available based on the facts
that he admitted at rearraignment. He concedes that this argument is
* 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 R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not
be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH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: 18-10591 Document: 00514870721 Page: 2 Date Filed: 03/13/2019
No. 18-10591
foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States,
523 U.S. 224 (1998).
However, he seeks to preserve the issue for possible Supreme Court review
because he argues that subsequent Supreme Court decisions indicate that the
Court may reconsider this issue. The Government has moved for summary
affirmance, urging that the issue is foreclosed.
In
Almendarez-Torres, 523 U.S. at 239-47, the Supreme Court held that,
for purposes of a statutory sentencing enhancement, a prior conviction is not a
fact that must be alleged in the indictment or found by a jury beyond a
reasonable doubt. This court has held that subsequent Supreme Court
decisions did not overrule Almendarez-Torres. See, e.g., United States v.
Wallace,
759 F.3d 486, 497 (5th Cir. 2014); United States v. Pineda-Arrellano,
492 F.3d 624, 625-26 (5th Cir. 2007). Thus, Betancourt-Carrillo’s argument is
foreclosed, and summary affirmance is appropriate. See Groendyke Transp.,
Inc. v. Davis,
406 F.2d 1158, 1162 (5th Cir. 1969).
Accordingly, the Government’s unopposed motion for summary
affirmance is GRANTED, the alternative motion for an extension of time is
DENIED, and the judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.
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