JANE TRICHE MILAZZO, District Judge.
Before the Court is Defendant Marc Guyton's Petition for Relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 (Doc. 1406). For the following reasons, the Petition is DENIED.
On May 4, 2013, Defendant Marc Guyton pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute one kilogram or more of heroin pursuant to a Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11(c)(1)(C) plea agreement in which Defendant and the government agreed to a sentence of 240 months in prison. Pursuant to the agreement, Guyton waived his right to appeal his guilty plea, conviction, or sentence, as well as his right to collaterally challenge his sentence under 28 U.S.C. § 2255. The agreement retained only the right to directly appeal a sentence that was imposed in excess of the statutory maximum or bring a post-conviction challenge if an ineffective assistance of counsel directly affected the validity of his waiver of appeal or the guilty plea itself. The Court accepted Defendant's guilty plea pursuant to the Rule 11(c)(1)(C) agreement, and he was sentenced to 240 months in prison. Defendant's appellate counsel filed an Anders brief, stating that Defendant's appeal did not present any meritorious issues.
Defendant now files the instant petition for relief pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2255, arguing the ineffective assistance of appellate counsel. Defendant argues that appellate counsel erred in failing to argue that the district court did not properly calculate the sentencing guidelines applicable to Defendant because it improperly considered the conspiracy-wide drug quantity rather than the quantity of heroin that was reasonably foreseeable to Defendant. The Government opposes this Motion, arguing that Defendant has waived his right to bring it and, alternatively, that he cannot succeed on his claim for ineffective assistance of counsel.
28 U.S.C. § 2255(a) provides a prisoner with four grounds upon which he may seek relief from his sentence: (1) "that the sentence was imposed in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States;" (2) "that the court was without jurisdiction to impose such sentence;" (3) "that the sentence was in excess of the maximum authorized by law;" or (4) that the sentence "is otherwise subject to collateral attack."
The Government argues that Defendant waived his right to collaterally attack his sentence in his 11(c)(1)(C) plea agreement. "A defendant may waive his right to appeal as part of a valid plea agreement if the waiver is knowing and voluntary."
Here, Defendant's plea agreement expressly stated that Defendant knowingly and voluntarily waived his right to appeal, contest, or collaterally challenge his sentence, including all rights under 28 U.S.C. § 2255. The only appeal rights that Defendant retained in the plea agreement were the rights to bring a direct appeal of any sentence imposed in excess of the statutory maximum or a post-conviction challenge for ineffective assistance of counsel directly affecting the validity of the waiver of appellate rights or the validity of the guilty plea itself. During the colloquy between Defendant and the Court at his rearraignment, Defendant acknowledged that he understood that the plea agreement waived his "right to appeal and to contest [his] sentence in any post-conviction proceeding except under the very limited circumstances outlined in the plea agreement."
Defendant does not dispute that the instant § 2255 claim for the ineffectiveness of appellate counsel in appealing the calculation of his sentence fits within the scope of this waiver. Rather, Defendant submits two arguments against a finding that his § 2255 claim is waived: (1) he argues that the waiver was not knowing and voluntary because the district court did not adequately explain the rights that he was waiving, and (2) that a finding of waiver would be a miscarriage of justice.
First, Defendant argues that the waiver was not knowing and voluntary because he did not understand that he would not be able to appeal or challenge the calculation of his sentencing guidelines. The Fifth Circuit has stated that, "If the district court accurately explains the terms and consequences of the waiver of appeal and the defendant states on the record that he understands them, the defendant's later contention that he did not really understand will not invalidate the waiver."
In United States v. Osuagwu, the Fifth Circuit found that, "Because the record show[ed] that [the defendant] knew he had a right to appeal his sentence and that he was giving up that right," the waiver was knowing and voluntary.
Here, the record indicates that Defendant affirmed his understanding that he was waiving his right to appeal and to contest his sentence in any post-conviction proceeding except under the very limited circumstance outlined in the plea agreement.
Defendant next argues that this Court should set aside the waiver on the grounds that its enforcement would be a miscarriage of justice. The Fifth Circuit has not adopted the miscarriage of justice exception to the enforcement of appeal waivers applied in other circuits.
For the foregoing reasons, Defendant's Petition is DENIED.