IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 00-40941 Conference Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee,

versus

MARTIN GARZA-HERNANDEZ,

Defendant-Appellant.

-------------------- Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas USDC No. M-00-CR-136-1 -------------------- April 12, 2001

Before JOLLY, HIGGINBOTHAM, and JONES, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Martin Garza-Hernandez appeals his guilty-plea conviction

for illegal reentry following deportation, a violation of

. Garza argues that, in light of the Supreme

Court's decision in Apprendi v. New Jersey,

, ___,

(2000), his prior felony conviction was

an element of the offense and that the indictment was

fundamentally defective in failing to allege that element.

Accordingly, Garza contends, the district court erred by

increasing his offense level pursuant to U.S.S.G.

* 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 R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR.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. 00-40941 -2-

§ 2L1.2(b)(1)(A). As Garza acknowledges, this argument is

foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States,

(1998). See United States v. Chapa-Garza, ___ F.3d ___ (5th

Cir. Mar. 1, 2001),

, *6; United States v. Nava-

Perez,

, ___ (5th Cir. Feb. 12, 2001),

.

AFFIRMED.