IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 02-40969 Conference Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee,

versus

MARCOS ANTONIO HERNANDEZ PRADO,

Defendant-Appellant.

-------------------- Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas USDC No. B-01-CR-639-1 -------------------- February 20, 2003

Before WIENER, EMILIO M. GARZA, and CLEMENT, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Marcos Antonio Hernandez Prado appeals the sentence imposed

following his guilty plea conviction of being found in the United

States after deportation in violation of

. Prado

argues that the “felony” and “aggravated felony” provisions of

(b)(1) and (2) are unconstitutional.

Prado acknowledges that his argument is foreclosed by

Almendarez-Torres v. United States,

(1998), but

* 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 R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR.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. 02-40969 -2-

asserts that the decision has been cast into doubt by Apprendi

v. New Jersey,

(2000). He seeks to preserve

his argument for further review.

Apprendi did not overrule Almendarez-Torres. See Apprendi,

; United States v. Dabeit,

(5th Cir. 2000). This court must follow Almendarez-Torres

“unless and until the Supreme Court itself determines to overrule

it.” Dabeit,

(internal quotation marks and

citation omitted). The judgment of the district court is

AFFIRMED.