United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT December 10, 2003

Charles R. Fulbruge III Clerk No. 03-40976 Conference Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff-Appellee,

versus

JOSE ROBERTO ARDON, also known as Miguel Angel Ortiz-Gonzalez,

Defendant-Appellant.

-------------------- Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas USDC No. B-03-CR-204-1 --------------------

Before DAVIS, EMILIO M. GARZA, and DENNIS, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Jose Roberto Ardon appeals the sentence imposed following

his guilty plea conviction of being found in the United States

after deportation/removal in violation of

. Ardon

complains that his sentence was improperly enhanced pursuant to

(b) based on a prior conviction. He argues that

the sentencing provision is unconstitutional. Ardon thus

contends that his sentence should not exceed the maximum terms of

* 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 R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR.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. 03-40976 -2-

imprisonment and supervised release prescribed in

(a).

In Almendarez-Torres v. United States,

(1998), the Supreme Court held that the enhanced penalties in

(b) are sentencing provisions, not elements of

separate offenses. The Court further held that the sentencing

provisions do not violate the Due Process Clause.

.

Ardon acknowledges that his argument is foreclosed by

Almendarez-Torres, but 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.

The Government has moved for a summary affirmance in lieu of

filing an appellee’s brief. In its motion, the Government asks

that an appellee’s brief not be required. The motion is GRANTED.

AFFIRMED; MOTION GRANTED.