United States v. Martinez-Rojas
United States v. Martinez-Rojas
Opinion
Case: 20-50889 Document: 00515743999 Page: 1 Date Filed: 02/12/2021
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit FILED February 12, 2021 No. 20-50889 Lyle W. Cayce Summary Calendar Clerk
United States of America, Plaintiff—Appellee, versus Jaime Martinez-Rojas, Defendant—Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas USDC No. 3:20-CR-716-1
Before Higginbotham, Jones, and Costa, Circuit Judges.
Per Curiam:* Jaime Martinez-Rojas appeals the within-guidelines sentence of 30 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release imposed following his guilty plea conviction for illegal reentry after removal from the United States. He argues that 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b) is unconstitutional because
* Pursuant to 5th Circuit Rule 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5th Circuit Rule 47.5.4.
Case: 20-50889 Document: 00515743999 Page: 2 Date Filed: 02/12/2021
No. 20-50889
it increases the statutory maximum sentence based on the fact of a prior felony conviction neither alleged in the indictment nor found by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. He concedes that the issue is foreclosed by Almendarez- Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998), and he seeks to preserve the issue for further review. The Government filed an unopposed motion for summary affirmance agreeing that the issue is foreclosed and, in the alternative, a motion for an extension of time to file a brief.
As the Government argues, and Martinez-Rojas agrees, the sole issue raised on appeal is foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres. See 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). Because the issue is foreclosed, summary affirmance is appropriate. See Groendyke Transp., Inc. v. Davis, 406 F.2d 1158, 1162 (5th Cir. 1969).
Accordingly, summary affirmance is GRANTED, and the judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED. The Government’s alternative motion for an extension of time to file a brief is DENIED.
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