U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 2025

United States v. Delara

United States v. Delara
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · Decided February 14, 2025

United States v. Delara

Opinion

Case: 24-10647 Document: 48-1 Page: 1 Date Filed: 02/14/2025

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ____________ United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit No. 24-10647 Summary Calendar FILED ____________ February 14, 2025 Lyle W. Cayce United States of America, Clerk Plaintiff—Appellee, versus Jose Alfredo Delara, Defendant—Appellant. ______________________________ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas USDC No. 4:24-CR-34-1 ______________________________ Before King, Southwick, and Engelhardt, Circuit Judges.

Per Curiam: * Jose Alfredo Delara appeals the sentence imposed following his guilty plea conviction for illegal reentry in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326. Delara challenges the application of the enhanced penalty range in § 1326(b) as unconstitutional because it permits a defendant to be sentenced above the statutory maximum of § 1326(a) based on a prior conviction that was not _____________________ * This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.

Case: 24-10647 Document: 48-1 Page: 2 Date Filed: 02/14/2025

No. 24-10647

alleged in the indictment or found by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. As he correctly concedes, this issue is foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998). See United States v. Pervis, 937 F.3d 546, 553-54 (5th Cir. 2019); see also Erlinger v. United States, 602 U.S. 821, 838 (2024) (explaining that Almendarez-Torres “persists as a narrow exception permitting judges to find only the fact of a prior conviction” (internal quotation marks and citation omitted)). Delara raises this issue to preserve it for further review. The Government has filed an unopposed motion for summary affirmance or, alternatively, for an extension of time to file a brief.

Because summary affirmance is appropriate, see Groendyke Transp., Inc. v. Davis, 406 F.2d 1158, 1162 (5th Cir. 1969), the Government’s motion for summary affirmance is GRANTED, the Government’s alternative motion for an extension of time to file a brief is DENIED, and the district court’s judgment is AFFIRMED.

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