United States v. Lopez-Quintana
United States v. Lopez-Quintana
Opinion
Case: 24-50040 Document: 92-1 Page: 1 Date Filed: 07/11/2025
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ____________ United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit No. 24-50040 Summary Calendar FILED ____________ July 11, 2025 Lyle W. Cayce United States of America, Clerk Plaintiff—Appellee, versus Luis Fernando Lopez-Quintana, Defendant—Appellant. ______________________________ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas USDC No. 3:23-CR-1193-1 ______________________________ Before Smith, Higginson, and Wilson, Circuit Judges.
Per Curiam: * Luis Fernando Lopez-Quintana appeals following his conviction for illegal reentry in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a), arguing for the first time on appeal that the statutory sentencing enhancement in § 1326(b) is unconstitutional. He concedes this argument is foreclosed by Almendarez- Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998), and the Government has filed a _____________________ * This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 24-50040 Document: 92-1 Page: 2 Date Filed: 07/11/2025
No. 24-50040
motion for summary affirmance or, alternatively, for an extension of time in which to file a brief. Lopez-Quintana takes no position on the Government’s motion.
The parties are correct that the argument is foreclosed. 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)). Summary affirmance is therefore appropriate. See Groendyke Transp. Inc. v. Davis, 406 F.2d 1158, 1162 (5th Cir. 1969). Accordingly, the motion for summary affirmance is GRANTED, the alternative motion for an extension of time is DENIED, and the judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.
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