United States v. Eleazer Jimenez

614 F. App'x 113
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
DecidedJune 11, 2015
Docket14-4675
StatusUnpublished

This text of 614 F. App'x 113 (United States v. Eleazer Jimenez) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Eleazer Jimenez, 614 F. App'x 113 (4th Cir. 2015).

Opinion

Affirmed by unpublished PER CURIAM opinion.

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.

PER CURIAM:

Eleazer Romero Jimenez appeals the district court’s judgment and his sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 (2012). Jimenez’s attorney has filed a brief pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967), asserting that there are no meritorious grounds for appeal but raising the issues of whether the district court had jurisdiction over the case, whether Jimenez’s guilty plea was knowing and voluntary,' whether his appeal waiver was knowing and voluntary, and whether his sentence was reasonable. Jimenez has filed a pro se supplemental brief arguing that the district court did not have jurisdiction over his case. We affirm.

*114 ■ First, because Jimenez was indicted and pled guilty to a federal crime, the district court had jurisdiction over the ease pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3281 (2012). Counsel next raises the issue of whether Jimenez’s plea was knowing and voluntary.

“[F]or a guilty plea to be valid, the Constitution imposes ‘the minimum requirement that [the] plea be the voluntary expression of [the defendant’s] own choice.’ ” United States v. Moussaoui, 591 F.3d 263, 278 (4th Cir.2010) (quoting Brady v. United States, 397 U.S. 742, 748, 90 S.Ct. 1463, 25 L.Ed.2d 747 (1970)). “It must reflect a voluntary and intelligent choice among the alternative courses' of action open to the defendant.” Id. (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). “In evaluating the constitutional validity of a guilty plea, courts look to the totality of the circumstances surrounding [it], granting the defendant’s solemn declaration of guilt a presumption of truthfulness.” Id. (citation and internal quotation marks omitted).

In federal cases, Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure “governs the duty of the trial judge before accepting a guilty plea.” Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238, 243 n. 5, 89 S.Ct. 1709, 23 L.Ed.2d 274 (1969). Rule 11 “requires a judge to address a defendant about to enter a plea of guilty, to ensure that he understands the law of his crime in relation to the facts of his case, as well as his rights as a criminal defendant.” United States v. Vonn, 535 U.S. 55, 62, 122 S.Ct. 1043, 152 L.Ed.2d 90 (2002). We “accord deference to the trial court’s decision as to how best to conduct the mandated colloquy.” United States v. DeFusco, 949 F.2d 114, 116 (4th Cir.1991). A guilty plea may be knowingly and intelligently made based on information received before the plea hearing. See id. at 117; see also Bradshaw v. Stumpf, 545 U.S. 175, 183, 125 S.Ct. 2398, 162 L.Ed.2d 143 (2005) (trial court may rely on counsel’s assurance that the defendant was properly informed of the elements of the crime).

“A federal court of appeals normally will not correct a legal error made in criminal trial court proceedings unless the defendant first brought the error to the trial court’s attention.”' Henderson v. United States, — U.S. -, 133 S.Ct. 1121, 1124, 185 L.Ed.2d 85 (2013) (citing United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 731, 113 S.Ct. 1770, 123 L.Ed.2d 508 (1993)). Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 52(b) creates an exception to the normal rule, providing “[a] plain error that affects substantial rights may be considered even though it was not brought to the court’s attention.” Fed. R.Crim.P. 52(b).

When a defendant does not seek to withdraw his guilty plea in the district court, we review any claims that the court erred at his guilty plea hearing for plain error. United States v. Martinez, 211 F.3d 517, 524, 527 (4th Cir.2002). It is the defendant’s burden to show (1) error; (2) that was plain; (3) affecting his substantial rights; and (4) that we should exercise our discretion to notice the error. See id. at 529, 532. To show prejudice, he “must show a reasonable probability that, but for the error, he would not have entered the plea.” United States v. Dominguez Benitez, 542 U.S. 74, 83, 124 S.Ct. 2333, 159 L.Ed.2d 157 (2004).

We have reviewed the record and conclude that Jimenez fails to show any plain error by the district court, and his guilty plea was knowing and voluntary based on a totality of the'circumstances. Jimenez pled guilty because he was guilty, and he received a substantial benefit from .his plea agreement. His decision to plead guilty was a voluntary and intelligent choice among the alternative choices of action open to him.

*115 Counsel next questions whether Jimenez’s appeal waiver was knowing and voluntary. “Plea bargains rest on contractual principles, and each party should receive the benefit of its bargain.” United States v. Blick, 408 F.3d 162, 173 (4th Cir.2005) (citation and internal quotations omitted). “A defendant may waive the right to appeal his conviction and sentence so long as the waiver is knowing and voluntary.” United States v. Davis, 689 F.3d 349, 354 (4th Cir.2012) (citing United States v. Marin, 961 F.2d 493, 496 (4th Cir.1992)). We review the validity of an appeal waiver de novo, and we “will enforce the waiver if it is valid and the issue appealed is within the scope of the waiver.” Id. (citing Blick, 408 F.3d at 168). While the validity of an appeal waiver often depends on the adequacy of the plea colloquy, the issue ultimately depends on the totality of the circumstances. Blick, 408 F.3d at 169.

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Related

Anders v. California
386 U.S. 738 (Supreme Court, 1967)
Boykin v. Alabama
395 U.S. 238 (Supreme Court, 1969)
Brady v. United States
397 U.S. 742 (Supreme Court, 1970)
United States v. Olano
507 U.S. 725 (Supreme Court, 1993)
United States v. Vonn
535 U.S. 55 (Supreme Court, 2002)
United States v. Dominguez Benitez
542 U.S. 74 (Supreme Court, 2004)
Gall v. United States
552 U.S. 38 (Supreme Court, 2007)
United States v. Herbert John Marin
961 F.2d 493 (Fourth Circuit, 1992)
United States v. Susi
674 F.3d 278 (Fourth Circuit, 2012)
United States v. George R. Blick
408 F.3d 162 (Fourth Circuit, 2005)
Bradshaw v. Stumpf
545 U.S. 175 (Supreme Court, 2005)
United States v. William Davis
689 F.3d 349 (Fourth Circuit, 2012)
Henderson v. United States
133 S. Ct. 1121 (Supreme Court, 2013)
United States v. Moussaoui
591 F.3d 263 (Fourth Circuit, 2010)
United States v. Eddie Louthian, Sr.
756 F.3d 295 (Fourth Circuit, 2014)
United States v. Xavier Lymas
781 F.3d 106 (Fourth Circuit, 2015)

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Bluebook (online)
614 F. App'x 113, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-eleazer-jimenez-ca4-2015.