United States v. Marcelo Montanez-Trejo

708 F. App'x 161
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedSeptember 5, 2017
Docket16-41088
StatusUnpublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 708 F. App'x 161 (United States v. Marcelo Montanez-Trejo) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth 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. Marcelo Montanez-Trejo, 708 F. App'x 161 (5th Cir. 2017).

Opinion

PER CURIAM: *

Defendant-Appellant Marcelo Monta-nez-Trejo pleaded guilty, without a plea agreement, to illegally reentering the United States after previously having been removed. On appeal, Montanez-Trejo argues that the district court erred in entering judgment against him under 8 U.S.C. § 1326 (b)(2), rather than § 1326(b)(1), and erred in applying a 16-level enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 2L1.2(b)(l)(A)(ii). For the following reasons, we AFFIRM the conviction and sentence, and REMAND for the limited purpose of correcting the judgment as described below.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

In March 2016, Defendant-Appellant Marcelo Montanez-Trejo encountered law enforcement while he was walking along the highway near Alice, Texas. Law enforcement determined that Montanez-Tre-jo was a citizen of Mexico with no legal right to enter the United States, and Mon-tanez-Trejo admitted that he had entered the United States by crossing the Rio Grande River. An immigration record check revealed that Montanez-Trejo had previously been removed from the United States on May 29, 2013, following a conviction in Nebraska. Specifically, on August 26, 2011, Montanez-Trejo was convicted on two counts of sexual assault in the first degree in Nebraska in violation of Neb, Rev. Stat. § 28-319 and sentenced to two to three years imprisonment on each count (to be served consecutively). 1

*164 On May 4, 2016, Montanez-Trejo pleaded guilty, without a plea agreement, to count one of the indictment, which charged him with illegal reentry in violation of 8 U.S.C. §. 1326(a) and (b). Applying the 2015 Sentencing Guidelines, the PSR assigned a base offense level of 8. U.S.S.G. § 2L1.2(a). The PSR then added a 16-level enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 2L1.2(b)(l)(A)(ii) because Montanez-Trejo’s Nebraska conviction for sexual assault was a “crime of violence.” After a 3-level reduction for acceptance of responsibility, the PSR calculated a total offense level of 21. The PSR also assigned a criminal history category of II. Accordingly, the PSR concluded that the maximum term of imprisonment was 20 years (pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1326 (b)(2)) and the Guidelines range was 41 to 51 months. The PSR, however, also noted that proposed amendments to the Guidelines would become effective November 1, 2016. The PSR stated that, under the proposed amendments, the Guidelines range would be 21 to 27 months.

On July 19, 2016, the district court held the sentencing hearing. As an initial matter, the district court adopted the findings of the PSR, including that the total offense level was 21, the criminal history category was II, and the Guidelines range was 41 to 51 months in prison, Montanez-Trejo’s counsel offered several arguments for a lower sentence: (1) Montanez-Trejo was unaware that he would face such a severe sentence upon reentry; (2) his Nebraska conviction “was not a situation where there was aggression or a forced sexual assault .... This was a situation where they were boyfriend and girlfriend”; and (3) he was coming to Houston to work with his brother and has significant family support in Mexico. Montanez-Trejo’s counsel also requested that the district court sentence him to 21 months in prison, which was the low end of the Guidelines range under the proposed amendments. 2 The Government agreed that a low end sentence would be appropriate. The district court ultimately imposed a sentence of 30 months in prison. The district court’s judgment reflects that Montanez-Trejo’s conviction for illegal reentry was in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326 (a) and (b)(2). Montanez-Trejo timely appeals.

II. DISCUSSION

On appeal, Montanez-Trejo raises two arguments: (1) his Nebraska conviction was not an aggravated felony, and thus, the district court erred in entering judgment under § 1326(b)(2) rather than § 1326(b)(1); and (2) his Nebraska conviction was not a crime of violence, and thus, the district court erred in applying a 16-level enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 2L1.2(b)(1)(A)(ii). As Montanez-Trejo concedes, he failed to raise either of these arguments in the district court, and thus, our review is for plain error. See, e.g., United States v. Ellis, 564 F.3d 370 , 377 (5th Cir. 2009). Under plain error review, Montanez-Trejo must meet a four-prong test: he must show that there was (1) an error, (2) that was plain, -and (3) that af *165 fected his substantial rights; and if those first three prongs are met, (4) we have the discretion to remedy the error if it “seriously affects the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings.” See id. (quoting United States v. Mares, 402 F.3d 511 , 520 (5th Cir. 2005)).

Both of Montanez-Trejo’s arguments relate to whether his Nebraska conviction qualifies under the generic offense of sexual abuse of a minor. The crux of Monta-nez-Trejo’s first argument is whether his prior Nebraska conviction qualifies under the generic offense of “sexual abuse of a minor” such that it is an “aggravated felony” subject to § 1326(b)(2). Under § 1326(b)(2), a defendant convicted of illegal reentry “whose removal was subsequent to a conviction for commission of an aggravated felony” is subject to a maximum imprisonment term of 20 years. If the defendant’s prior conviction was not an aggravated felony, then § 1326(b)(1) applies and the defendant is subject to a maximum imprisonment term of 10 years. The term “aggravated felony” is defined to include “sexual abuse of a minor.” 8 U.S.C. § 1101 (a)(43)(A).

Montanez-Trejo’s second argument again turns on whether his prior Nebraska conviction qualifies under the generic offense of “sexual abuse of a minor,” but for this argument, whether his prior Nebraska conviction qualifies is for the purpose of establishing that it is a “crime of violence” subject to U.S.S.G. § 2L1.2(b)(l)(A)(ii). Under U.S.S.G.

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708 F. App'x 161, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-marcelo-montanez-trejo-ca5-2017.