United States v. Mayorga

359 F. Supp. 3d 484
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Texas
DecidedJanuary 29, 2019
DocketCause No. 1:17-CR-114-LY
StatusPublished

This text of 359 F. Supp. 3d 484 (United States v. Mayorga) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Mayorga, 359 F. Supp. 3d 484 (W.D. Tex. 2019).

Opinion

LEE YEAKEL, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Before the court in the above-styled and numbered cause are Defendant's Motion to Dismiss filed November 27, 2018 (Dkt. No. 23) and Government's Response in Opposition to Defendant's Motion to Dismiss the Indictment filed November 29, 2018 (Dkt. No. 24). On November 30, 2018, the court conducted a hearing at which all parties were represented by counsel. Having considered the motion, response, attached exhibits, applicable law, and the arguments of counsel, the court will deny the motion for the reasons to follow.

I. BACKGROUND

On March 7, 2017, Mayorga was indicted on one count of illegal reentry into the United States. See 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a). Mayorga a citizen of Nicaragua. The record does not reflect when he was initially apprehended by federal law enforcement. While in immigration custody, on December 22, 2011, Mayorga was served in person with a United States Department of Homeland Security form titled "Notice to Appear." The form notice states that Mayorga was previously "admitted to the United States, but are removable." The notice further states that "you were admitted to the United States at Miami, Florida on or about January 23, 2001; as a nonimmigrant, B1 / B2 Visitor, with authorization to remain in the United States for a temporary period not to exceed July 22, 2001." Mayorga "remained in the United States beyond July 22, 2001, without authorization." The notice informed Mayorga,

YOU ARE ORDERED to appear before an immigration judge of the United States Department of Justice at: 800 Dolorosa Street Suite 300 San Antonio Texas US 78207, on (Date) to be set, at (Time) to be set, to show why you should not be removed from the United States based on the charge set forth above.

The certificate-of-service portion of the notice indicates that Mayorga was provided with "oral notice in the Spanish language of the time and place of his [ ] hearing and of the consequences of failure to appear," but that he "refused to sign." Mayorga also did not sign a request for an expedited removal hearing or waive his right to a 10-day waiting period before appearing before an immigration judge. Mayorga received four Notices of Hearing that included a date, time, and a crossed out location of his immigration hearing. The first, dated January 6, 2012, was personally served on the Mayorga and notified him of a hearing on January 18, 2012, at 8:30 a.m. at 800 Dolorosa Street-Suite 300 San Antonio, TX 78207. The location, however, was crossed out and a stamp placed over the text of the notice, making the new location illegible. The second notice, dated January 18, 2012, was served on Mayorga's immigration counsel, and notified him of a hearing on February 2, 2012, but the location was again crossed out. The third notice, dated February 2, 2012, was served on Mayorga's counsel and notified him of a hearing on February 9, 2012. The location was crossed out, and "STDC" written in next to it. The fourth notice, dated February 9, 2012, was also served on Mayorga's counsel and notified him of a hearing on February 16, 2012, with the *489location again crossed out.1

Removal proceedings occurred in San Antonio, Texas on February 16, 2012. The immigration judge rendered an "order of the immigration judge," which was "a summary of the oral decision entered." The order indicates that Mayorga's "application for voluntary departure was denied," and Mayorga "was ordered removed to Nicaragua." The order of removal, signed February 16, 2012, indicates that Mayorga was personally served with a copy of the order the same day. Although the record does not contain a signed waiver of appeal, "Appeal: Waived" is circled at the end of the order. Mayorga was removed from the United States on March 7, 2012.

The February 16, 2012 removal order was reinstated in May 12, 2013.2 Mayorga eventually came to the attention of federal law-enforcement authorities on or about January 3, 2017. The charge at issue followed when a grand jury returned an indictment on March 7, 2017, for illegal reentry. See 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a). The February 16, 2012 removal order is the basis for the instant indictment.

In order to prove illegal reentry, the Government must prove that Mayorga "has been denied admission, excluded, deported, or removed or has departed the United States while an order of exclusion, deportation, or removal is outstanding." Id. The lawfulness or validity of a prior removal order is not an element of an illegal-reentry offense, and the Government need only prove the fact of a prior removal. United States v. Mendoza-Lopez , 481 U.S. 828, 834-35 & n.9, 107 S.Ct. 2148, 95 L.Ed.2d 772 (1987). The only statutory defense available to a defendant charged with illegal reentry into the United States is a collateral attack on the defendant's prior removal order. See 8 U.S.C. § 1326(d) ( "1326(d)").

II. LEGAL STANDARD

A criminal defendant may allege a defect in an indictment in a pretrial motion. See Fed. R. Crim. P. 12(b)(3)(B). An indictment must contain a "plain, concise and definite written statement of the essential facts constituting the offense charged." Fed. R. Crim. P. 7(c)(1). "[A] motion to dismiss an indictment for failure to state an offense is a challenge to the sufficiency of the indictment." United States v. Kay , 359 F.3d 738, 742 (5th Cir. 2004). When the court decides such a motion, it is required to "take the allegations of the indictment as true and to determine whether an offense has been stated." United States v. Hogue , 132 F.3d 1087, 1089 (5th Cir. 1998).

The propriety of granting a motion to dismiss an indictment ...

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Bluebook (online)
359 F. Supp. 3d 484, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-mayorga-txwd-2019.