United States v. Meza

372 F. Supp. 3d 48
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedApril 11, 2019
Docket18-CR-270 (DLI)
StatusPublished

This text of 372 F. Supp. 3d 48 (United States v. Meza) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Meza, 372 F. Supp. 3d 48 (E.D.N.Y. 2019).

Opinion

DORA L. IRIZARRY, Chief United States District Judge:

Christhian Isaac Meza ("Defendant") is charged with illegally reentering the United States after his deportation for committing two crimes involving moral turpitude ("CIMT") under 8 U.S.C. §§ 1326(a) and (b)(1). Indictment, Docket Entry No. 7. Before the Court is Defendant's motion to dismiss the indictment pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1326(d) and Rule 12 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure on the grounds that the proceedings resulting in his 2010 removal order were fundamentally unfair. Mot. to Dismiss the Indictment, Docket Entry No. 25.

Relying on the Second Circuit's recent decision in Obeya v. Sessions , 884 F.3d 442, 450 (2d Cir. 2018), Defendant contends that the removal order is facially deficient because his petit larceny conviction under N.Y. Penal Law § 155.25 was not a CIMT at the time of his removal proceedings. Defendant also collaterally attacks the indictment contending that he received ineffective assistance from his attorney during the removal proceedings ("Immigration Counsel") because the attorney failed to advise him that whether New York petit larceny was a CIMT was a litigable issue. The Government counters that Defendant does not meet his burden to collaterally attack the indictment and that his removal proceedings were fundamentally fair because Defendant was advised sufficiently on the state of the law in the Fifth Circuit and the BIA at the time of the removal proceedings.

On July 27, 2018, Defendant filed the motion to dismiss the indictment and accompanying memorandum. Defendant's Memorandum of Law ("Def.'s Mem."), Docket Entry No. 25-7. The Government opposed, filing a redacted version on the *51public docket.1 Government's Memorandum of Law in Opposition (Redacted) ("Govt.'s Mem."), Docket Entry No. 27. Defendant replied to the Government's opposition. Defendant's Memorandum in Reply (Def.'s Reply"), Docket Entry No. 30.

For the reasons that follow, Defendant's motion is granted.

BACKGROUND

The following undisputed facts are taken from the Declaration of Michael D. Weil ("Weil Decl."), Docket Entry No. 25-1; the Declaration of Francisco Tinoco ("Tinoco Decl."), Docket Entry No. 27-3; the audio recording of the removal order hearing ("Removal Hearing Audio"), Docket Entry No. 27-4; the declaration of Defendant ("Meza Decl."), Docket Entry No. 25-2; and the Indictment.

Defendant was born in Peru in 1982 and is a citizen of Peru. In 1997, Defendant entered the United States as a legal permanent resident at the age of fourteen. Weil Decl. ¶ 3. On December 29, 2009, the Department of Homeland Security ("DHS") served Defendant a notice to appear, for the purpose of removal, pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 237(a)(2)(A)(ii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ("INA"). Weil Decl. ¶ 5. The notice to appear alleged that Defendant was subject to removal based on his conviction for two CIMTs. Id. ; See , 8 U.S.C. § 237(a)(2)(A)(ii) ("Any alien who at any time after admission is convicted of two or more crimes involving moral turpitude, not arising out of a single scheme of criminal misconduct, regardless of whether confined therefor and regardless of whether the convictions were in a single trial, is deportable."). Specifically, the notice to appear set forth that Defendant pled guilty to and was sentenced for: (1) reckless endangerment in the first degree, in violation of N.Y. Penal Law § 120.25, on March 1, 2004, and (2) petit larceny, in violation of N.Y Penal Law § 155.25, on September 18, 2009.2 Weil Decl. ¶ 4.

On February 1, 2010, an initial removal proceeding was held in Harlington, Texas before Immigration Judge Howard E. Achtsam (the "IJ"). Francisco Tinoco, Defendant's Immigration Counsel, was present. Tinoco Decl. ¶ 1. At the hearing, Immigration Counsel requested a continuance, which the IJ granted. Id.

On March 15, 2010, the IJ held the removal hearing at which Defendant and Immigration Counsel were present. The IJ confirmed that Defendant had received the notice to appear. Defendant waived an instruction of his rights and admitted to the six factual allegations contained in the removal notice. After Defendant's allocution, the IJ concluded that Defendant was subject to removal because "reckless endangerment in the first degree is a crime involving moral turpitude, as is petit larceny." Removal Hearing Audio at 2:08-21.

During the hearing, the IJ asked Immigration Counsel whether Defendant sought relief from removal. Id. at 2:36. Immigration Counsel responded, "No he is not Your Honor; he has requested to be deported." Id. at 2:38-42. The IJ inquired further stating: "It appears he may be eligible to apply for cancellation of removal; there is a question about that however.

*52Reckless endangerment ... the date of his arrest is May 10, 2003, and that may cut off his continuous residence for purpose of cancellation of removal, but I can't determine that time.... does respondent want to apply for cancellation of removal?"

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Bluebook (online)
372 F. Supp. 3d 48, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-meza-nyed-2019.