United States v. Lozano-Gutierrez

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT No. 00-50199 Conference Calendar UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus JOSE SANTOS LOZANO-GUTIERREZ, ALSO KNOWN AS Santos Lozano, also known as Santos Lozano Gutierrez, Defendant-Appellant. -------------------- Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas USDC No. SA-99-CR-453-1-HG -------------------- December 13, 2000 Before DAVIS, STEWART, and PARKER, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Jose Santos Lozano-Gutierrez pleaded guilty to illegal reentry into the United States after having been previously deported. His sentence was enhanced because his prior deportation occurred following a felony conviction. See 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b). For the first time on appeal, Lozano-Gutierrez argues that, under Apprendi v. New Jersey, 120 S. Ct. 2348, 2362 (2000), the indictment in his case was deficient because it failed to * Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4. No. 00-50199 -2- allege that his prior deportation followed a conviction for an aggravated felony under § 1326(b). Lozano-Gutierrez’s argument is without merit given the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Almendarez-Torres, 523 U.S. 224 (1998). The Court in Apprendi did not overrule its holding in Almendarez-Torres. See Apprendi, 120 S. Ct. at 2362- 63. Lozano-Gutierrez’s guilty-plea conviction is therefore AFFIRMED.