IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
No. 01-10262
Conference Calendar
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
HERIBERTO NICOLAS MARIN-CARDONA,
Defendant-Appellant.
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Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Northern District of Texas
USDC No. 6:00-CR-48-1-C
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August 23, 2001
Before KING, Chief Judge, and POLITZ and PARKER, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Heriberto Nicolas Marin-Cardona appeals the 71-month term of
imprisonment imposed following his guilty plea conviction of
being found in the United States after removal in violation of 8
U.S.C. § 1326. Marin-Cardona argues that his sentence should not
have exceeded the two-year maximum term of imprisonment
prescribed in 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a). Marin-Cardona acknowledges
that his argument is foreclosed by the Supreme Court’s decision
in Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998), but
*
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that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent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. 01-10262
-2-
seeks to preserve the issue for Supreme Court review in light of
the decision in Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466 (2000).
Apprendi did not overrule Almendarez-Torres. See Apprendi,
530 U.S. at 489-90; United States v. Dabeit, 231 F.3d 979, 984
(5th Cir. 2000), cert. denied, 121 S. Ct. 1214 (2001). Marin-
Cardona’s argument is foreclosed. The judgment of the district
court is AFFIRMED.
In lieu of filing an appellee’s brief, the Government has
filed a motion asking this court to dismiss this appeal. The
Government’s motion to dismiss is DENIED. However, in light of
our decision to affirm the district court’s judgment, the
Government need not file an appellee’s brief.
AFFIRMED; MOTION TO DISMISS DENIED.