Velasco-Aceves v. Holder

FILED NOT FOR PUBLICATION APR 01 2010 MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS U .S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT MARCO ANTONIO VELASCO- No. 06-75615 ACEVES, Agency No. A076-618-140 Petitioner, v. MEMORANDUM * ERIC H. HOLDER Jr., Attorney General, Respondent. On Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals Submitted March 16, 2010 ** Before: SCHROEDER, PREGERSON, and RAWLINSON, Circuit Judges. Marco Antonio Velasco-Aceves, a native and citizen of Mexico, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ order affirming an immigration judge’s decision denying his application for adjustment of status. We have * This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3. ** The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2). IH/Research jurisdiction pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1252. We review de novo questions of law, Fernandez-Ruiz v. Gonzales, 468 F.3d 1159, 1163 (9th Cir. 2006), and we deny the petition for review. Contrary to Velasco-Aceves’ contention, he does not qualify for relief under the Federal First Offender Act (“FFOA”), 18 U.S.C. § 3607, because he previously received the state-law equivalent of FFOA relief with respect to his 1984 charge. See De Jesus Melendez v. Gonzales, 503 F.3d 1019, 1026 (9th Cir. 2007) (alien may not avoid the immigration consequences of a drug conviction as a first offender when, as a result of a prior drug possession arrest, he was granted pretrial diversion under California law and was not required to plead guilty). PETITION FOR REVIEW DENIED. IH/Research 2 06-75615