United States v. Ochoa-Cornejo

United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit FILED IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS June 23, 2004 FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT Charles R. Fulbruge III Clerk No. 03-41549 Conference Calendar UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus PEDRO OCHOA-CORNEJO, Defendant-Appellant. -------------------- Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas USDC No. B-03-CR-628-1 -------------------- Before BARKSDALE, DeMOSS, and CLEMENT, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Pedro Ochoa-Cornejo (Ochoa) appeals his guilty plea conviction for illegal reentry into the United States following an aggravated felony conviction in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326. For the first time on appeal, Ochoa argues that the sentencing provisions of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b)(1) & (2) are unconstitutional in light of Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466 (2000). Ochoa acknowledges that his argument is foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998), but he seeks to preserve the issue for Supreme Court review. Apprendi did not overrule * 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 R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR.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. 03-41549 -2- Almendarez-Torres. See Apprendi, 530 U.S. at 489-90; United States v. Dabeit, 231 F.3d 979, 984 (5th Cir. 2000). Accordingly, the judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.