United States v. Moreno-Moreno

United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT August 17, 2005 Charles R. Fulbruge III Clerk No. 04-41582 Conference Calendar UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus MARTIN MORENO-MORENO, Defendant-Appellant. -------------------- Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas USDC No. 2:04-CR-360-ALL -------------------- Before BENAVIDES, CLEMENT, and PRADO, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Martin Moreno-Moreno appeals from the sentence imposed following his guilty plea to illegal reentry into the United States following deportation. See 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b). He argues that the “felony” and “aggravated felony” provisions of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b)(1) and (2) are unconstitutional in light of Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466 (2000). He concedes that his challenge is foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224, 235 (1998), and he raises it to preserve it for further * 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 R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR.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. 04-41582 - 2 - review by the Supreme Court and to prevent procedural default in the event the law changes. 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). We therefore must follow Almendarez-Torres “unless and until the Supreme Court itself determines to overrule it.” Dabeit, 231 F.3d at 984 (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). AFFIRMED.