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UNITED STATES v. BERDEJA MEDINA (2021)

United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.2021-02-19No. No. 20-50720

Summary

Holding. The court affirmed the district court's judgment, granting the government's motion for summary affirmance because Berdeja-Medina's constitutional challenge to the recidivism enhancement is foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States, and he also abandoned any argument regarding the revocation of his supervised release by failing to brief the issue.

Miguel Angel Berdeja-Medina challenged his 78-month prison sentence for illegal reentry under federal law, arguing that the recidivism enhancement allowing a sentence beyond the standard two-year statutory maximum violated the Constitution because prior criminal history was not alleged in the indictment or proven to a jury. He acknowledged that binding Supreme Court precedent in Almendarez-Torres v. United States foreclosed his argument but sought to preserve it for potential future review. The government filed an unopposed motion for summary affirmance, and the court agreed that his constitutional challenge was definitively precluded by existing law.

Summary generated by law.co from the public-domain opinion. The opinion text itself is public domain.

Key issues

  • Whether recidivism enhancement allowing sentence above statutory maximum based on facts not alleged or jury-proven violates the Constitution
  • Whether Almendarez-Torres forecloses such a constitutional challenge
  • Whether failure to brief an issue on appeal constitutes abandonment of that argument

Procedural posture

Berdeja-Medina appealed his sentence and supervised release revocation following conviction for illegal reentry, and the government filed an unopposed motion for summary affirmance.

Authorities cited

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Opinion

Miguel Angel Berdeja-Medina appeals his sentence of 78 months in prison, which the district court imposed following his guilty plea conviction for illegal reentry in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326. He also appeals from the judgment revoking his supervised release, which had been imposed after a prior illegal reentry conviction. Berdeja-Medina contends that the recidivism enhancement under § 1326(b)(1), which was applied in his case, is unconstitutional because it allows a sentence above the otherwise applicable statutory maximum of two years of imprisonment, see § 1326(a), based on facts that are neither alleged in the indictment nor found by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. He concedes the issue is foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224, 118 S.Ct. 1219, 140 L.Ed.2d 350 (1998), but he seeks to preserve the issue for further review. The Government has filed an unopposed motion for summary affirmance, asserting that Berdeja-Medinas argument is foreclosed.

The parties are correct that Berdeja-Medinas assertion is foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres. See United States v. Wallace, 759 F.3d 486, 497 (5th Cir. 2014); United States v. Rojas-Luna, 522 F.3d 502, 505-06 (5th Cir. 2008). Further, Berdeja-Medina has abandoned any challenge to the revocation of his supervised release by failing to brief an argument as to the revocation. See Yohey v. Collins, 985 F.2d 222, 224-25 (5th Cir. 1993). Accordingly, the motion for summary affirmance is GRANTED, see Groendyke Transp., Inc. v. Davis, 406 F.2d 1158, 1162 (5th Cir. 1969), the Governments motion for an extension of time to file a brief is DENIED, and the judgments of the district court are AFFIRMED.

FOOTNOTES

FOOTNOTE

Per Curiam:*

FN* Pursuant to 5th Circuit Rule 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 Circuit Rule 47.5.4.