United States v. Alanis-Gonzales

* 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that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent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.
United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
F I L E D
December 17, 2004
Charles R. Fulbruge III
Clerk
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
No. 04-40532
Conference Calendar
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
SERGIO ALANIS-GONZALES, also known as Juan Antonio
Robledo-Pesina,
Defendant-Appellant.
--------------------
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Texas
USDC No. 1:03-CR-983-ALL
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Before KING, Chief Judge, and DeMOSS and CLEMENT, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Sergio Alanis-Gonzales appeals from his conviction of
illegal reentry following deportation after conviction of an
aggravated felony. Alanis contends for the first time on appeal
that his sentence is constitutionally infirm because
Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998), has been
cast into doubt by Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466 (2000),
and should be overruled. He also contends that if Almendarez-

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Torres were overruled, Blakely v. Washington, 124 S. Ct. 2531
(2004), would apply in determining his sentence. Alanis raises
these issues only to preserve them for further review, and he
concedes that this court’s review is under the plain-error
standard.
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 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). Further, Blakely does not apply to the federal
sentencing guidelines. See United States v. Piniero, 377 F.3d
464, 473 (5th Cir.), petition for cert. filed (U.S. July 14,
2004)(No. 04-5263). Alanis has failed to show error, plain or
otherwise, regarding the applicability of Almendarez-Torres or
Blakely.
AFFIRMED.

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