United States v. Vargas-Garcia , 169 F. App'x 206 ( 2006 )


Menu:
  •                                                        United States Court of Appeals
    Fifth Circuit
    F I L E D
    IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT                  February 23, 2006
    Charles R. Fulbruge III
    Clerk
    No. 05-40360
    Conference Calendar
    UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
    Plaintiff-Appellee,
    versus
    RAIMUNDO VARGAS-GARCIA,
    Defendant-Appellee.
    --------------------
    Appeal from the United States District Court
    for the Southern District of Texas
    USDC No. 1:04-CR-729-ALL
    --------------------
    Before GARZA, DENNIS, and PRADO, Circuit Judges.
    PER CURIAM:*
    Raimundo Vargas-Garcia (Vargas) appeals from his conviction
    of illegal reentry following deportation, pursuant to 
    8 U.S.C. § 1326
    .
    Vargas contends for the first time on appeal that the
    district court erred in ordering him to cooperate in the
    collection of a DNA sample as a condition of supervised release
    and that this condition should therefore be vacated.     This claim
    is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction because it is not ripe for
    *
    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    this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except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. 05-40360
    -2-
    review.   See United States v. Riascos-Cuenu, 
    428 F.3d 1000
    , 1102
    (5th Cir. 2005), petition for cert. filed (Jan. 9, 2005) (No. 05-
    8662).
    Vargas next argues, for the first time on appeal, that his
    previous state offense of burglary of a habitation did not
    constitute a “crime of violence” for purposes of U.S.S.G.
    § 2L1.2(b)(1)(A)(ii).    He correctly concedes that his argument
    is foreclosed by United States v. Garcia-Mendez, 
    420 F.3d 454
    ,
    456-57 (5th Cir. 2005), petition for cert. filed (Dec. 15,
    2005)(No. 05-8542), but he raises the argument to preserve it for
    further review.   He also argues that Garcia-Mendez was
    incorrectly decided.    We do not disturb our holding in Garcia-
    Mendez.   See United States v. Taylor, 
    933 F.2d 307
    , 313 (5th Cir.
    1991) (one panel of this court may not overrule another panel).
    Vargas finally challenges the constitutionality of 
    8 U.S.C. § 1326
    (b).   His constitutional challenge is foreclosed by
    Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 
    523 U.S. 224
    , 235 (1998).
    Although Vargas contends that Almendarez-Torres was incorrectly
    decided and that a majority of the Supreme Court would overrule
    Almendarez-Torres in light of Apprendi v. New Jersey, 
    530 U.S. 466
     (2000), we have repeatedly rejected such arguments on the
    basis that Almendarez-Torres remains binding.    See United States
    v. Garza-Lopez, 
    410 F.3d 268
    , 276 (5th Cir.), cert. denied,
    
    126 S. Ct. 298
     (2005).    Vargas properly concedes that his
    argument is foreclosed in light of Almendarez-Torres and circuit
    No. 05-40360
    -3-
    precedent, but he raises it here to preserve it for further
    review.
    JUDGMENT AFFIRMED; APPEAL DISMISSED IN PART.