United States v. Mota , 169 F. App'x 355 ( 2006 )

United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
F I L E D
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT February 24, 2006
Charles R. Fulbruge III
Clerk
No. 05-40828
Conference Calendar
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
MELVIN MOTA,
Defendant-Appellant.
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Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Texas
USDC No. 7:05-CR-22-ALL
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Before GARZA, DENNIS, and PRADO, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Melvin Mota appeals his conviction and sentence for being
illegally present in this country following a deportation, in
violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326. Mota challenges the
constitutionality of § 1326(b)’s treatment of prior felony and
aggravated felony convictions as sentencing factors rather than
elements of the offense that must be found by a jury in light of
Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466 (2000).
*
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this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except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. 05-40828
-2-
Mota’s constitutional challenge is foreclosed by
Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224, 235 (1998).
Although Mota contends that Almendarez-Torres was incorrectly
decided and that a majority of the Supreme Court would overrule
Almendarez-Torres in light of Apprendi, 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). Mota
properly concedes that his argument is foreclosed in light of
Almendarez-Torres and circuit precedent, but he raises it here to
preserve it for further review.
AFFIRMED.