Defendant appeals the sentence imposed by the United States District
Court for the District of New Mexico following his conviction for reentry of a
deported alien, previously convicted of an aggravated felony, in violation of 8
U.S.C. § 1326(a)(1) and (2) and § 1326(b)(2). Defendant challenges
only the
district court's refusal to award him a reduction in offense level for acceptance of
responsibility. Because Defendant failed to object in district court for its refusal
to grant the reduction for accepting responsibility, we review the district court's
decision for plain error. United States v. Moudy, 132 F.3d 618, 621 (10th Cir.
1998).
Defendant was convicted after a full jury trial. While Defendant did not
testify personally or elicit the testimony of others in his defense, Defendant did
cross-examine the government's witnesses and did require the government to
prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This court's prior ruling in United
States v. Portillo-Valenzuela, 20 F.3d 393 (10th Cir. 1994), is instructive. Mr.
Portillo-Valenzuela was prosecuted for unlawful reentry of an alien (same crime
as Defendant), pleaded not guilty, and went to trial. Like Defendant, Mr.
Portillo-Valenzuela did not testify or attempt to challenge his original confession.
We held that the district court did not err in refusing to grant Mr. Portillo-Valenzuela a reduction
for acceptance of responsibility. See id. at 394-95.
Defendant failed to demonstrate any meaningful distinction between the present
case and our prior holding in Portillo-Valenzuela.
Defendant maintains that the district court held that the act of going to trial
automatically disqualified him from receiving an acceptance of responsibility
reduction. This argument is not in accord with our reading of the record.
Examination of the record in a manner most favorable to Defendant fails to
reveal that the district court committed error of any kind, much less plain error.
The district court's decision is hereby AFFIRMED.
Entered for the Court
Monroe G. McKay
Circuit Judge
*. This order and judgment is not binding
precedent, except under the
doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. The court
generally disfavors the citation of orders and judgments; nevertheless, an order
and judgment may be cited under the terms and conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
v.
FRANCISCO CRUZ-MARTINEZ,
Defendant - Appellant.
Before SEYMOUR and McKAY, Circuit Judges, and
BRORBY, Senior Circuit
Judge.
After examining the briefs and the appellate record, this panel has
determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist the
determination of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G).
The case is therefore ordered submitted without oral argument.
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