United States v. Garcia-Vargas

05-40475Court of Appeals for the Fifth CircuitNov 9, 2005

Full text

* 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this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except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
November 9, 2005
Charles R. Fulbruge III
Clerk
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
No. 05-40475
Summary Calendar
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
VICTOR GARCIA-VARGAS,
Defendant-Appellant.
--------------------
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Texas
USDC No. 7:04-CR-649-ALL
--------------------
Before DAVIS, SMITH, and DENNIS, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Victor Garcia-Vargas appeals his conviction and sentence for
attempted illegal reentry. He concedes that the issue whether
the “felony” and “aggravated felony” provisions of 8 U.S.C.
§ 1326(b)(1) and (2) are unconstitutional in light of Apprendi v.
New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466 (2000), is foreclosed by Almendarez-
Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998), and he raises the
issue solely to preserve its further review by the Supreme Court.

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No. 05-40475
-2-
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 therefore 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).
AFFIRMED.

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