169 F. App'x 298

UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Maria Maricela MARTINEZ-MENDOZA, also known as Cindy Lou Alvarez, Defendant-Appellant.

No. 05-40916.

Conference Calendar.

United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.

Decided Feb. 24, 2006.

James Lee Turner, Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas, Houston, TX, for PlaintiffAppellee.

Marjorie A. Meyers, Federal Public Defender, Brent Evan Newton, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Laura Fletcher Leavitt, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Federal Public Defender’s Office, Southern District of Texas, Houston, TX, Rene’ C. Flores, Federal Public Defender’s Office, Southern District of Texas, Corpus Christi, TX, for Defendant-Appellant.

*299Before GARZA, DENNIS, and PRADO, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM: *

Maria Maricela Martinez-Mendoza appeals her sentence under 8 U.S.C. § 1326 for illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported. Martinez-Mendoza argues that the “felony” and “aggravated felony” provisions of § 1326(b) are unconstitutional. This challenge is foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224, 235, 118 S.Ct. 1219, 140 L.Ed.2d 350 (1998). Although Martinezr-Mendoza 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, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000), we have repeatedly rejected such arguments on the basis that AlmendarezTorres remains binding. See United States v. Garza-Lopez, 410 F.3d 268, 276 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, — U.S.-, 126 S.Ct. 298, 163 L.Ed.2d 260 (2005). Martinez-Mendoza properly concedes that her argument is foreclosed in light of Almendarez-Torres and circuit precedent, but she raises it here to preserve it for further review.

AFFIRMED.

United States v. Martinez-Mendoza
169 F. App'x 298

Case Details

Name
United States v. Martinez-Mendoza
Decision Date
Feb 24, 2006
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169 F. App'x 298

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United States

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