No. 19-7446

Enrique A. Echeverria-Benitez v. United States

Lower Court: Fifth Circuit
Docketed: 2020-01-27
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP Experienced Counsel
Tags: appellate-review criminal-procedure double-jeopardy fifth-circuit illegal-reentry plain-error retribution sentencing sentencing-guidelines supervised-release
Key Terms:
Immigration Privacy
Latest Conference: 2020-02-28
Question Presented (from Petition)

On direct appeal, Mr. Echeverria-Benitez argued his twenty-seven month sentence for illegal reentry after removal was unreasonable. Mr. Echeverria-Benitez, agreed review was for plain error because he did not present this issue to the District Court. The Government responded that this claim was without merit because Mr. Echeverria-Benitez did not show plain error on the issue of the need for a reasonable sentence. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the sentence of the District Court. Mr. Echeverria-Benitez submits the decision is in need of the supervision of this Court and hence this Petition deserves further review.

On the same day as the sentencing in the above case, Mr. Echeverria-Benitez pleaded true to and was sentenced on a motion to revoke supervised release. The district Court sentenced Mr. Echeverria-Benitez to serve nine months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons to run consecutively to the above twenty-seven month sentence on the illegal reentry. Mr. Echeverria-Benitez argued the imposition of this punishment constituted reversible error because it was imposed based on the perceived need for retribution expressed by the District Court. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled "an error is not plain if it requires the extension of precedent." (Appendix A) (quoting United States v. Vargas-Soto, 700 F.3d 180, 182 (5th Cir. 2012)). Respectfully, this decision conflicts with the relevant decisions of this Court and hence a compelling reason is present in support of this Court's discretionary review. Accordingly, Mr. Echeverria-Benitez contends this Petition deserves to proceed to further review.

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the imposition of consecutive sentences for illegal reentry and revocation of supervised release was unreasonable and constituted reversible error

Docket Entries

2020-03-02
Petition DENIED.
2020-02-13
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/28/2020.
2020-02-04
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2020-01-21
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due February 26, 2020)

Attorneys

Enrique Echeverria-Benitez
James Scott SullivanLaw Offices of J. Scott Sullivan, Petitioner
United States
Noel J. FranciscoSolicitor General, Respondent