From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

U.S. v. Brewer

United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Sep 21, 2009
344 F. App'x 947 (5th Cir. 2009)

Opinion

No. 08-41142 Summary Calendar.

September 21, 2009.

Ernest Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of Texas, Piano, TX, for Plaintiff-Appellee.

Trent Brewer, McKinney, TX, pro se.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, USDC No. 4:07-CR-246-12.

Before REAVLEY, DAVIS, and HAYNES, Circuit Judges.


Trent Brewer seeks to appeal the 360-month sentence he received after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846. In his written plea agreement, Brewer waived his right to appeal his sentence on all grounds, except he reserved the right to appeal (a) any punishment imposed in excess of the statutory maximum and (b) a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel that affects the validity of the waiver itself. He argues that the appeal waiver is not enforceable because the Government breached the plea agreement when it recommended at sentencing that Brewer not be given a three-level reduction for acceptance of responsibility.

This court pretermits the issue whether the Government breached the plea agreement and finds that Brewer's challenge to his sentence is unavailing. Given Brewer's use of a cell phone in violation of jail rules, the district court did not clearly err when it denied him a three-level reduction for acceptance of responsibility. See United States v. Gonzales, 19 F.3d 982, 983 (5th Cir. 1994); U.S.S.G. § 3E1.1, comment. (n. 1(b)). Nor has Brewer rebutted the presumption that his sentence, at the bottom of the guidelines range of imprisonment, is reasonable. See United States v. Alonzo, 435 F.3d 551, 554 (5th Cir. 2006).

AFFIRMED.


Summaries of

U.S. v. Brewer

United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Sep 21, 2009
344 F. App'x 947 (5th Cir. 2009)
Case details for

U.S. v. Brewer

Case Details

Full title:UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee v. Trent BREWER…

Court:United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit

Date published: Sep 21, 2009

Citations

344 F. App'x 947 (5th Cir. 2009)

Citing Cases

United States v. Brewer

An indigent defendant in a felony case must be provided counsel on direct appeal as of right. United States…

Brewer v. United States

Trent BREWER, petitioner, v. UNITED STATES.Case below, 344 Fed.Appx. 947. Petition for writ of certiorari to…