Opinion
No. 06-41615, Conference Calendar.
August 8, 2007.
James Lee Turner, Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas, Houston, TX, for Plaintiff-Appellee.
Marjorie A. Meyers, Federal Public Defender, Federal Public Defender's Office, Southern District of Texas, Houston, TX, for Defendant-Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, USDC No. 5:06-CR-850-1.
Before DENNIS, CLEMENT, and PRADO, Circuit Judges.
Appealing the Judgment in a Criminal Case, Jose Rene Cardona-Blanco (Cardona) seeks to preserve for further review his contention that his sentence is unreasonable because this court's post- Booker rulings have effectively reinstated the mandatory Sentencing Guideline regime condemned in Booker. Cardona concedes that his argument is foreclosed by United States v. Mares, 402 F.3d 511 (5th Cir. 2005), and its progeny, which have outlined this court's methodology for reviewing sentences for reasonableness. In light of Rita v. United States, ___ U.S. ___, ___, 127 S.Ct. 2456, 2462-68, 168 L.Ed.2d 203 (2007), the issue remains foreclosed. Cardona also raises arguments that are foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224, 235, 118 S.Ct. 1219, 140 L.Ed.2d 350 (1998), which held that 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b)(2) is a penalty provision and not a separate criminal offense. The Government's motion for summary affirmance is GRANTED, and the judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.
United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220, 125 S.Ct. 738, 160 L.Ed.2d 621 (2005).