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United States v. Francisco Fuentes
2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 10230
| 7th Cir. | 2017
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Background

  • Fuentes was charged with illegal reentry under 8 U.S.C. §§ 1326(a) and (b)(2); he pleaded guilty pursuant to a written plea agreement.
  • The plea agreement and presentence report (PSR) applied an 8-level enhancement under U.S.S.G. § 2L1.2(b)(1)(C) because of a prior burglary conviction classified as an "aggravated felony."
  • The parties agreed to a 3-level reduction for acceptance of responsibility, yielding an advisory Guidelines range of 24–30 months.
  • At the change-of-plea and sentencing hearings, the court explained the enhancement and Fuentes repeatedly confirmed he understood and agreed with the calculations.
  • Fuentes’s sentencing memorandum expressly stated he agreed with the PSR calculations, including that his prior burglary qualified as an aggravated felony.
  • At sentencing Fuentes objected to one factual PSR point (which the court corrected) but did not object to the base offense level or the 8-level enhancement; the court sentenced him to 24 months.

Issues

Issue Plaintiff's Argument Defendant's Argument Held
Whether Fuentes may challenge the 8-level aggravated-felony enhancement on appeal Fuentes contends the prior burglary was not an aggravated felony and the enhancement was applied in error Government argues Fuentes waived the challenge by agreeing to the enhancement in plea agreement and at hearings Waived: appellate review precluded because Fuentes intentionally relinquished the right to contest the Guidelines range

Key Cases Cited

  • United States v. Brodie, 507 F.3d 527 (7th Cir. 2007) (distinguishes waiver from forfeiture; intentional relinquishment precludes review)
  • United States v. Armour, 804 F.3d 859 (7th Cir. 2015) (finding waiver where defendant objected to some PSR matters but not applicable Guidelines range)
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Case Details

Case Name: United States v. Francisco Fuentes
Court Name: Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Date Published: Jun 8, 2017
Citation: 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 10230
Docket Number: 16-3504
Court Abbreviation: 7th Cir.