The Fifth Circuit affirmed a conviction for illegal reentry after deportation. The court found no clear and obvious error in the district court's handling of the defendant's guilty plea.
Baldemar Maldonado-Vara pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after deportation and received a thirty-month prison sentence. He appealed, arguing the plea was involuntary and the district court violated Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule eleven.
The court’s reasoning
Because the defendant did not raise these issues in the district court, the court reviewed the claims for plain error. The court found that the defendant failed to identify a clear and obvious error that affects his substantial rights.
What it means going forward
The affirmation reinforces the standard for plain error review when a defendant fails to preserve plea-related objections in the district court.
