United States v. Puig Valdes

FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, No. 23-3214

Plaintiff - Appellant, D.C. No. 2:22-cr-00394- v. DMG-

YASIEL PUIG VALDES,

OPINION

Defendant - Appellee.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Central District of California Dolly M. Gee, Chief District Judge, Presiding

Argued and Submitted May 13, 2024 Pasadena, California

Filed May 29, 2025

Before: Daniel P. Collins, Holly A. Thomas, and Anthony D. Johnstone, Circuit Judges.

Opinion by Judge Collins SUMMARY *

Criminal Law

In an interlocutory appeal by the Government, the panel affirmed the district court’s ruling that the factual basis of a pre-indictment plea agreement signed by Yasiel Puig Valdes (“Puig”) would be excluded at trial. Under the plea agreement, Puig would plead guilty to one count of making false statements to federal officers, and in exchange, the Government would recommend a reduced sentence and decline to bring an additional charge of obstruction of justice. When Puig later declined to plead guilty, the Government declared that Puig…