Rucks

NOT FOR PUBLICATION FILED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS JUL 14 2025

MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK

U.S. COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, No. 23-2199 D.C. No. Plaintiff - Appellee, 2:20-cr-001-KJM v.

MEMORANDUM*

JULIUS RUCKS,

Defendant - Appellant.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California The Honorable Kimberly J. Mueller, District Judge, Presiding

Submitted July 10, 2025** San Francisco, California

Before: H.A. THOMAS and DE ALBA, Circuit Judges, and RAKOFF, District Judge.***

Julius Rucks appeals his conviction and his within-guidelines 153-month

sentence after pleading guilty to three fentanyl distribution counts in violation of 21

* This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3. ** The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2). *** The Honorable Jed S. Rakoff, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York, sitting by designation. U.S.C. § 841(a) in…