United States v. Ramon Ramirez-Ravago

19 F.3d 1442 NOTICE: Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3 provides that dispositions other than opinions or orders designated for publication are not precedential and should not be cited except when relevant under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, or collateral estoppel. UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Ramon RAMIREZ-RAVAGO, Defendant-Appellant. No. 93-30184. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Submitted March 11, 1994. * Decided March 16, 1994. Before: BROWNING, KOZINSKI and NOONAN, Circuit Judges. 1 MEMORANDUM ** 2 In cases where the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines range exceeds the statutory maximum, "the statutorily authorized maximum sentence shall be the guideline sentence." U.S.S.G. Sec. 5G1.1 (1993). Ramirez-Ravago argues that by imposing a two year sentence, the statutory maximum under 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1326 (a), the guidelines deny the district court any discretion and thus exceed the statutory authority of the U.S. Sentencing Commission. 1 3 We find little merit in this argument. " 'If Congress can remove the sentencing discretion of the district courts, it certainly may guide that discretion through the guidelines.' " United States v. Belgard, 894…