Rene Tokpan v. Eric Holder, Jr.
Opinion
Opinion
MEMORANDUM
Rene Tokpan petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ decision affirming the Immigration Judge’s denial of Tokpan’s motion to reopen. We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We deny the petition for review.
We review denial of a motion to reopen for abuse of discretion. Iturribarria v. INS, 321 F.3d 889, 894 (9th Cir.2003). Tokpan was convicted of stalking under California law and was ordered removed under 8 U.S.C. § 1227 (a)(2)(E)(i). Tokpan argues on appeal that because his conviction was based on a plea of nolo contende-re, it was insufficient to qualify as a conviction under § 1227. “Conviction” is defined in 8 U.S.C. § 1101 (a)(48)(A) as
Here, the California Superior Court entered a formal judgment of guilt against Tokpan for stalking, after he pleaded nolo contendere. Under § 1101, where there is a judgment of guilt, that suffices as a conviction for federal purposes regardless of whether that judgment of guilt is based upon a plea of nolo contendere. Tokpan was convicted on his plea of stalking, and the BIA did not abuse its discretion in denying his motion to reopen. We need not and do not reach any of Tokpan’s other arguments.