United States v. Juan Flores-Acuna

MEMORANDUM

Juan Carlos FIores-Aeuna was arrested at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry while attempting to enter the United States from Mexico in a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado truck, in which border patrol agents found approximately 3.56 kilograms of methamphetamine. Flores-Acuna was convicted and sentenced under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 (a)(1), 952 and 960, and appeals the district court’s denial of his motion for a new trial. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 , and we affirm.

Flores-Acuna filed a motion for a new trial based on alleged newly-discovered evidence in the form of a post-trial psychological evaluation. “We review a district court’s order denying a motion for a new trial made on the ground of newly discovered evidence for abuse of discretion.” United States v. Hinkson, 585 F.3d 1247, 1259 (9th Cir.2009) (en banc). The district court correctly identified the standard for evaluating a motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence. See United States v. Harrington, 410 F.3d 598, 601 (9th Cir.2005). After reviewing the record as a whole, we conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying Flores-Acuna’s motion because nothing prevented defense…