United States v. Juan Hernandez-Hernandez

MEMORANDUM

Juan Carlos Hernandez-Hernandez appeals from the district court’s judgment and challenges the 51-month sentence imposed following his guilty-plea conviction for three counts of bringing in illegal aliens for financial gain and aiding and abetting, in violation of 8 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii); and three counts of bringing in illegal aliens without presentation, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324 (a)(2)(B)(iii). We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 , and we vacate and remand.

Hernandez-Hernandez contends that the district court procedurally erred by failing to consider the 18 U.S.C. § 3553 (a) sentencing factors when imposing sentence below the mandatory minimum pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3553 (e). This contention is foreclosed by United States v. Jackson, 577 F.3d 1032, 1036 (9th Cir.2009).

Hernandez-Hernandez also contends that he was denied his right of allocution under Fed.R.Crim.P. 32(i)(4)(A)(ii). We agree with the parties that the district court failed to afford Hernandez-Hernandez the right to allocute at sentencing, and that the error was not harmless because the court could have imposed a shorter sentence by departing further under U.S.S.G. § 5K1.1.…