United States v. Al-Quan Loyal

MEMORANDUM

Al-Quan Romain Loyal appeals the district court’s denial of his motion to withdraw his guilty plea as well as the sentence imposed by the district court, which included a career offender enhancement. We affirm.

The parties are familiar with the facts of the case. Loyal and his codefendants were involved in a conspiracy to buy seven kilograms of cocaine from an undercover agent of the DEA. When defendants were arrested, the agents seized $104,000 in cash and an AK-47 that Loyal and his co-conspirators had brought to the scene of the transaction.

A grand jury indicted Loyal of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine; attempt to possess with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and a felon in possession of a firearm. Loyal pled guilty to all counts of the superseding indictment.

Later, Loyal filed two pro se motions: a motion to withdraw his guilty plea and a motion for change of counsel. The district court granted the second motion and conducted a hearing on Loyal’s motion to withdraw from the guilty plea. At the change-of-plea hearing, the…