Ruiz-Lopez

United States v. Ruiz-Lopez

Good Law
352 F. App'x 178
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitNovember 6, 2009Nos. 08-50342California385 words

Opinion

Lead Opinion

MEMORANDUM **

Victor Ruiz-Lopez appeals the 70-month sentence imposed by the district court following his open guilty plea to being an illegal alien found in the United States following deportation, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326 (a). We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 and 18 U.S.C. § 3742 . We affirm.

The government was not bound by, and therefore did not breach, the fast-track plea agreement because the district court did not accept the plea agreement, Ruiz-Lopez did not plead guilty pursuant to the plea agreement, and Ruiz-Lopez did not detrimentally rely on any representation made by the government in the plea agreement when he pleaded guilty. See United States v. Kuchinski, 469 F.3d 853, 858 (9th Cir.2006). The district court properly disregarded the fast-track plea agreement because Ruiz-Lopez did not plead guilty pursuant to that agreement, and the district court never accepted it. See Fed.R.Crim.P. 11(c)(3)(A).

Ruiz-Lopez’s guilty plea was knowing and voluntary because the record demonstrates that he was aware of and understood the consequences of pleading guilty, including the fact that he was not pleading guilty pursuant to any plea agreement, and his guilty…

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