Ruiz-Estrada

United States v. Ruiz-Estrada

Good Law
225 F. App'x 645
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitMarch 21, 2007No. 06-50450California277 words

Opinion

Lead Opinion

MEMORANDUM **

Victor Manuel Ruiz-Estrada appeals from the 24-month sentence following his guilty-plea conviction of bringing an illegal alien into the United States without presentation and aiding and abetting, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324 (a)(2)(B)(iii) and 18 U.S.C. § 2 . We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 , and we affirm.

Ruiz-Estrada challenges the district court’s application of a two-level upward adjustment under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.4 for the use or attempted use of a minor to commit the crime of alien smuggling. We cannot say that the district court clearly erred in finding the enhancement. The district court found that Ruiz-Estrada, who falsely claimed U.S. citizenship at the primary inspection, was attempting to use his U.S. citizen children to avoid detection. The court noted that Ruiz-Estrada had twice previously been arrested for alien smuggling with some of his children in the car. See United States v. Castro-Hernandez, 258 F.3d 1057, 1059-60 (9th Cir.2001).

Ruiz-Estrada also contends that he is entitled to resentencing because the district court gave the sentencing guidelines presumptive weight in violation of United States v. Zavala, 443 F.3d 1165, 1170-71…

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